Noyon Xutagt Danzanravzhaa

Noyon Xutagt Danzaravzhaa is one of the most significant cultural figures from Mongolia in the 19th century, achieving renown as a highly enlightened Buddhist master, poet, artist, and campaigner for social justice and public education.

Childhood

Danzanravzhaa was born in 1803 in the Gobi Mergen district of Tusheet Xan aimag, in what is now Xo'vsgo'l sum of DORNOGOBI aimag. His mother died when he was very young, leaving him to be brought up by his father as an only child. Being extremely poor, father and son lived by begging until 1809, when Ravzhaa became a disciple of the religious master Ishdoniilxundev of Ongiin River. It soon became apparent that the boy was extremely precocious; it is said that Danzanravzhaa earned considerable respect for the literary genius exemplified by his early poems and songs. In 1911, in recognition of his extraordinary intellectual and artistic abilities, local religious authorities bestowed on him the title of fifth reincarnation of the Gobi Noyon Xutagt.

Buddhist leader and public educator

Danzanravzhaa completed his basic training in Buddhist literature, art, religion and philosophy by the early 1820s. Thereafter he established the three monasteries of Galbyn Uul, all of which became local centres of culture, art, and education. Danzanravzhaa gave considerable attention to the development of Xamar Monastery in particular, where he established a professional theatre and touring company, public library, museum, and primary school-all of which reflected his serious commitment to the cause of public education.

Danzanravzhaa's primary school was unique in pre-revolutionary Mongolia as it offered talented children a free, secular education - consisting of instruction in Mongolian and Tibetan languages, mathematics, natural science, and history - without discrimination as to social class or gender. Successful graduates of the primary school were invited to undertake further vocational artistic training, preparing them to work as actors, singers, orators, set decorators, costume designers, and stage assistants in the Saran Xo'xo'o' theatre company, or as teachers in schools, as well as the seal used in certifying qualified graduates.

The Saran Xo'xo'o' Company also has a significant role in history as Mongolia's first professional public theatre. A three-level outdoor theatre was constructed specially for the performance of Danzanravzhaa's festival-dramas, which included a mixture of song, dance, oration, comedy, and melodrama presented by a company of approximately 300 actors. The theatrical company also travelled and performed for local audiences in other regions of the Gobi. Some of the costumes and other objects originally used in the theatre are on display in the DANZANRAVZHAA MUSEUM today.

In the 1840s Danzanravzhaa also established what is considered to be Mongolia's first museum. As many as ten thousand objects were stored and exhibited at the "exhibition temple" at XAMAR MONASTERY, including personal works and possessions, gifts from the public or from high-ranking religious and political authorities, and unusual objects collected during Danzanravzhaa's extensive travels. Alongside this museum was a public library, where visitors could have books read aloud or translated by library staff. Literary output

Danzanravzhaa's known literary output included more than 300 poetic works, over 100 songs, a philosophical treatise, the ten-volume Saran Xo'xo'o' operetta, and numerous religious tracts written in both Mongolian and Tibetan. Many of Danzanravzhaa's works have entered into the Mongolian folk tradition; his songs, in particular, are widely sung at festivals and celebrations today.

Danzanravzhaa's poems, songs, and teachings are remarkable for their outspoken criticism of 18th-century Mongolian society. Greatly disturbed by the hypocrisy he saw in others, Danzanravzhaa denounced those whom he perceived as helping themselves without helping others, criticizing others without criticizing themselves, or displaying various other forms of foolish or duplicitous behaviour. His sense of irony was well-developed even as a young child; he is reputed to have gained considerable attention for an improvised verse composed at the rear of the home became wet from rain blowing in through the smoke-hole, while the commoners at the entrance remained dry:

• When clouds come and it is time for rain
  What difference between the door and the rear?
  When death comes and it is time to pass on
  What difference between the old and the young?

