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The Mongolian Local Knowledge on Plants Recorded in Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto and Its Scientific Value
Guixi Liu
IMNU: Inner Mongolia Normal University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3354-2714
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: There is a plentiful amount of local knowledge on plants hidden in the literature of foreign exploration to China in modern history. Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto (MAKK) is an expedition record on the sixth scientific expedition to northwestern China (1907-1909) initiated by P. K. Kozlov (1863-1935), a famous Russian Central Asian explorer. Used as a non-professional biology book, MAKK contains some botanical knowledge in it. The information noted down over more than 100 years ago is about the traditional knowledge of the Mongolian folks lived on the Mongolian plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the understanding and utilization of plants, which is of a highlighted function for the study of the botany and the history of science and technology. We therefore have carried on relevant collation, analysis, investigation and criticism to Mongolian local knowledge on plants in MAKK, and obtained the status quo of these local knowledge.
Methods: The main research methods of this paper are literature research, textual research, interview and field investigation. First of all, combed and compared with the two versions of MAKK (1923 and 1948), it was sorted out for the information on botanical local knowledge of Mongolian folk. Secondly, the naming and utilization of selected plants were reviewed and catalogued by consulting reference books and relevant literature. Thirdly, by the way of interviews and field investigations, the local knowledge was verified twice, and then analyzed with ethnobotanical research methods.
Results: By means of regulation and research, it is found that Mongolian plant folk names of 1 genus and 8 species were recorded in MAKK. Their morphological characteristics and traditional grazing knowledge are crucial naming basis. There are three types on the structures of Mongolian plant name: simple primary name, complex primary name and secondary name. Corresponding relations between Mongolian folk name and scientific name are existed in "one-to-one", "multitude-to-one" and "one-to-multitude" forms. The classification of certain plants by Mongolian people has reached the level of species or varieties.
In addition, the Mongols’ usage for 9 species of plants was noted in MAKK. These are mainly used for edible, graziery, fuelwood, building material, toponym and belief. With the development and change of the society, it is found that some utilization methods have been replaced or basically disappeared, while remainder still continue to be applied by interviews and field investigations.
Conclusions: Firstly, the Mongols have their own rules and systems for nominating and classifying plants. Secondly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants possesses multiform character. Thirdly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants and Mongolian culture have mutual influence and interdependence relationship. Fourthly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants urgently needs to be protected in many forms. Finally, it is veritable and reliable for the records of Mongolian botanical local knowledge in MAKK by textual research, and it is valuable for scientific research. The historical notes more than 100 years ago are not only supply dependable information and momentous historical data for Mongolian ethnobotany and Chinese minority science and technology history research, but also offer references for ecology, flora and botanical history study.
Keywords
P. K. Kozlov, Expedition Record, Local Knowledge on plants, Mongolian Folk, Ethnobotany, Botanical History
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Received 21 Jan, 2021
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Received 04 Jan, 2021
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On 25 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Dec, 2020
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This preprint is under consideration at Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research
The Mongolian Local Knowledge on Plants Recorded in Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto and Its Scientific Value
Guixi Liu
IMNU: Inner Mongolia Normal University
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3354-2714
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 28 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major Revision
On 22 Jan, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 21 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 04 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 25 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 22 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 20 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 20 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 20 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 20 Dec, 2020
First submitted
On 09 Dec, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Subject Areas
Translational Medicine
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: There is a plentiful amount of local knowledge on plants hidden in the literature of foreign exploration to China in modern history. Mongolia and Amdo and the Dead City of Khara-Khoto (MAKK) is an expedition record on the sixth scientific expedition to northwestern China (1907-1909) initiated by P. K. Kozlov (1863-1935), a famous Russian Central Asian explorer. Used as a non-professional biology book, MAKK contains some botanical knowledge in it. The information noted down over more than 100 years ago is about the traditional knowledge of the Mongolian folks lived on the Mongolian plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for the understanding and utilization of plants, which is of a highlighted function for the study of the botany and the history of science and technology. We therefore have carried on relevant collation, analysis, investigation and criticism to Mongolian local knowledge on plants in MAKK, and obtained the status quo of these local knowledge.
Methods: The main research methods of this paper are literature research, textual research, interview and field investigation. First of all, combed and compared with the two versions of MAKK (1923 and 1948), it was sorted out for the information on botanical local knowledge of Mongolian folk. Secondly, the naming and utilization of selected plants were reviewed and catalogued by consulting reference books and relevant literature. Thirdly, by the way of interviews and field investigations, the local knowledge was verified twice, and then analyzed with ethnobotanical research methods.
Results: By means of regulation and research, it is found that Mongolian plant folk names of 1 genus and 8 species were recorded in MAKK. Their morphological characteristics and traditional grazing knowledge are crucial naming basis. There are three types on the structures of Mongolian plant name: simple primary name, complex primary name and secondary name. Corresponding relations between Mongolian folk name and scientific name are existed in "one-to-one", "multitude-to-one" and "one-to-multitude" forms. The classification of certain plants by Mongolian people has reached the level of species or varieties.
In addition, the Mongols’ usage for 9 species of plants was noted in MAKK. These are mainly used for edible, graziery, fuelwood, building material, toponym and belief. With the development and change of the society, it is found that some utilization methods have been replaced or basically disappeared, while remainder still continue to be applied by interviews and field investigations.
Conclusions: Firstly, the Mongols have their own rules and systems for nominating and classifying plants. Secondly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants possesses multiform character. Thirdly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants and Mongolian culture have mutual influence and interdependence relationship. Fourthly, the Mongolian local knowledge on plants urgently needs to be protected in many forms. Finally, it is veritable and reliable for the records of Mongolian botanical local knowledge in MAKK by textual research, and it is valuable for scientific research. The historical notes more than 100 years ago are not only supply dependable information and momentous historical data for Mongolian ethnobotany and Chinese minority science and technology history research, but also offer references for ecology, flora and botanical history study.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Figure 10
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
Figure 14
Figure 15
Due to technical limitations, full-text HTML conversion of this manuscript could not be completed. However, the latest manuscript can be downloaded and accessed as a PDF.