Khotons

The Khoton or Qotung people are formerly Turkic now Mongolized ethnic group in (Outer) Mongolia and Inner Mongolia. Most Khotons of Mongolia live in Uvs Province, especially in Tarialan, Naranbulag and Ulaangom, whereas Qotungs of Inner Mongolia are concentrated in Alxa League. While Khotons spoke a Turkic language until the 19th century, the majority now speak the Dörbet dialect of the Oirat language. Khotons often avoid mainstream Mongolian written culture. There were officially about 6,100 Khotons in 1989. According to the Great Russian Encyclopedia, modern Khoton people are part of the "Mongols — a group of peoples who speak Mongolian languages". Khoton, Khotong or Qotung was originally a Mongol term for Muslim Uyghur and Hui people, or Chinese language-speaking Muslims. The Khotons were settled in Mongolia by the Oirats when the latter conquered Xinjiang and took their city-dwelling ancestors to Mongolia. According to another version, they settled in Mongolia after 1753, when their leader, the Dörbet Prince Tseren Ubashi, surrendered to the Qing Dynasty. According to some scholars, the Khotons are Mongolized Uyghurs as a result. Unlike most Mongolians, Khotons follow a syncretic form of Islam that incorporates Buddhist and traditional elements (like Tengrism). They traditionally avoid intermarriage with other ethnic groups. Khotons originally spoke a Turkic language. It was spoken up until the 19th century. Once settled in Mongolia, the Khotons adopted the Dörbet or northern dialect of Oirat. The Khotons of Western Mongolia, 1979.