86 uKAVES OF RANK AMOXG CHIEFS 



Mongolia [Dzwigaria) until the recent insurrection 

 was divided into seven military circuits ^ under a 

 different form of government. 



The princely caste has six grades ranking in the 

 following order : Khan, Tsin-wang, Isnm-wang, 

 Behlch, Behzeh, and Kiuig. Besides these are the 

 nobles owning land (Tsasak-tai-tsi),'^ the greater 

 number tracino- their descent from Chino^hiz-Khan. 



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The title descends to the eldest son by lawful mar- 

 riage if he has attained the age of nineteen, Imperial 

 permission having been first obtained. If there be 

 no legitimate sons, the title may be transmitted to 

 one of the natural children or to the nearest male 

 relative, but not without the consent of the Emperor ; 

 the other children rank as nobles {tai-tsi) divided 

 into four classes. In this way the princes never 

 increase in number (there are 200 altogether), but 

 the nobility are constantly becoming more numerous. 

 The princes, as we have said, enjoy no political 

 rights, and are under the absolute authority of the 

 Peking Government, which watches their actions 

 with jealousy. Their salaries^ are received direct 

 from the Emperor, who promotes them at will from 

 one class to another. Princesses of the Imperial 

 family^ are sometimes given in marriage to Mongol 



* Two of these (Urumchi and Barkul) were included in the pro- 

 vince of Kan-su. 



'^ The name ' Tsasak ' is given lo every proprietary chief in 

 Mongoha. 



^ The sahiries of the princes alone amount to 120,000 lans of silver 

 and 3,500 pieces of silk annually. 



* These princesses also receive fixed salaries from the Emperor, 

 and arc only allowed to come to Peking once in ten years. 



