Politics and Religion on China's Mongolian Frontier

Authors

Paul V. Hyer

Keywords

Religion and state, Mongolia, Japan, Foreign relations

Abstract

Japanese imperialists believed that religion was an effective way to control and influence the peoples they conquered. This article traces one example: the Japanese attempt to re-establish a Mongolian Jebtsundamba Khutukhtu, a religious and temporal sovereign who would appear in subsequent incarnations. After the Soviets forbid a search for a new Jebtsundamba in 1824, the Japanese suggested the search be renewed as they moved to take control of Mongolia. This move was ultimately unsuccessful but serves as a classic example of the role of religion in the struggle for power.

Recommended Citation

Hyer, Paul V. (1965) "Politics and Religion on China's Mongolian Frontier," BYU Studies Quarterly: Vol. 6: Iss. 3, Article 7.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/byusq/vol6/iss3/7