the alphabet of the classical script

the classical Mongolian script

The so called classical Mongolian script was the Mongolians' first own script. In Mongolian this script is called "chuucin mongol bicig" – old Mongolian script – or simply "mongol bicig" –Mongolian script.

There are basically three different theories about how the Mongolian came upon this script. the oldest one these theories says, that in the year the Mongolians adopted the classical script from the Uigurs (1) who had themselves adopted it from the Soghdans. This theory is based upon the 124. chapter of the Yuan-shih (in Mongolian "Yuani alsin sudar" - "Book of the Yuan empire"). In this chapter it is told that in the year 1204 - in the war of the Mongols against the Naiman - Cingis khaan captured a well educated, Uiguric servant called Tatatunga, who carried a seal with Uiguric letters in the breast pocked of his deel (2). These letters were the examples for the Mongolian script, and Cingis khaan made Tatatunga the teacher of his sons.

In the last few decades a second theory was established: the Mongolians, so it says, have adopted their script way before 1204 and directly from the Soghdans. The advocates of this theory rely on the first monument of script of the Mongolians, the so called Cingis culuu ("Stone of Cingis") from the year 1225. Because if the Mongolians had adopted their script only in 1204, that would mean, that they would have had to develope a literate language in 20 years, which would have been very quick.

But one should not forget, that the Mongolian princes or Cingis khaan respectively didn't write themselves but they let their writers write for them. Writers, which weren't Mongolians but Uigurs or Naimans. And these peoples already used script for decades or even centuries, so that it wouldn't have been very hard for such a writer to write down a praise on a archer as can be found on the Cingis culuu.

In my opinion even less understandable is the claim that the Mongolians have adopted their script directly from the Soghdans. First of all, the contact between these peoples was probably not regular. Secondly are the similarities between the Uiguric and the classical Mongolian script too big for there to be the possibilty that they were developed independently from each other. Of course, one could assume that the Uigurs adopted the script from the Mongolians, but the Uigurs did have very close contact with the Soghdans and their direct adoption of the Soghdan script is pretty much proven.

The supporters of the third theory also believe in the adoption of the Uiguric script by the Mongolians. They practically combine the first and the second theory and claim that the Mongolians adopted the Uiguric script around 1000 A.D. The major proof seems to be the difference betwen the classical Mongolian script and the  Mongolian language as it was spoken around 1200 A.D. Therefore it seems perfectly plausible that the classical script was already historical in the time of Cingis Khaan.

Anyway, it is proven without a doubt that the classical Mongolian script was not the only script used in the Mongolian Empire in the times of Cingis Khaan. At the same time the Mongolians used a transcription in Chinese symbols.(3) The advantage of the Mongolian script was and is that the different Mongolian dialects all can be equally well written in it. Therefore it spread quite easily across the Mongolian steppe.

A disadvantage was the ever increasing antiquatedness - they had not that much in common with the spoken language anymore. Also the classical Mongolian script can only be used up to a point to transcribe foreign languages. But the official script had to have exactly that ability to guarantee the communication not only between the different Mongolian tribes but also between the different people belonging to the Mongolian Empire. In 1269 Khubilai Khaan therefore gave orders to develope a new official script - the so-called square script.

After introducing a slightly modified cyrillic script as official script in 1941, the classical Mongolian script is nowadays once again taught in schools. It is therefore the only one of the old scripts that has survived until today.

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(1) The Uigurs were the most powerful people in Centralasia of that time. Through close contact to the Soghdans they were also very highly developed culturally. (back to the text)

(2) The deel is the traditional garment of the Mongolians, a kind of coat.(back to the text)

(3)  In this form of transcription the 'Secret History of the Mongols" has come upon us. (back to the text)