Outer Mongolia
Encyclopedia
Outer Mongolia was a territory of the Qing Dynasty
= the Manchu
Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia
, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today. There was and is some confusion about whether Outer Mongolia only consisted of the four Khalkha
aimags (Setsen Khan Aimag, Tüsheet Khan Aimag, Sain Noyon Khan Aimag and Zasagt Khan Aimag), or of Khalkha plus Oyirad areas Khovd
and Tannu Uriankhai
. In explaining its independence from the Chinese Republic
in 1912, the Mongolian government around the Bogd Khan
stressed that both Mongolia and China had been administered by the Manchu, but that after the fall of the Manchu government the contract about submission to the Manchu had simply become invalid.
The name "Outer Mongolia" is contrasted with Inner Mongolia
(Dotugadu monggol), an autonomous region of China
. Inner Mongolia was given its name because it was directly administered by the Qing; Outer Mongolia had a more autonomous government within the Qing domain. The term "Northern Mongolia" is often used instead of "Outer Mongolia" when a distinction with Inner Mongolia needs to be made, so as to elide the history of Qing rule and rather imply a geographic unity of Mongolia. It can also be used to refer to Mongolia
synchronically. In the Mongolian language
, the word ar refers to the back side of something, which has been extended to mean the northern side of any spatial entity, e.g. a mountain or a yurt. The word öbür refers to the south (and thus protected) side of a mountain. A meaning extension to 'inner' is improbable given uses such as horigloltiin övör egnee 'first line of defence', which is the outer line. So the difference between Inner Mongolia and the Mongolian state is conceived of in the metaphor as at the backward northern side vs. the south side of a mountain. However, Chinese would rather refer to the southern part of Mongolia, while the sinocentristic
historical terminology "Inner Mongolia" was left in usage.
Today, "Outer Mongolia" is sometimes still informally used to refer to Mongolia
. Outer Mongolia is also used quite commonly in the Republic of China (Taiwan). To avoid confusion between the sovereign nation of Mongolia and China's Inner Mongolia, but to recognize the sovereignty of Mongolia, media in the China generally refer to the former as "State of Mongolia" instead of just "Mongolia" .
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
= the Manchu
Manchu
The Manchu people or Man are an ethnic minority of China who originated in Manchuria . During their rise in the 17th century, with the help of the Ming dynasty rebels , they came to power in China and founded the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which...
Empire. Its area was roughly equivalent to that of the modern state of Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, which is sometimes informally called "Outer Mongolia" today. There was and is some confusion about whether Outer Mongolia only consisted of the four Khalkha
Khalkha
Khalkha is the largest subgroup of Mongol people in Mongolia since 15th century. The Khalkha together with Tsahar, Ordos and Tumed, were directly ruled by the Altan Urag Khans until the 20th century; unlike the Oirat people who were ruled by the Dzungar nobles or the Khorchins who were ruled by...
aimags (Setsen Khan Aimag, Tüsheet Khan Aimag, Sain Noyon Khan Aimag and Zasagt Khan Aimag), or of Khalkha plus Oyirad areas Khovd
Khovd
Khovd can refer to:* Hovd River, a river in the west of Mongolia* Khovd , the capital of Khovd aimag* Hovd Territory, a historical area in Mongolia during the Qing Dynasty.* Khovd Province, an aimag in Mongolia...
and Tannu Uriankhai
Tannu Uriankhai
Tannu Uriankhai is a historic region of the Mongol Empire and, later, the Qing Dynasty. The realms of Tannu Uriankhai largely correspond to the Tuva Republic of the Russian Federation, neighboring areas in Russia, and a part of the modern state of Mongolia....
. In explaining its independence from the Chinese Republic
Republic of China (1912–1949)
In 1911, after over two thousand years of imperial rule, a republic was established in China and the monarchy overthrown by a group of revolutionaries. The Qing Dynasty, having just experienced a century of instability, suffered from both internal rebellion and foreign imperialism...
in 1912, the Mongolian government around the Bogd Khan
Bogd Khan
The Bogd Khan was enthroned as the Great Khaan of Mongolia on 29 December 1911, when Outer Mongolia declared independence from the Qing Dynasty after the Xinhai Revolution. He was born in the Kham region of eastern Tibet, today's Sichuan province of the People's Republic of China...
stressed that both Mongolia and China had been administered by the Manchu, but that after the fall of the Manchu government the contract about submission to the Manchu had simply become invalid.
The name "Outer Mongolia" is contrasted with Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
(Dotugadu monggol), an autonomous region of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Inner Mongolia was given its name because it was directly administered by the Qing; Outer Mongolia had a more autonomous government within the Qing domain. The term "Northern Mongolia" is often used instead of "Outer Mongolia" when a distinction with Inner Mongolia needs to be made, so as to elide the history of Qing rule and rather imply a geographic unity of Mongolia. It can also be used to refer to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
synchronically. In the Mongolian language
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
, the word ar refers to the back side of something, which has been extended to mean the northern side of any spatial entity, e.g. a mountain or a yurt. The word öbür refers to the south (and thus protected) side of a mountain. A meaning extension to 'inner' is improbable given uses such as horigloltiin övör egnee 'first line of defence', which is the outer line. So the difference between Inner Mongolia and the Mongolian state is conceived of in the metaphor as at the backward northern side vs. the south side of a mountain. However, Chinese would rather refer to the southern part of Mongolia, while the sinocentristic
Sinocentrism
Sinocentrism is an ethnocentric perspective that regards China to be the center of civilization and superior to all other nations. The related but distinct concept of the superiority of the Han Chinese ethnicity both within and without China is known as Han chauvinism.- Overview and context...
historical terminology "Inner Mongolia" was left in usage.
Today, "Outer Mongolia" is sometimes still informally used to refer to Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
. Outer Mongolia is also used quite commonly in the Republic of China (Taiwan). To avoid confusion between the sovereign nation of Mongolia and China's Inner Mongolia, but to recognize the sovereignty of Mongolia, media in the China generally refer to the former as "State of Mongolia" instead of just "Mongolia" .