Saghang Sechen

Saghang Sechen (; ) (1604 – after 1641) was an ethnic Mongol writer, historian and prince from the Borjigin clan.

Early life

Saghang Sechen was an ethnic Mongol born into the Ordos tribe, the son of the . He was a nephew of Altan Khan. When he was just 17, Saghang Sechen became a military and administrative aide to Ligden Khan. The latter entitled him .

Work

He is best known as the author of the '' Erdeni-yin tobchi'' (“Jeweled Summary”), which was published in 1662. The work is a history of the Mongol great Khans, and came as part of a struggle for unity among the Mongols, and renewal of their literature. The work has some anecdotes also found in the early-13th-century ''The Secret History of the Mongols'' and in Guush Luvsandanzan's ''Altan Tobchi'' or ('Short History of the Origins of the Khans Called the Golden Button'), also written in the early 17th century. In his work there are also citations from the (, 'Yellow Story'), written as on ode to Dayan Khan in the 17th century by an anonymous author. It tells the story of the capture of Gürbeljin-gua ('Beautiful lizard'), queen of Tangut, whose husband (Tangut Khan) had been murdered by Genghis Khan after he destroyed their kingdom, the Tangut state. The story tells that before giving herself to Ghenghis Khan, she placed a pair of tweezers inside herself, which caused a fatal injury to Genghis Khan. She then drowned herself into the Yellow River. The work of Saghang Sechen has a strong folkloric note.

He further wrote biographies of Godan Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, and of Buddha.

Beside the literary value of his works, as an historian, he is said to have greatly contributed to the study of Mongol history.

Death

According to one source, he refused to become a subject of the Manchu of the Qing dynasty, and was sentenced to death by dismemberment.

References

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Mongolian writers
17th-century writers
Mongolian nobility