In 1771, under the leadership of Wolbasi Khan, the Turks broke through the boat and left the rule of Tsarist Russia without hesitation, and opened the curtain on the greatest national migration in human history to their ancestral state of China (then the Qing Dynasty), showing us the epic feat of the Turks' determination to return to the motherland in the east.
So, how did the Turks move west? Why did they return to the east?
(Turks of Donggui)
The Turgut tribe is part of the Western Mongol tribe and has long lived in the area of Lake Belga, which is rich in water and grass. Due to the long-term suppression of the powerful Dzungars, constantly invaded and harassed by the Dzungars, and several tribal wars, the Turks were outnumbered and unable to resist, and were forced to find a new place to stay. Coupled with the continuous development of the tribe, the resources on which they depended could no longer meet the needs of the tribe, and the Turbat tribe immediately moved west.
In 1628, the Turks came to the lower Volga and established their own homeland. After nearly a century of reproduction, the Turks developed into a powerful tribe of nearly 70,000 accounts.
During this period, the Turks maintained contact with the Qing Dynasty in China.
With the continuous expansion of Tsarist Russia, the Turks felt seriously threatened.
First, the power of the Khan king was deliberately weakened by Tsarist Russia.
In order to control the Turks, the Tsarist Russia reorganized Zalgu and suppressed the power of the Turk Khan. In particular, Wobashy was only 19 years old when he succeeded to the Khan's throne, and Tsarist Russia was unscrupulous in trying to set up Wolbasi, intending to completely turn the Turks into their slaves.
(Control of Tsarist Russia)
Second, Tsarist Russia incurably requisitioned the cavalry of the Turks in the war.
During the 21-year war between Russia and Turkey, tens of thousands of young men were requisitioned by the Turks and 80% were killed in the battlefield, resulting in a sharp decline in the tribal population and a direct threat to the development of the Turgut tribes.
In this context, Wolbasi decided to take his people back to the east, heading for the place where the sun rose and returning to the embrace of Zubang China.
In 1767, under the auspices of Wolbasi, the Turbat Ministry held a very secret meeting, and the tribal leaders agreed to prepare for the return to the east.
After three years of secret planning, in January 1771, Wolbassee issued a call to the 170,000 Turks on the east bank of the Volga: "Our children and grandchildren will never be slaves, let us go to where the sun rises!" Then he personally led 10,000 warriors to break off, burned down his tent, and escorted the tribesmen on the difficult and dangerous way back.
On their way home, they fought against the Pursuing Russian army and the Cossacks, and after overcoming unimaginable difficulties, they finally set foot on the land of their homeland in July 1771.
(Portrait of General Wolbasi)
In September 1771, WoBaxi met the Qianlong Emperor in the Mulan Yard and paid tribute to Qianlong such as the "Seven Treasure Sword" and the "Silver Sheath Knife", expressing the sincerity of the Turks to return to the Qing Dynasty. The Qianlong Emperor named Wobasi the "Driktu Khan" and let them live in the place where their ancestors lived, giving them great help and preferential treatment.
But it is very regrettable that the Turbats, who were then located on the west bank of the Volga River, were forced to stay in Russia due to the influence of the warm winter, the river did not freeze and could not cross the river.
This part of the Turks was immediately controlled by the Russian army, and their movements were greatly restricted. But they still have a strong desire to return to their homeland, secretly preparing for action next winter.
The Tsarist government learned the lesson of the first time and quickly abolished the regime of the Turk Khanate and set up a special Kalmyk administration to send officials to administer the remaining Turkians.
In 1774, the Turks participated in the Pugachev-led uprising against Tsarist rule, occupying many Russian towns, but were eventually bloodily suppressed by Tsarist Russia.
In order to further strengthen the management of the Turks, the Tsarist Russia added the General Police Bureau to arrest, torture, and interrogate the Turks at will. The Turks lived in the "abyss of the greatest suffering".
In October 1822, the Turgut chief Bak ush led hundreds of men to attack the police station, forcing the Russians to dismiss the chief of police.
During the Soviet period, tens of thousands of Turks took part in the fight against the German Nazis, and due to the mistakes of Soviet officers, more than 10,000 people were sacrificed and more than 30,000 captured. Known for their iron fist and toughness, Soviet leaders believed that the Turks had defected to the enemy and sent everyone into exile in Central Asia, where they were not allowed to return home until 1957.
There are still about 100,000 Turguts settled in the Republic of Kalmykia.
(Reference: Heroes of the East Return)