Bodonchiin khuree
Read in Mongolian
Name(s) of Temple :
Bodonchiin khuree,
Rinchen Number :
43
Rinchen Name :
Bodonchiin khuree, Gun tolgoin khuree, Dashpuntsaglin
Type of Temple :
Monastic School
Aimag Temple located in :
Khovd
Sum Temple located in :
Altai soum
Old Aimag Name :
Zasagt Khan
Old Sum Name :
Mandal khoshuu / Bulgan /
Precis History(In Mongolian only):
Ховд аймгийн Алтай сум, Бодончийн хүрээ / Гүн толгойн хүрээ Дашпунцаглин хийд / Манжийн Сайшаалт Ерөөлтийн арванхоёрдугаар он буюу 1807 оны гал туулай жил одоогийн Алтай сумын нутаг Гүн Толгой гэдэг газар Бодончийн хүрээг үүсгэн байгуулжээ.Энэхүү Гүн толгой нь одогийн Алтай сумын төвийн ойролцоох Хөх толгой, Алаг толгойн хоорондох газрыг хэлдэг байв. Уг хүрээний Зуу шүтээн нь Ар Халхын Жавзандамба хутагтаас Рабжулын залж ирсэн жамгон Майдар бурхан болно. Бодончийн хүрээ нь 20-р зууны эхэн үед 6-8 сүм дугантай 140-өөд ламтай хүрээ байж байгаад 1935 оны үеэс хурал ном нь бүрмөсөн таржээ. Холбогдох эх сурвалж: 1.Ч. Банзрагч, Б. Сайнхүү “ Монголын хүрээ хийдийн түүх” УБ 2004 2.Ж.Цолоо, Б. Батжав “ Арвангурван сангийн орон “ УБ 2004
Description of location :
Altai sum of Khovd province is located on the shoreline of Bodonch River which arises from Bodonch Gorge, south of the Mongol Altai Range and flows past the Altai range toward the Ikh Gobi. The Altai sum is the 2nd biggest sum centre nationally. The area that was occupied by the historic monastic city in Altai sum is now reserved as part of the Mongolian National Park. The site is located in a worshiped area named Tsagaan Owoo which is 2 km. from the sum centre.
GPS readings :
North 46° 27’ East 092° 27’
Estimated site dimensions (metres) :
Side1: 100 Side2: 250 Side3: 15 Side4: 25 Side5: Side6:
Revived temple on site :
No
Status of site at time of survey :
There is no trace of the Bodonch Monastic Centre which had also become the home of the sum centre. Local seniors say that around the mid-1940s, the site had three buildings in which the sum administration used to store goods and other items. Also during this time, there was a big owoo which was called “the dump of the monastic city” by monks. The owoo had been later removed to clean the area. Towards the end of 1970s, a large number of religious text books or theology books and other altar items were removed from the site to allow establishment of bathhouse, a practice centre for a school and a culture centre. The locals also confirm that the bath house, an administration building, a trade inventory house, a shop, the culture centre, a kindergarten and an entertainment park were built on the previous monastic city. Our team has spent considerable time unsuccessfully looking for any trace of the monastic city. Since 1945, during socialism, the establishment of the new sum centre wiped out any traces of the previous Bodonch monastic city. It is scary to think how much damage ‘communism’ brought to our culture.
Date of founding the monastery/temple :
1808
Date of closing and destroying the monastery :
Огноо хаагдсан: 1930 - Ярилцлагын дугаар:
Огноо нураагдсан:: Unknown - Ярилцлагын дугаар:
Old monastery/temple revived:
No
Үүсгэн байгуулагч хүний нэр болон цол хэргэм (мэдэгдэж байвал):
Date of Reviving:
Monks in Old Temple :
over 500 monks
over 500 monks
Notes :
1. The locals call this site “Bodonchiin Khuree” or “Bor Uzuuriin Khuree”. The name Bodonch refers to the local river which flows next to the sum centre. The source of this stream is called “Bodonchiin Khavtsal” and the name “Bor Uzuu” refers to the area next to the sum centre where Bodonch River flows.
2. In the list of B. Rinchen, Bodonch Khuree (also knows as Gun Tolgoin Khuree or Dashpuntsaglin) is recorded as occupying the Altai sum centre. Our research confirmed that there are two Bodonchiin Khuree bases in the land area of Altai sum. The first site is found slightly up from the middle of the Bodonch River, at the mouth of Bodonch Khavtsal and Baruun Salaa. This site base is kept in good condition. The second site was located in a place called Bor Uzuun in the centre of Altai sum. Any traces from the site are diminished as mentioned above. Initially the Bodonch Khuree was located near the Gorge, on the midway shoreline midway of the river and it later moved to an area where Bodonch river ends. About 80 years ago, during the establishment of Altai sum, the Bodonch Khuree was relocated a third time to an area called Bor Uzuur. No one we met knows the connections between these two site locations, the reason it was relocated or when the relocation occurred. All we interviewed know one Bodonchiin Khuree location that was later taken over by the sum centre. The distance between these two sites is about 120 – 130 km. Because there conflicting information about this monastic city among researchers and those who follow Buddhist monastery history, our team has applied for 2 different registration numbers for each site.
14. Based on the information given by the locals, our team has taken photos of the current sum centre structure as they still indicate what previously occupied the site prior to the sum centre. However, since Altai sum centre is going to relocate to the mouth ,of Bodonch Kavtsal in 2008 those photos from the current sum centre might not be as valuable.
Form Number :
ХОАТ 092
Survey Team :
Team А