18 THE ORIGIN OF THE MONGUOR Cuī Yŏnghóng 崔永红, Zhāng Dézǔ 张得祖, and Dū Chángshùn 杜常顺; translated by Keith Dede (Lewis and Clark College) ABSTRACT This translated excerpt from the Comprehensive History of Qinghai examines two theories regarding the origin of the Monguor: the 'Mongol Theory' and the 'Tǔyùhún Theory'. The Mongol Theory, which is given most space in this text, suggests that the Monguor are descendants of thirteenth century Mongol soldiers. In contrast, the Tǔyùhún Theory suggests that the Monguor originate in an older population that migrated into the region in the third century CE. In addition to discussing these theories of Monguor origins, this text also provides various ethnonyms used to describe the Monguor in Chinese historical records, and gives extracts from Míng (1368-1644) and Qīng (1644-1911/12) dynasty records referring to the Monguor. KEYWORDS Mongol, Monguor, origins, Qinghai, Tu, Turen, Tuyuhun ORIGINAL TEXT Cuī Yŏnghóng 崔永红, Zhāng Dézǔ 张得祖, and Dū Chángshùn 杜常顺 (eds). 1999. Qīnghǎi tōngshĭ 青 海通史 [Comprehensive History of Qīnghǎi]. Xīníng 西宁: Qīnghǎi rénmín chūbǎnshè 青海人民出版社 [Qīnghǎi People's Press], 268-272. THE TRANSLATED TEXT The Tǔzú refer to themselves as 'Ménggǔ'ér' (Mongolian) and 'Cháhǎnménggǔ'ér' (White Mongolian). The Tǔzú are a new ethnic community descended from Mongolians who entered and resided in the Hé- Huáng region of Qīnghǎi in the Mongol Yuán Dynasty (1279-1368), and who were formed after assimilating members of the Hàn and Tibetan ethnicities and elements of those cultures. During the Yuán Dynasty, various Mongolian people moved into the present northwestern Gānsù-Qīnghǎi-Níngxià region under all kinds of circumstances. A significant number settled and became new native peoples. In the Míng Dynasty (1368-1644), Hàn and other ethnic groups referred to these descendants of Mongolians as 'Dádá', 'Dámín', 'Tǔdá', 'Tǔmín', and 'Tǔrén' (native people). For example, the third chapter of the Wànlì era (1573-1619) Níngxià Gazetteer records: 高祖略定陕西，残元部落率众归附，立灵州守御千户所，其属处于瓦渠四里为民，号'土达' When Gāozǔ took control of Shǎnxī, the remnants of the Yuán armies led the masses into submission (to the Míng). A 'qiānhùsuǒ' protecting Língzhōu was established, and their camp- followers were settled in Wǎqúsìlǐ as civilians and called 'Tǔdá'. Also, the seventeenth chapter of the Kāngxī era (1661-1722) Mín Prefectural Gazetteer cites Wáng Yúnfēng's (of the Míng Dynasty) Records of the Rebuilt School, where it is recorded: Cui Yongzhong, Zhang Dezu, and Du Changshun (Keith Dede, translator). 2015. The Origin of the Monguor IN Gerald Roche and CK Stuart (eds) Asian Highlands Perspectives 36: Mapping the Monguor, 18-22, 301-332.