Russia-Qing treaties of the 17-18th cent. and the status of Tibetan-Mongolian Buddhism in the Russian empire

The article analyzes the interrelation of conclusion the Nerchinsky, Burinsky and Kyakhtinsky treaties between Russia and the Qing empire in the 17-18 centuries and the status of the Tibetan Buddhism practiced by the part of Transbaikalian Buryat-Mongols. The research is focused on the early period of the Russian state policy towards the Buddhist minority in Transbaikalia whose indispensible condition for adoption of the Russian citizenship was permission to practice their own religion. At the same time trans-boundary nature of the Buddhist community and mobility of its adherents was the subject of anxiety in authorities as the empire’s administrative borders were on the paths of pilgrimage routes. The article considers the measures taken by the Russian officials for decreasing the political significance of the Tibetan Buddhism and establishing the Russian control over the Buddhist community in Transabaikalia and autocephaly of the Buddhist community Transabaikalia.