Abstract:

This paper focuses on the garrison system known as ‘Karun’ (Mongol. qaraγul, Chinese. 卡伦) in Kokenuur area（Qinghai）, which was set up by the Qing court in the 1750s and 1770s to resolve ethnic conflicts between Mongolian and Tibetan nomads. During the Qianlong period, the Koloks, one of the Tibetan tribes, repeatedly migrated northwards to raid the Mongol tribes. To address this issue, the Qing Dynasty established a garrison line depended on the autonomous efforts of the Mongols, who were stationed at different passes to prevent the Tibetans from invading. I argue that the establishment of the ‘Karun’ marked the end of the official policy of "supporting the Tibetans and suppressing the Mongols" (扶番抑蒙), as it gradually weakened the Mongols side and created an imbalance of power between the two sides. Consequently, the Qing court abandoned its original policy and instead focused on strong military defense against the Tibetan tribes. I also argue that this ‘Karun’ system is one of the more unique military isolation lines within the imperial map, which demarcates the nomadic borders of the Mongols and Tibetans in Kokenuur demonstrating the early Qing's policy of strictly distinguishing between the borders of ethnic groups. This paper relies primarily on the Manchu Archives in the First Historical Archives of China, which has not received much attention from previous researchers.