Xeseg Baishin stele

This stone monument with Mongolian text inscription was found in 1923 by Russian scholar V. A. Kazakevich and Mongolian writer D. Natsagdorzh at the site of Xeseg Baishin, in Ix Xet sum of Dornogov' aimag. At the time of its discovery the stele had broken into eleven fragments.

Fully assembled, the granite stele measures 128.2 x 66 x 14 centimetres, and contains inscriptions on three of its four sides. The two scholars wrote that the top of the stele was smooth and had decorative patterns on either side, inside of which were swastika symbols. D. Natsagdorj also wrote that the locals in this area believed that Xeseg Baishin had been constructed for Togoontemu'r, last Emperor of the Yuan Empire.

The two scholars made paper impressions of the text on the eleven fragments, and although they were unable to fully decipher the inscription, they nevertheless established that this monument was related to 7th-century Mongolian history and that the scientific Institute should be informed of its existence and take it under their protection. In October 1923 the administration of the Institute sent an official letter to the heads of what was then Axaibeis xoshuun sum in Secenxan aimag, stating: "the stele at Xeseg Baishin in the territory of your xoshuun is an ancient historical [monument] of great significance to our Mongolian nation, and should be protected; therefore specially protect this monument without moving it from its original location and without allowing its broken fragments to be dispersed". In 1925 the Institute sent M. Gombozhav to assemble the eleven fragments of the stele and bring them to the State Museum for storage. But ten of the pieces later disappeared, leaving only the largest, uppermost portion of the monument for study.

Text of the Stele

X. Perlee studied and published the inscription on the only remaining section of the monument in 1961. Unfortunately this fragment cannot convey the full meaning of the entire stele, but making a comparison with other relevant primary sources and attempting to fill in the missing gaps, the following details can be gathered:

• The monument was erected in 1659 in honour of the wife of the prince Erdene Xuntaizh
• At the beginning of the 17th century the nobles of the Avga, U'zemchin Xuuchid and So'nchid opposed Ligden Xaan's attempt to reunite all the Mongols, and relocated to the dominion of the Xalx Secen Xan, taking up temporary residence next to the middle Xerlen River.
• At the beginning of the 17th century, as wild camels were abundant in the south-west territory of Xalx Mongolia, a law was passed concerning the hunting of these animals.
• At the time of Batmo'nx Dayan Xaan the hostilities between the Mongolian lords briefly subsided, and the Mongols developed friendly relations with China.
• 150 years after the rule of Batmo'nx Xaan, the crisis in Inner Mongolia again worsened.
• Erdene Nomch and Bold led the group of people from the Xuuchid clan who fled from Ligden and settled in Xalx Mongolia.
• The 4th Dalai Lama Yondonjamts was the son of the prince Su'mer Xuntaizh of Chingis Xaan's lineage, and his mother belonged to the Xavt Xasar ethnic group.
• The six banners (aimag) who were subjects of Erdene Xun Taij of the Xuuchid, who came from Inner Mongolia to Xalx Mongolia, along with the Avga and Tavnan people participated in the raising of this monument.
• The queen of Erdene Xuntaizh was known as Anudara.
• This monument was erected with this and the future lives of its constructors in mind.
• A person named Chui Tergu'u'n contributed to the construction of some buildings at Xeseg Baishin.

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