Khorchin
Encyclopedia
Khorchin is a subgroup of the Mongols
that speak the Khorchin dialect
of Mongolian
and predominantly live in southeastern Inner Mongolia
.
The Ming Dynasty
put two surrendered Borjigin
princes (descended from Genghis Khan's brothers) over the Taining guard of the Three Guards which was established in 1389. During invasions of Esen Tayisi
from 1446–48, most of them fled, however, Fuyu Guard of the Three Guards remained along the Nen River
and Onon River
. Ruled by descendants of Khasar, they became direct ancestors of the Khorchins. Adai Khan
of the Khorchin challenged the power of the Four Oirats
and the Ming court over the succession struggle of Northern Yuan Dynasty, however, he was killed by them in Ejene
in 1438 and his tribe was forced to flee southward. The Khorchin appeared again in Mongolian chronicles with the rise of Unebolad wang
in the late 15th century. The Khorchins allied with Dayan Khan
and defeated the Uriyangkhai at the battle of Dalan Terqin in 1510.
In 1624, Nurhaci
received the submission of Khorchins who roamed east of Khingan
mountains and west of the Sungari. They were the first Mongol tribe that submitted to Qing Dynasty
. The Khorchins were responsible for production of fermented mare's milk
for Manchu
emperors. The later emperors of the Manchu Qing Dynasty rewarded the Khorchin nobles highly for this early loyalty. Notable Empresses of the Qing Dynasty, such as Empress Xiaozhuangwen (1613–88) and Empress Xiaohuizhang (1641–1717), were the Khorchin-Borjigins. The Khorchins were further divided into two wings (north and south), each with
three Banners.
Due to the anti-Mongol rebellion among Chinese
peasents in 1891, many thousands of farming Monggoljin Mongols fled to the Khorchin. After 1900 both Chinese education and Chinese colonization spread among them. When the Japanese Empire occupied parts of Inner Mongolia
and all of Manchuria
in 1931, the Khorchins became the most energetic proponents of secular learning and reform among the Mongols. After World War II
rural class struggle and the civil war of 1946–48 were very bloody and divisive. Since then they have been a powerful faction
within Inner Mongolia
's Chinese Communist Party apparatus.
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
that speak the Khorchin dialect
Khorchin dialect
The Khorchin dialect is a variety of Mongolian spoken in the east of Inner Mongolia, namely in Hinggan League, in the north, north-east and east of Hinggan and in all but the south of the Tongliao region...
of Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
and predominantly live in southeastern Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
.
The Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
put two surrendered Borjigin
Borjigin
Borjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
princes (descended from Genghis Khan's brothers) over the Taining guard of the Three Guards which was established in 1389. During invasions of Esen Tayisi
Esen Tayisi
Esen taishi was a powerful Oirat Khagan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia in the 15th century. He is best known for capturing the Zhengtong Emperor of the Ming Dynasty in 1450 after the Battle of Tumu Fortress and briefly reuniting the Mongols...
from 1446–48, most of them fled, however, Fuyu Guard of the Three Guards remained along the Nen River
Nen River
Nen River or Nenjiang , or Nonni is a river in Northeast China. The Nen River flows through the northern part of Heilongjiang Province and the northeastern section of Inner Mongolia, some parts of the river forming the border between the two regions...
and Onon River
Onon River
The Onon is a river in Mongolia and Russia of length 818 km and watershed 94,010 km². It originates at the eastern slope of the Khentii Mountains. For 298 km it flows within Mongolia...
. Ruled by descendants of Khasar, they became direct ancestors of the Khorchins. Adai Khan
Adai Khan
Adai was the Mongol Khan of the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia. After the prominent eastern Mongolian chancellor, Arughtai, threw his allegiance to him, he briefly reunited most of the Mongols under his banner.- Lineage and early life :...
of the Khorchin challenged the power of the Four Oirats
Four Oirats
The Four Oirats or the Alliance of the Four Oirat tribes was the confederation of the Oirat tribes, which marked the rise of the Western Mongols in Mongolian history.Despite the universal currency of the term Four Oirats among Eastern Mongols and Oirats and numerous explanations by...
and the Ming court over the succession struggle of Northern Yuan Dynasty, however, he was killed by them in Ejene
Ejin River
The Ejin River , also known as the Heihe River , is a major river system that originates on the northern Gansu side of the Qilian Shan mountains...
in 1438 and his tribe was forced to flee southward. The Khorchin appeared again in Mongolian chronicles with the rise of Unebolad wang
Wang
Wang may refer to:Name:* Wang , one of two surnames with distinct Chinese characters.* Titles in Chinese nobility* A title in Korean nobility* A title in Mongolian nobilityPlaces:* Wang River in Thailand...
in the late 15th century. The Khorchins allied with Dayan Khan
Dayan Khan
Dayan Khan , was a Mongol khan who reunited the Mongols under Chinggisid supremacy in the Northern Yuan Dynasty in Mongolia...
and defeated the Uriyangkhai at the battle of Dalan Terqin in 1510.
In 1624, Nurhaci
Nurhaci
Nurhaci was an important Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late sixteenth century in what is today Northeastern China...
received the submission of Khorchins who roamed east of Khingan
Khingan
Khingan may refer to:*Greater Khingan, volcanic mountain range in Inner Mongolia, China*Lesser Khingan, mountain range in the northeastern section of Heilongjiang, China...
mountains and west of the Sungari. They were the first Mongol tribe that submitted to Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. The Khorchins were responsible for production of fermented mare's milk
Kumis
Kumis, also spelled kumiss or koumiss in English is a fermented dairy product traditionally made from mare's milk. The drink remains important to the peoples of the Central Asian steppes, of Turkic and Mongol origin: Bashkirs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Yakuts, Mongols and Kalmyks...
for Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
emperors. The later emperors of the Manchu Qing Dynasty rewarded the Khorchin nobles highly for this early loyalty. Notable Empresses of the Qing Dynasty, such as Empress Xiaozhuangwen (1613–88) and Empress Xiaohuizhang (1641–1717), were the Khorchin-Borjigins. The Khorchins were further divided into two wings (north and south), each with
three Banners.
Due to the anti-Mongol rebellion among Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
peasents in 1891, many thousands of farming Monggoljin Mongols fled to the Khorchin. After 1900 both Chinese education and Chinese colonization spread among them. When the Japanese Empire occupied parts of Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
and all of Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
in 1931, the Khorchins became the most energetic proponents of secular learning and reform among the Mongols. After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
rural class struggle and the civil war of 1946–48 were very bloody and divisive. Since then they have been a powerful faction
Political faction
A political faction is a grouping of individuals, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with a political purpose. A faction or political party may include fragmented sub-factions, “parties within a party," which may be referred to as power blocs, or voting blocs. The individuals...
within Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
's Chinese Communist Party apparatus.