CINEMA AS BRANDING - Tourism in Central Asia: Cultural Potential and Challenges - page 190

duced the film-story to an ungrounded fiction that does little justice to the
historical period within which it unfolded.
HISTORICAL PERIOD
Genghis khan's military projects in the 13th century created new political
dynamics across Eurasia. “The hooves of the Mongol's warriors' horses,”
as Jack Weatherford described the stretch of his Empire, “splashed in the
waters of every river and lake from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterra-
nean Sea” (2004). China and Persia broke away from his polity not long
after, in 1335 and 1368, respectively. Russia paid tribute to Mongol khans
until 1480 (ibid: 250). In Central Asia, the legacy of his Empire was more
enduring. Even after the centralized power of Genghis khan had faded his
descendants continued to form strong dynasties. As was noted earlier, in-
dividual rulers and princes maintained no ties with Mongolia and spoke no
Mongolian language while being firmly grounded in local environment.
In the early 16th century, they faced Jungars, the tribes that arrived from
Mongolia proper. Jungar leaders also claimed a relationship with Genghis
khan, not through blood affinity, but the one based on cultural proximity
and almost vicious adherence to his military and political traditions.
The name Jungars was used as an umbrella term for the four western
Mongolian tribes: Choros, Dörböt, Torghut, and Khoshot. 24 During the late
15th century, they moved to the passes of the Tarbagatai Mountains that lie
across the border between present-day Kazakhstan and Xinjiang. In 1628,
the Torghut moved further west and the Choros assumed a hegemonic po-
sition among the remaining Jungars. Inspired by the memory of Genghis
khan, they sought to renew his epic by preparing for a military expansion
(Grousset 2000). Prior to embarking on a war against the Chinese Emper-
or, they sent an envoy to Tauke, the khan of Kazakhs (reigned 1680-1718)
with the intention of securing their home base. But the khan had no plans
to cooperate with the Jungars whose leaders had no particular status on the
steppe and put the entire envoy and all 500 men escorting them to death. 25
24 The term derives from Jagun-ghar, a 'people of the left wing,' a name reflecting a key principle of
Genghis Khan's military organization. They were also known as the Dörben Oirat.
25 He did so in violation of diplomatic immunity that was instituted by Genghis Khan himself, which
made it especially hurtful to the Jungars. It is hard to determine why Tauke Khan, otherwise known
for his wise political and legal decisions did this. A likely possibility is that the Jungar's leader was not
from Genghis Khan's lineage and this is why his title was Hongtaiji and not a khan (Perdue 2005: 53).