This castle ruin is situated near Mount Khaldunzurkh in a valley
of Tuul River 20km northeast from Chin Tolgoyn Kherem in Dashinchilen Soum,
Bulgan province. It was formerly a castle of Queen Madai Taigal, a mother of
Prince Tsogt. This temple designed castle with a tiled roof was surrounded by
several small fortresses. The fortress had a gate in the south. There
are many remains, perhaps, any settlement surrounding the castle. Therefore, it
is said that many people inhabited around the castle. This castle was designed
alike buildings in ancient capital Karakorum and there was a big library which
is rich with Buddhist sutras and various kinds of books. In eastern hill of the
castle, there was a turtle stone much same as that of Karakorum.This hill is called Melkhiit. Currently, there are wall remains of
building, a stone pedestal and a Stele. The inscription in Mongolian and
Tibetan was about a construction work of the castle memorial started in 1601.
And also it said that ”On western bank of Tuul River south of Mount
Khaldunzurkh, 6 temples had been built over 17 years of time”. Buildings in
this memorial were not restored well due to frequent fighting among domestic
noblemen in 1627-1630. However, it was taken under state protection in 1971.
This area in Tuul River valley is called Bor Bulan and it is never droughty in
summer. Mount Zaamar, 20km northeast from the site, is a zone without harsh
winter called zud. (A zud is a Mongolian term for an extremely snowy winter on which
livestock are unable to find fodder through the snow cover, and large numbers
of animals die due to starvation and the cold.) So, area around the castle is
named as “Never droughty Bor Bulan, Toson Zaamar without zud”.
Prince Tsogt: He was born in 1581
becoming a son of Major Baarai, a direct descendent of Chinghis khaan’s golden
lineage. Prince Tsogt was one of few educated people of the period who was
literate via home schooling. He was a military man, a translator and a poet who
follows a red sect of Buddhism and was also a persistent supporter of Ligden
khan’s policy. He was recorded in history because he had been fighting for the
independence of his country by leading 40,000 soldiers. He willy-nilly moved to
Lake Khukh leaving home country being persecuted by noblemen who followed
Manchu and joined with Ligden khan to fight against Manchu. He was died in a
battle field in 1637.
