OF THE MONGOL TRIBES. 85 



the Emperor of China as their lord paramount, and 

 may not enter into any relations with foreign powers 

 without reference to Peking. The tosalakchi, whose 

 office is also hereditary, rank next ; each banner has 

 one, two, or four of these officials ; the prince, who is 

 military chief of the banner, has two lieutenants 

 {ijicireii zaiigJiiii) ; every regiment has its colonel 

 {chialan zanghin\ and captains of squadrons [somtm 

 zanghui)} The w^hole military force of the aimak is 

 under a tsiang-tsimi (general), chosen from among 

 the Mongol princes. 



The princes of the koshungs or banners assemble 

 once a year for the gathering ^ iclmlkaii), presided 

 over by one of their number who must have been 

 confirmed in his authority by the Emperor. These 

 assemblies, at w^hich local questions are decided, are 

 under the control of the governors of the nearest 

 provinces of China.^ 



Some parts of the country bordering with China 

 Proper are modelled entirely after the Chinese 

 system ; such as the district of Cheng-ta-fu beyond 

 the Great Wall, north of Peking, tne aimak of Chak- 

 har, north-west of Kalgan, and the district of Kuku- 

 hoto (Kwei-hwa-cheng), still further to the west, near 

 the northern bend of the Yellow River. Western 



^ Every squadron has two officers, six under-officers, and 150 rank 

 and file. 



^ Assemblies are also summoned on extraordinary occasions. 



^ The governor of Kuku-hoto has the charge of Ordos, Western 

 Tumit, and the nearest aimaks of Mongolia ; Koko-nor and Tsaidam 

 are placed under the governor of Si-ning (in Kan-su) ; the two 

 westernmost aimaks of Khalkas are governed by the tsiang-tsiun of 

 Uliassutai, and so on. 



