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SURUN-KHANDA D. SYRTYPOVA — SUSAN C. BYRNE
just in Buryatia but also in Tuva and Kalmykia is a great contribution to the project
although there is much still to identify accurately and to discover.
The lead researcher in Buryatia hopes to assemble a team of people to work with
him on the project and the first task will be to interrogate the list of 47 monasteries
and by using archive sources determine whether or not there were more than this in
Buryatia in the early part of the 20" century and, if so, where they were.
A challenge will be to find the location and identification of the many small du¬
gans and sume that were spread across the territory. But it is not the aim of the project
to try to find all of them: the focus will be the established datsans.
The preliminary list of sources for Buryatia and Transbaikalia is based on the
researchers publications, materials of the State Archive of Republic of Buryatia,
Orientalists’ Archive, Institute of Oriental Manuscripts in St Petersburg, Obruchev’s
Museum of Local Lore in Kyakhta, Buriatia; Russian ethnographical museum in St.
Petersburg; data of old maps, new electronic resources etc.*° This preliminary list of
sources for Buryatia and Transbaikalia (and the other Republics) is merely a starting
point for the project. It is not intended to be a comprehensive list of sources. The list
will be added to as the research continues.
Kalmykia
In contrast to the situation in Tuva and Buryatia, the commonly cited number of
khurul in Kalmykia may well be subject to over-estimation. Several Kalmyk scholars
in conversation with the authors claimed there were variously 80 up to 200 khurul
in Kalmykia in the past. Two seminal works by distinguished Kalmyk scholars in
the field of Kalmyk Buddhism, one by G. Sh. Dordzhieva*! and one by E. Bakaeva®
have now been scrutinised as well as selected works on the Don Kalmyks to make
a first assessment of the number of historical Ahurul in Kalmyk and where they were.
However, it is clear that more analysis needs to be done to determine the number
of discreet monasteries over time given the sources list a mixture of discreet khurul
and, using the same term, individual khurul that were part of a monastic complex
3° Four Mongolian Historical Records ...; Belka, L.: The Restoration of Buriat Buddhism. Religio 11
(1994); TarınaHoßa, I. P.— Tepacumoßa, JI. b. — ammes, JI. B. — MurynoB, I. LI.: JJamausm e bypamuu
1983; Bydduzm 6e ucmopuu u kynomype 6ypam: Konnekmusnaa Monoepadbua. Pen. Tappn, N.P. Bypsan¬
Monron Ho, Vran-Vas 2014; YKamcyesa, I. C.: Aeunckue dayanoı; ChipTpir1oBa, C. I. Tapmaesa, X.
IK. — Ba3apoB, A. A.: Byoduückoe Knueoneuamanue bypamuu; TepeHTbeg, A.: byddu3m 6 Poccuu ...;
JIpıkcoroBa, B. Il.: Anapcruü dayan: cmpanuyoı ucmopuu. Ynau-Yn9 2014; 3ema Bajprpanann: byodusm
6 3abaükanve. Ta. pex. Baïmpamax P. U3r-80 Deopus, Mocxga 2008; Kapma Bypam-Moneonvckoü
ACCP, 3Babaükanockoü eybepnuu u vacmu Hpkymckoü eybepnuu u Moneonuu. W3x-80 BypHapkoM3eMa,
MocxBa 1924. 1:252000; UnmuraopxmH, I. T.: byddusm 6 bypamuu 1945-2004. VBosrnHckuf
aan BTCP. Byrar, Ynau-Yıa 2007; https://www.datsan.buryatia.ru; https://sangharussia.ru; etc.
3! Dordzhieva, G. Sh.: Buddhism among the Kalmyks. In: History of Kalmykia from Ancient Times to the
Days, Section 2. Religion in the History of Kalmykia. Ed. Maksimov, K. N. — Ochirova, N. G. State
Institution Publishing House Gerel, Elista 2009, 218-258.
32 Bakaeva, E. P.: Buddhism in Kalmyk: Historical and Ethnographic Essays. Kalmyk Book Publishing
House, Elista 1994.
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