XXX Международный конгресс ИИСАА. 19–21 июня 2019 г. Т. 2

232 XXX Международный Конгресс по источниковедению и историографии стран Азии и Африки Секция XVIII. Монголоведение, тибетология, буддология Historiography of Mongolia, Tibet and Buddhism Bao Wuyun (Inner Mongolia Normal University, China) Mongolian religious beliefs as reflected in the Uighur-Mongolian inscriptions in Dunhuang Grottoes Dunhuang is located in Gansu Province of China at the western end of the Hexi Corridor which is the junction of Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces. Since ancient times it has been a major border fortress in the Western Regions and on the Silk Road. It was the largest transportation hub on the Silk Road, and it became an important cultural centre. In 1205 the Mongols entered the Hexi area. The Mongols ruled Dunhuang for 145 years: from 1227 to 1372. During the period of the Mongolian domination the routes leading from East to West were opened again and the Silk Road flourished. During the Yuan Dynasty eight new caves were established in Mogao Grottoes and 19 caves of the previous periods were renovated. There are about 50 inscriptions in Uighur-Mongolian script in Dunhuang Grottoes, mainly handwritten by Mongolians in the 13th and 14th centuries. They are an important part of Mongolian written heritage; however, they almost did not appeare in scholarly studies. These are precious materials for the study of the history of the Silk Road during the Yuan Empire. The Uighur-Mongolian inscriptions in Dunhuang Grottoes are mostly Buddhist in their content. Inside Dunhuang Grottoes there are about 50 inscriptions in Uighur- Mongolian, 39 of which have obvious Buddhist features. They can be divided into three groups: