Chingünjav (Mongolian:Чингүнжав,Chinese:青袞雜卜; also known asAdmiral Chingün (Mongolian:Чингүн, 1710–1757) was theKhalkha prince ruler of theKhotogoids and one of the two major leaders of the 1756-57 rebellion inOuter Mongolia. Although his rebellion failed, he is nowadays often hailed as a fighter for Outer Mongolia's independence from theManchu-ledQing dynasty of China.
Chingünjav was born in 1710 at the shore of lake Sangiin Dalai nuur, in the Khotgoid's Erdenedüüregch vangiin khoshuu of Zasagt Khan aimag, or today'sBürentogtokh sum of Khövsgöl aimag.[1][2]His father Bandi was theKhoshuu's Zasag Noyon. In 1738, Chingünjav succeeded his father.[3] Chingünjav made a career in the Manchu military and eventually reached the rank of an assistant general of Zasagt Khan aimag.[4]
During the 1755 Manchu campaign against theDzungar Khanate, Chingünjav andAmursana conspired to start a rebellion in autumn of the same year; however, their seniors discovered their plans and separated them.[5][2] Chingünjav was sent to fight inUriankhai, and Amursana was summoned toBeijing after disputing the Qing settlement of the Dzungar territories; on the way to Beijing Amursana escaped from his escort.[5] The escape led to the trial and execution of the commander of Amursana's escort, an event that alarmed the Khalkha nobility.[6][7]
In the summer of 1756 Chingünjav left his post, gathered troops in his home area, and sent a petitionary letter to theQianlong Emperor announcing his grievances and intentions.[8] Unrest spread throughout Khalkha, where Mongolian rebels attacked the Qing garrisons and robbed Chinese merchants.[9] However, support from other nobles and even from the 2ndJebtsundamba Khutughtu did not materialize, and Chingünjav never commanded more than about 1,000–2,000 men.[8]
By the time Manchu forces, reinforced by loyal Outer Mongolian banners and detachments from Inner Mongolia, moved against him, Chingünjav had been unable to draw a large coalition and did not confront the Qing in a pitched battle.[10][8]
He retreated north toward the Darkhad area, losing men to desertion; when he was captured at a place now called Wang Tolgoi (about 10 kilometres from Khankh) in January 1757, only some fifty of his followers reportedly remained with him.[11][8]
Chingünjav, together with almost his whole family, was brought to Beijing and executed.[11][10] The Manchu, although not as brutal as they had been towards the Dzungars, sent punitive units to Mongolia to deal on the spot with all those rebels they could find; nobles that were suspected of having sympathized with Chingünjav were also executed.[10][11] TheJebtsundamba Khutugtu "died" in 1758, theTüsheet Khan shortly afterwards.[12][13] TheQianlong Emperor was involved in recognition of the third Jebtsundamba Khutugtu found inTibet, thus he was able to demonstrate his authority to the gathered Mongol nobles.[14][15]
Although never having had a realistic chance to succeed, Chingünjav passed into the realm of folklore.[8] A statue of him was erected inMörön.[16] In 2012, Mongolian Bronze Foundry created a monument in his honor inUlaanbaatar, inscribed, "May our government and our children live prosperous and eternal".[17]
Charles R. Bawden,The Modern History of the Mongols, London 1968, p. 114 - 134
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