Stone Inscriptions of Tsogtu Khung-Taiji, Prince of Khalkha

The Stone Inscriptions of Tsogtu Khung-Taiji are regarded as one of the most iconic and important symbols of Mongolian script and literature. The monument consists of three stone inscriptions carved by the same people, in the same year. The inscriptions are amazing not only because of their clarity and the beauty of the clean lines of the letters but also how well they have been preserved to this day. The main inscription, dated 1624, is a poem carved on the smooth, vertical rock, which was composed by Prince Tsogtu. This poem is often considered by scholars to be the finest example of pre-Qing Mongolian poetry composed according to the canons of Buddhist poetry. The importance of the inscriptions is that they stood as a witness to a turbulent and dramatic time in the history of 17th century Mongolia, when Ligdan Khan, the last Great Khan of the Mongols, was desperately struggling to maintain unity among the Mongols as they faced the rising power of the Manchus.