Altan Tobchi

The Altan Tobchi, or Golden Summary (Mongolian script: Altan Tobči; Mongolian Cyrillic: Алтан товч, Altan tovch), is a 17th-century Mongolian chronicle written by Guush Luvsandanzan. Its full title is Herein is contained the Golden Summary of the Principles of Statecraft as established by the Ancient Khans. Mongolian scholars typically call the work the "Lu Altan Tovch". It is generally considered second in dignity to the Secret History of the Mongols as a historical chronicle and piece of classical literature. In fact, the work is special in that it contains 233 of the 282 chapters of the Secret History not only verbatim but with additional detail in certain parts. It is also significant in that it is a major source of knowledge on the "Chingisiin Bilig" or Wisdom of Genghis, a code of ethical conduct specifically directed toward future generations of Mongolian ruling nobility. Duke Jamiyan discovered and brought the original pen copy of the Altan Tobchi to Ulaanbaatar in 1926 from a Taiji (Genghisid prince) called Dari living in Dornod Province, Mongolia. It was studied in depth by Jamsrangiin Tseveen and Byambyn Rinchen, and was translated into English by Charles Bawden in 1955. It is one of the most frequently quoted sources in Mongolian publications. The Altan Tobchi is composed of three major sections that differ significantly from each other, but nonetheless woven into a whole in order to meet Luvsandanzan's purpose of providing a summary of Mongolian state ideology at that time. It begins with a mythological genealogy of the descent of Borte Chino, the ancestor of Genghis Khan, from King Mahasammadi of India and various Tibetan rulers like Namri Songtsen (the grandfather of Borte Chino and father of Tengri Khan). This first section is a pious Buddhist attempt to link the Mongol state with the legendary Chakravarti kings. In the next major section the chronicle follows with the 233 chapters of the Secret History interspersed with additional materials that add to the Altan Tobchi's particular value.