Historians of Altai State University strengthen scientific cooperation with China

In the middle of September 2017 delegation of Altai State University consisting of Head of the Department of Political History, National and Religious Relations, Doctor of History, Professor Petr K. Dashkovskiy, Head of the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology, Doctor of History, Professor Alexey A. Tishkin, and Candidate of History, Assistant Professor of the Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Museology Nikolay N. Seregin made a work trip to the People’s Republic of China. In the course of the visit they participated in The VIII International Scientific Conference “Ancient Cultures of Mongolia, Baikal Siberia and Northern China”, which took place on 11–15 September 2017 at Jilin University in Changchun.

Petr K. Dashkovskiy commented on the participation in this scientific forum:

“This conference has been carried out annually since 2010 in different cities of Siberia, China and Mongolia. The 8th conference was organized by Jilin University, Archaeological Institute of Jilin Province, Institute of Archaeology of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Renmin University of China. The attendees discussed a wide range of issues connected with research of ancient and medieval history of Central, Eastern and Northern Asia. Special attention was paid to the history of nomads from Southern Siberia and Central Asia. In particular, I told the colleagues about the results of excavations at Hankarinsky Dol and Chineta II, burial mounds of the Scythian Epoch in Western Altai. A.A. Tishkin made a report on Bugri memorial of the Scythian Epoch in Altai, while N.N. Seregin spoke on burial mounds of Mongolian Turks of the early Middle Ages.
It is to be noted that the forum was quite representational. Apart from the colleagues from China and Russia, it hosted scientists from the USA, Canada, Japan, Mongolia, and other countries. Event organization was at the high level. Moreover, Jilin University is a famous scientific and educational center in both China and Russia. Altai State University has been cooperating with this establishment for a number of years. Apart from participation in the conference, we managed to discuss prospects for further collaboration in science and education with our colleagues.
Nice tradition to organize scientific excursions that complement the official part of the conference should also be mentioned. This time we got to see Chanshang, a monument of the neolitic age located near Lishu, and Xiling Museum. What we liked the most was the remains of Hwando and shrine of governors of Goguryeo kingdom (37 BCE–668 CE) near modern Jian city. These attractions are included in a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.”

The IX International Scientific Conference “Ancient Cultures of Mongolia, Baikal Siberia and Northern China” will be held in 2018 on the premises of the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies under Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Ulan-Ude.