Migrations in inner Asia during the Qing dynasty: diasporas in ‘ Kiachta-Maimacheng’ contact zone

The article covers the issue of ethnic composition in Kyachta-Maimacheng border outpost which was the only frontier town at Russian-Chinese border opened for the whole sale caravan trade in 18th century Qing China. It was formed as a diverse migrant community consisting of various diasporic groups: Chinese, Manchus, Mongols and Muslims from Xinjiang similarly to maimachengs trade quarters in other settlements in Outer Mongolia such as Urga, Kobdo and Ulyasutai. It also rises the question how Qing authorities managed ethnic diversity in Maimacheng and the ways power hierarchy structured this frontier community. Close neighborhood with Russian frontier town Kyachta, which also had a complex migrant’s society, created a unique transborder experience for this colonial periphery. Therefore, author suggests to view Kyac hta- Maimacheng not only as a trade outpost, but also as a cultural phenomenon of the ‘contact zone’ for both colonial empires (Russian and Qing) on depending Mongolian territories. Argumentation is based on wide range of archival sources in Russian, Chinese and Mongolian languages, recent scholarly research on the topic also have been considered.