The Historical Maps of the Tumote in Guihua City in the Qing Dynasty

Map Introduction

I. Formation and Structure of the Six Leagues of Inner Mongolia

The Qing Dynasty organized the Mongols of Inner Mongolia into six Leagues through the "League-Banner System," including Jirem, Ju Ud, Sili-yin γool, Ulanqab, Yeke Juu, and others. These Leagues were named after their assembly sites, and each Banner's Jasagh (leader) was appointed from the Mongol nobility, forming the "Inner Jasagh Mongols" system. Among them, the Ulanqab League was formed during the Kangxi era (1662-1722) through the initial assembly of six Banners, including the Dörbet and Muumingghan, deriving its name from the Ulanqab River. The Six Leagues served as both military units and economic communities, undertaking functions of frontier defense and tributary trade.

II. The Special Status of the Two Western Banners

Although the Western Taoket Mongols (in present-day Alxa and Ejin regions) and the Tümed Tribe of Guihua City belonged to the "Outer Jasagh," they enjoyed special privileges. The Alxa Khoshut Tribe, due to its assistance to the Qing in suppressing Galdan, was permitted to retain its original social organization and placed under the direct jurisdiction of the Lifan Yuan. The Tümed Tribe was organized into a Controlled Banner, directly administered by officials dispatched from the Qing court, becoming a hub for trade between China proper and Mongolia.

III. Rise, Fall, and Military Value of the Chahar Tribe

• Descendants of the Golden Lineage: The Chahar Tribe, descendants of Genghis Khan's personal guard, the Kheshig, submitted to the Qing in 1635 after the defeat of Ligdan Khan and were incorporated into the Eight Banners. Its cavalry was renowned for being "unpaid yet most loyal," with parts of it relocating to Xinjiang during the Qianlong era for garrison duties.

• Evolution of Strategic Position: Initially pasturing in the Liao River basin during the early Qing, the Chahar later moved south to areas beyond Zhangjiakou, becoming the "Northern Gate Lock and Key" guarding the capital. The Beiyang Government established the Chahar Special Administrative Region in 1914, which became a province in 1928 before its dissolution in 1952.

IV. Historical Impact and Ethnic Integration

• Military Contributions: Chahar cavalry participated in suppressing the Dzungar and Xinjiang rebellions, repelling rebel forces over a dozen times during the Siege of Heishui Camp in the Qianlong era.
• Cultural Blending: Descendants of the westward-migrating Chahar integrated into Kazakh ethnicity, while those remaining in Hebei gradually became known as "Zhangjiakou people."
• Institutional Innovation: The League-Banner System preserved Mongol traditions while strengthening central authority, laying the foundation for the modern administrative divisions of Inner Mongolia.

Summary

Through differentiated governance, the Qing Dynasty divided Inner Mongolia into the Six Leagues, the two Western Banners of Taoket, and special regions like Chahar. This system not only maintained frontier stability but also promoted Mongol-Han integration, the effects of which continue to the present day.