Séminaire du Programme Sociétés et religions en Asie Le mercredi 19 novembre de 14h-16h, Salle 255 Conférence donnée par : Erdenchuluu Khohchahar (The Hakubi Center for Advanced Research, Kyoto University):
Protecting the Holy Mountain: Conflicts between Mongols and Mining Companies in the North-Eastern Tibetan Plateau
As a result of two campaigns to convert the Mongols to Buddhism in the later parts of the thirteenth- and sixteenth centuries, the Mongol rulers established a dual religious and secular governance system. This dual system existed across the Mongol territories until the start of the socialist reforms during the first half of the twentieth century. Although the Mongol rulers explicitly attempted to eliminate the native religion of the Mongols, Shamanism, it has survived and its practices are being revived in present day Mongolian societies. Modern-day Mongols are influenced by a mixed form of Buddhism and Shamanism, and these beliefs are integral to their daily life, land use and community organisation. Through this belief system many geographical features are considered to be sacred places. This study describes conflicts between indigenous Mongols and two coal mining companies over a holy mountain located on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau, in Qinghai province in the People’s Republic of China, during 2005-2006. The study analyses the inner structure and community order of the Mongol groups involved in the conflicts and their religious beliefs and worship of the holy mountain.