In his later life Danzanravzhaa spared no criticism even of high-ranking lamas and political figures; his later poem "ICHIG ICHIG" ("Shame, shame"), for instance, is direct in its attack on hypocritical doctors, lamas, and other "wise" men, in sharp contrast to the cautious reverence displayed by most contemporaries. Similarly the great festival music drama of SARAN XO'XO'O' contains frequent references to the "terrible dishonest times" in which Ravzhaa saw himself as living, and which he considered to be the source of the evil and corruption prevalent even amongst the high-ranking officials he satirized on stage. Indeed Ravzhaa earned many enemies as a result of his iconoclasm and general irreverence for authority, notably due to his opposition to Manchu rule of Mongolia, which he saw as being corrupt and exploitative. Danzanravzhaa's pessimism became increasingly evident in his later writings, culminating in the poem "Yerto'nc avgain zham" ("The Way of the World"), composed as he became aware that he had been poisoned and about to die.

While the language and themes of Danzanravzhaa's poetry often appear quite simple on the surface, the poems typically have a complex structure and figurative meaning based on dharma teaching. There is a strong belief among the people of the Mongolian Gobi that singing certain songs is the same as reciting pujas. For instance, people believe that performing the song U'lemzhiin chanar (Outstanding Qualities) once is equivalent to reciting the White Tara Puja a thousand times.

Timeline: Life of Danzanravzhaa

danzanravzhaatimeline.csv

Monasteries established by Danzanravzhaa

His Holiness Danzanravzhaa established his first monastery at O'vo'r Xamar in the year of the horse (1822), when he was only 19 years old. This monastery has since been known as "Xamar Monastery". His Holiness later established a number of monasteries throughout the Gobi, all of which remained active until 1938. Other monasteries include:

• Burdene Monastery. Situated at BU'RDENE BULAG, this Monastery was specifically dedicated to pujas. Erdene sum, Dornogov' aimag.

• Red Protector Monastery. Galba gobi, O'mno'gov' aimag.
• Cagaan Tolgoi. Galba gobi, O'mno'gov' aimag.
• Xeruka. Galba gobi, O'mno'gov' aimag.
• Cogcolox (Xan Bogd, O'mno'gov' aimag). This was one of the largest monasteries established by His Holiness, being home to over 300 monks.
• Outer Guru Rinpoche Cave (O'mno'gov' aimag). This cave is located on a high mountain, only accessible by travelling nearly two kilometres on foot. In front of the cave there is a fixed platform serving for the tantric practice of "good" lamas. The Monastery was located further down the mountain.
• Inner Guru Rinpoche Cave Monastery (Alshaa Western Xoshuu, Inner Mongolia, People’s Republic of China).

References

Ch. Altangerel

1962. The Poems Of Danzanravzhaa in Tibetan.

D. Cagaan

1965. Features of D. Ravzhaa's Poetry. Ph.D. dissertation.

1968. "Biography and Art of D. Ravzhaa", in History of Mongolian literature.

D. Cagaan and Z. Altangerel

2003. Ferocious Saint of the Great Gobi, Ulaanbaatar.

C. Damdinsu'ren

1962. Saran ko'kego'-yin namtar [Biography of Moon Cuckoo].

W. Heissig

1972. Geschichte der mongolischen Literatur, Band I,II, Wiesbaden.

G. Lxagvasu'ren

1988. Social and political positions of D.Ravzhaa. Ph.D. dissertation.

2003 Noyon Xutagt Danzanravzhaa.

G. I. Mikhailov

1969. Literary Traditions of Mongols. Moscow.

Muzrayeva, D.N.

1994. "Biography of Moon Cuckoo" and its proliferation in Central Asia.

E. Oyuun

1960. Traditions of Mongolian Theatre. Ph.D. dissertation.

A.Shartolgoi and Sh. Bayarzhargal

2003. Gobi's V Saint Luvsandanzanravzhaa. Ulaanbaatar.

G. Uvarova

1947. The Modern Mongolian Theatre. Moscow.

S. Xo'vsgo'l

2004. Study of the manuscripts of the stage directions for the play "Biography of Moon Cuckoo" by D.Ravzhaa.

L. Xu'relbaatar

1996. "Chintamani on the forehead of the Boa" story, in White Garuda bird of Firmament.

2002. "Performing Arts". Capacities of the Sutra.

CategoryDornogobi

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