A Version of Diplomatic letters from the Qing Dynasty to the Kazakh Khanate (1790)

Abstract

The article refers to the decree letter sent by the imperator of the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong, to Khanqoja Sultan, who owned the Eastern region of Kazakhstan at the end of the 18th century. This letter is one of the most important historical sources for a detailed study of the diplomacy of the Kazakh Khanate, especially with its eastern neighbor the Qing Dynasty. After the destruction of the Dzungars, the Kazakh Khanate and the Qing Dynasty established official diplomatic relations, and trade between two sides began to develop. In this regard, many letters were written and sent by the Kazakhs. Today, these letters are stored in the First Historical Archives in Beijing, China. The decree letter that we are analyzing was written by imperator Qianlong and sent to Khanqoja Sultan through the Kazakh ambassadors who visited the royal court. In the letter, the imperator wrote about the Kazakh ambassadors who came to congratulate him on the eve of his 80th birthday, and gave information about the titles and gifts as well. It also mentioned deputy ambassadors and gunners who accompanied the ambassadors. The scientific value of the article increases as the Manchu and Chinese language statements written in connection with it are widely discussed in the article along with the original text.