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COMBINING THE ANCIENT AND THE MODERN Approach to Collecting the Data on Historical Datsan / Khurul/ Khure The project as it is currently envisaged, would use historical records as the primary sources to identify and locate the old “monasteries”. From discussions the authors have had with the project team it seems there is comprehensive archival information about the historical Buddhist monasteries in these Republics in the Russian Federation as well as in relevant institutions in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other regional centers. Special permission will need to be sought to search the archives in the three Republics and, given the academic standing of the members of the research team, it is not envisaged this will be denied. This contrasts with the situation found in Mongolia in the early 2000s where permission to access the limited amount of data on the monasteries in the National Archives of Mongolia had been refused. (Note this situation changed once the project fieldwork was underway when limited access was allowed to a member of the Mongolian project team. Not very long after the fieldwork was completed a book with a selection of these ‘secret’ reports, and was published in 2009 and revised in 2014.)> The project will also have available written sources of Buddhist works of the past in Tibetan, Mongolian, Buryat, and Tuvinian languages as well as information from early travellers. Significantly there is a plethora of academic work on Buddhism and monasteries in Russia published from the early 18" century up to today. For example, the works by P. S. Pallas (1741-1811),° A. M. Pozdneev (1851-1920),’ Ts. Zh. Zhamtsarano (1881—1942),° B. B. Baradiyn (1878-1937),? A. D. Rudnev (1878-1958)"° etc. have scientific significance today. Another reason for choosing to use archival and historical records is the time that has passed since the Buddhist monasteries were destroyed. In 2007 when the fieldwork was carried out in Mongolia it was nonetheless possible to obtain information from old people in the countryside including scores of old monks who had known the monasteries when they were still operating before the purges in the late 1930s. In contrast to this in 2020 no monks are alive in any of the three Russian Republics who knew the historical monasteries when they were active. Thus, it is not possible Mongoliin stim khiidiin tiitikhees... (Barimtiin emkhtgel). (Second edition). Emkh. Erdenebileg, B. Tagnuuliin yer6nkhii gadsar, Tusgai arkhiw, Ulaanbaatar 2014. Pallas, Peter Simon: Reise durch verschiedene Provinzen des russischen Reichs. Theil 1, 1771; Theil 2, 1773; Theil 3, 1776 (https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k973339). Tlosquees, A.M.: Ouepxu 6vıma 6y0duückux monacmoıpeü u 6y0duückoeo Oyxosencmea 8 Moneonuu 6 C6AZU C OmmoWwenuem ceeo nocneöne2o K napody. CaukT-Ilerepöypr 1887; Ilozxuees A. M.: ACTpaxaHcKHe KAJIMbIKH U HX OTHOIICHHE K Poccun No Hayala HBIHeIIHETO CTONeTua. ZKypnan Munucmepcmea napoonoeo npocsewenua. 4. CCXLIV. Orn. 2. 1886. (lib.shpl.ru/ru/nodes/8926pozdneev). § YKamıapano, Il.: //ymesvie Onesnuru 1903-1907 2e. Vran-Yno 2001. bapannün, b. b.: Byzumäckne MoHacTsıpn. Orient. Caxt-[lerep6ypr 1992; bapanmün, B. B.: Xu sub 6 Taneymckom monacmoıpe Jlagpan: Yueenux 6ydduticxozo nanomnuka (1906-1907 2e.). YınaHVas 2002. PynneB, A. JI.: Kpamxuti omuém o noe30xe 8 Kanmviykue cmenu Acmpaxanckoù 2y6epnuu / Hzeecmua PKHCBA, Caxkr-Ilerep6ypr 1904. 353
