Phenomenon of aggression in Buryats’ history and culture in XVII-XIX centuries

Purpose. The article defines and characterizes types of aggression spread among the Buryats during the XVII-XIX centuries. In addition, we determine the factors that lead to the Buryats’ refusal from the tradition of blood feud. Results. Based on the study of the sources available, the author identifies the following types of aggression: aggression of foreign states and other nations to ethnic communities which joined to make the Buryat people; aggression that occurred among different groups of the Buryats; intragroup aggression; family aggression. With final incorporating into Russia, the Buryats also faced aggression caused by the ethnic clash between the Russians and the Buryats, which was motivated by economic, domestic and other interests. An example of the aggression of the first type is the story of annexing the Buryat lands by the Russian state. Intergroup aggression among the Buryats can be illustrated by the era of the so-called Zegetei aba (battue hunting), while the Buryats could attack their neighbors in order to snatch some prisoners, cattle or women. Intragroup aggression, according to popular beliefs, was a kind of illness and was caused by the evil influence of eastern gods or spirits who required sacrifice. The Buryats treated the cases of evil behavior inside the group negatively and tried to cultivate hospitality, tolerance and kindness. The article shows that the ancestors of Buryats were known to stick to the tradition of blood revenge. Their culture was a culture of warriors, in which all aspects of life including the system of values and behavioral attitudes conform to the standards of a militarized society. Relations between ethnic communities and inside them were ruled by the law of the talion, the essence of which is accumulated in the phrase «an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth», and they grew into the tradition of blood revenge. During the pre-Russian period in the history of the Buryats of Predbaikalye and during the initial stage of their joining Russia, the blood feud was also common, which is testified by the folklore and ethnographic materials gathered by M. N. Khangalov. The situation started to change with adopting the rules of «Great Yasa» by Chingis Khan, which were then included into all codes of the Mongolian peoples and the Buryats. There was offered an alternative to blood feud and talion. In case of killing a person, the killer or their countrymen were punished with a fine in the form of a significant number of heads of different livestock species. With the introduction of instruction by S. Vladislavich-Raguzinskii of 1728, murders among the Buryats were the subject of court proceedings which issued their decisions in accordance with the criminal legislation of the Russian Empire. The severity of punishment from the side of the Russian government became a deterrent to the tradition of blood revenge. The acceptance of Buddhism and Orthodox Christianity by the Buryats had an equally positive impact on the customs and traditions adopted in the society. Conclusion. Aggression was polymorphic in the traditional culture of the Buryats, and it had mostly household character. The tradition of blood feud being well-known among the Buryats in the XVIIth century, it vanished in the centuries to follow.