Historical-Anthropological Studies on Mongolian Manuscripts Discoverd from the Arjai Caves, Ordos, Inner Mongolia.

位于内蒙古鄂尔多斯市西北部阿布斯山脉的阿尔杰石窟，于20世纪80年代被发现，2003年被列为全国重点文物保护单位。13世纪蒙古族第一部历史文献《蒙古秘史》将阿布斯山脉称为阿鲁布喀。据记载，成吉思汗在阿鲁布卡山狩猎时，从马上摔下来受伤，到措尤尔卡德（众多石窟）休养。现在证实，所谓的C oyurqad就是现在的Arjai洞穴。当时，Arjai是西夏国的一座石窟寺。现存的阿杰石窟大多是西夏和元朝时期的壁画。本项目以阿尔杰石窟一号窟出土的蒙古文手抄本和木刻残片为研究对象。这些蒙古语材料是在2000年发现的。后来，我又在第13、14和20号洞窟中发现了一些额外的木刻碎片和手稿。这些材料将分两步出版，本研究报告只关注那些木刻碎片。阿尔贾伊石窟是研究蒙元时期丝绸之路佛教最重要的资料来源。

Arjai Caves, located in the Arbus Mountains in the northwestern part of Ordos Municipality, Inner Mongolia, China, was discovered in the 1980s and was recognized as one of the key national cultural relics of China in 2003.The Secret History of the Mongols, the first Mongolian historical document written in the thirteenth century, refers to the Arbus Mountains as Arubuqa. It records that while hunting in the Arubuqa Mountains C inggis Qayan sustained injury from a fall from horse and went to C oyurqad (numerous grottoes) to recover. It is now verified that the so-called C oyurqad is the current Arjai Caves. At the time, Arjai was a grotto monastery of the Tangut (Xixia) state. What remain in today's Arjai Caves are mostly frescos dating to the Tangut and Mongol Yuan eras. They are in poor condition, in need of urgent protection.This project centers on the Mongolian language manuscripts and woodblock fragments unearthed from the grotto no.1 of Arjai Caves. These Mongolian language materials were discovered in 2000. Later, I discovered some additional woodblock fragments and manuscripts from caves no. 13, no. 14, and no. 20. These materials will be published in two steps, this research report focusing on only those woodblock fragments. Arjai Caves boasts the most important source for studying Silk Road Buddhism of the Mongol Yuan era.