The spread of the Gelug school among the Oirat in the mid to late Ming dynasty

The article explores the historical prerequisites, process, and consequences of the spread of the Gelug school among the Oirat people from the mid-16th to the mid-17th centuries. It demonstrates that the dissemination of the Gelug tradition within the Oirat milieu was not a simple religious phenomenon but a complex process of interaction between politics and religion, influenced by the mutual needs of both the Gelug school and Oirat rulers. Seeking to strengthen its position amidst the political pressure from the Kagyu school and the Tsangpa regime controlling Tibet, the Gelugpa was interested in finding a strong external patron. At the same time, the Oirat tribes, responding to internal and external challenges, needed an ideology that transcended traditional shamanism, capable of ensuring the spiritual unity of various clans and reinforcing the legitimacy of khan authority. For the Oirats, the acceptance of Tibetan Buddhism of the Gelug school became not only a religious transformation but also a political and cultural process. Based on multilingual sources and critical analysis, the influence of the spread of the Gelug school on the socio-political evolution of the Oirats is reconstructed. The study employs the method of historical-documentary analysis, which involves systematic collection, classification, and interpretation of Chinese and Russian sources pertaining to the penetration of the Gelug school among the Oirats. Two paths of the spread of Tibetan Buddhist Gelug among the Oirats and their impact are outlined. The novelty of this research lies in the examination from multiple perspectives, systematization, and analysis of the background, process, and influence of the penetration of the Gelug school into the Oirat region. From a political perspective, the historical context of the Gelug's penetration into Oirat society is analyzed, summarizing the influence that the spread of Gelug had on the political aspects of both sides. It concludes that this influence is positive for both the Oirats and the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. From the standpoint of material and spiritual culture, two paths of the spread of Gelug among the Oirats are summarized, along with an analysis of the timing of the Gelug's penetration into the Oirat region and the period of its establishment as the state religion. Particular attention is paid to the contributions of figures such as Neijitoin and Zaya-pandita in promoting Gelug; their translation and educational activities had a significant impact on the cultural transformation of the Oirats.