The Travels of Yelü Chucai and the Interpretation of the Mongol Empire

Curator: Erin Y. Huang

Abstract:

Chinese histories of the early Mongol empire assigned a crucial formative role to the minister Yelü Chucai – a figure unknown to other historical traditions.  From the 1630s onward, translations prepared in the Qing Empire freed Yelü Chucai to circulate widely across Eurasia.  This talk contrasts his reception in Europe, where his achievements were embraced and celebrated, with the more guarded stance of Manchu and Mongol authors.  It argues that Yelü Chucai became a touchstone for addressing one of the thorniest questions in the historical interpretation of the Mongol Empire: the relationship between early khans and advisors drawn from the sedentary world.

Bio:

Matthew W. Mosca is Dau-lin Hsu Endowed Professor and associate professor of History and International Studies at the University of Washington, Seattle.  His book The Khan and the Unicorn: Mongol Empire and Qing Knowledge in the Making of World History (Harvard Asia Center) will be published in 2026.