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Tibetan Buddhism (also called Yellow Buddhism or Lamaism) became the leading religious force among the Mongols in the 1500s. An alliance of Buddhist theocracy and secular Mongol aristocracy ruled the country from the seventeenth until the twentieth century. Zanabazar was proclaimed the spiritual leader of Mongolian Lamaism in 1639 at the age of four. Zanabazar was given the title Javzandamba The Eurasian Mongol Empire 1227 to 1405 Hutagt [Incarnation of the Buddha] in 1650 after religious study in Tibet and became the official ruler of Mongolia. After Zanabazar’s death in 1735, Mongolia was officially ruled by a lineage of seven Buddhist Lamas, “Living Buddhas,” incarnations of the Buddha called the Bogdo Gegeen [holy enlightened ones]. These high-ranking Buddhist monks were both the religious and the political heads of state, ruling from the movable monastery city of Örgöö [Temple Tent]. The capital city was finally settled permanently at its present location in 1778 and called Ih Hüree [Great Monastery]. Nevertheless, the Mongol leaders were, in fact, subordinate to Tibetan Lamas, and to the Manchu emperors of China's Qing dynasty. | Tibetan Buddhism (also called Yellow Buddhism or Lamaism) became the leading religious force among the Mongols in the 1500s. An alliance of Buddhist theocracy and secular Mongol aristocracy ruled the country from the seventeenth until the twentieth century. Zanabazar was proclaimed the spiritual leader of Mongolian Lamaism in 1639 at the age of four. Zanabazar was given the title Javzandamba The Eurasian Mongol Empire 1227 to 1405 Hutagt [Incarnation of the Buddha] in 1650 after religious study in Tibet and became the official ruler of Mongolia. After Zanabazar’s death in 1735, Mongolia was officially ruled by a lineage of seven Buddhist Lamas, “Living Buddhas,” incarnations of the Buddha called the Bogdo Gegeen [holy enlightened ones]. These high-ranking Buddhist monks were both the religious and the political heads of state, ruling from the movable monastery city of Örgöö [Temple Tent]. The capital city was finally settled permanently at its present location in 1778 and called Ih Hüree [Great Monastery]. Nevertheless, the Mongol leaders were, in fact, subordinate to Tibetan Lamas, and to the Manchu emperors of China's Qing dynasty. | ||
As Chinese power waned in the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, Russian influence in Mongolia grew. After the Chinese revolution of 1911, Mongolia declared its independence from China. The rule of the “Living Buddha” was maintained and the city was renamed ''Niyslel Hüree'' [Capital Monastery]. | As Chinese power waned in the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries, Russian influence in Mongolia grew. After the Chinese revolution of 1911, Mongolia declared its independence from China. The rule of the “Living Buddha” was maintained and the city was renamed ''Niyslel Hüree'' [Capital Monastery]. In 1924, the Mongolian People's Republic was established. The current constitution was adopted in 1992. | ||
In the twentieth century, many aspects of Mongolia’s historic culture were also stifled or destroyed. Family histories were destroyed and the people were forbidden to use their ancient surnames. The ancient Mongolian script was forbidden and the Mongolian language has been written in the Cyrillic alphabet since the 1940s.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Mongolia,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 2001.</ref> | In the twentieth century, many aspects of Mongolia’s historic culture were also stifled or destroyed. Family histories were destroyed and the people were forbidden to use their ancient surnames. The ancient Mongolian script was forbidden and the Mongolian language has been written in the Cyrillic alphabet since the 1940s.<ref name="profile">The Family History Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, “Family History Record Profile: Mongolia,” Word document, private files of the FamilySearch Content Strategy Team, 2001.</ref><ref>Wikipedia contributors, "Mongolia," in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia,'' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongolia, accessed 2 June 2016.</ref> | ||
== References == | == References == | ||