Subject: morin tsereg cavalryman
Culture: Khalkha and related Mongols
Setting: Qing empire 18-19thc
Context (Event Photos, Primary Sources, Secondary Sources, Field Notes)
* Barfield 1992 p300-301
"The Mongols acted both as a buffer for Ch'ing China and as their shock troops in Inner Asia. The Ch'ing relied on Mongol troops and supplies to fight the Zunghars, although leadership was largely in the hands of bannermen and members of the Imperial clan. From the mid-seventeenth to mid-eighteenth centuries it was this traditional nomadic force, not firearms, which gave the dynasty its great Inner Asian conquests. Galdan had successfully fended off cannon with 'armored' camels and K'ang-hsi was later forced to abandon his slow-moving artillery to keep pace with the retreating Zunghars. Cavalry remained the most important component of a steppe campaign. Without city walls or static defenses, slow-loading guns were not decisive. The Zunghar wars were fought along traditional lines.
"The Zunghar defeat and the incorporation of their territory into the Ch'ing empire put an end to the usefulness of the Mongols as steppe fighters. The sharp decline of Mongol power began at this point, as elements which had been developing for fifty years suddenly accelerated. These included the decline of Mongol military readiness, the rise of monastic Buddhism, and economic exploitation which drained Mongolia of its wealth. These were all natural consequences of Ch'ing administrative structure which had relegated the Mongols to a marginal position.
"The Mongol armies had been organized into leagues in order to preserve their military readiness. Following the defeat of the Zunghars, the military importance of the leagues declined. While the Manchus may still have seen the Mongols as a military reserve, they allowed the previously rigorous system of inspections, annual reviews, and the quality of equipment to decline. In 1775, the Ch'ing court stopped sending representatives to view the troops and military reviews were held only once every three years. At the same time, the number of monasteries in Mongolia greatly expanded. The Ch'ing had kept close rein on the number of aristocratic Mongols and others who desired to become monks, in order not to sap military reserves. The rise in the number of monks corresponded with the declining need of the Ch'ing for Mongol troops. Ch'ing hegemony also established peace in Mongolia which allowed monasteries to be safely established in all parts of the steppe where they became centers for agriculture, trade, and learning."
Gun
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Archery
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Costume
* Zang 1992 p151
"Men's robes are made of satin, silk, velour and etc. [SIC] Some have vents and some no vents. Men usually wear waistcoats of different length over the robes. The Mongolian boots they wear are unique and delicately made. They usually tie robes with waistbands, which not only have decorative function, but also block wind, keep warm and make clothes convenient for riding, so waistbands are important parts of Mongolian clothing culture."
* Heath 1978 p105
"H. H. Howorth, describing the dress of mid-19th century Mongols, says the usual colours for the outer summer coat (the Kalat) were blue or brown, over a bright blue or grey shirt; trouser colours appear to have been similar. The flap-opening of the Kalat went from left to right, as opposed to the right-over-left opening of the Turks. An ornamental belt, round fur or plush-trimmed cap and leather boots with felt soles completed the costume. Howorth adds that at that late date the cap had two 45 cm ribbons hanging down at the back ...."
Saber
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Knife
* Zang 1992 p151
"[M]en often gird Mongolian knifes [SIC] which they carry most of their time [SIC], steel for flint and pouches."
Pipe
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Bag
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Crop
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Bottle
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