On 23 July 2026, the Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology hosted the presentation of the new monograph “Kazakh–Qing Relations during the Era of Abylai Khan” by renowned Kazakh historian and Orientalist, Doctor of Historical Sciences Bakhyt Ezhenkhan. The event brought together leading historians, Oriental studies scholars, researchers from academic institutions, university faculty members, doctoral candidates, and young scholars from across Kazakhstan
The presentation was moderated by Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Ziyabek Yermukhanovich Kabuldinov, Director General of the Ch.Ch. Valikhanov Institute of History and Ethnology. Opening the event, he emphasized that the publication of the new monograph represents a significant contribution to Kazakhstan’s historical scholarship. He noted that the study is based on an extensive body of archival sources and makes an important contribution to the study of the history of the Kazakh Khanate and its diplomatic relations with the Qing Empire.
Special attention was devoted to the author’s scholarly achievements. Bakhyt Ezhenkhan is one of Kazakhstan’s leading historians and Orientalists, Doctor of Historical Sciences, and a recognized expert on the history of Central Asia, the Kazakh Khanate, and Kazakh–Chinese relations in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. After earning his doctoral degree from Nanjing University (People’s Republic of China), he dedicated his academic career to the study of Qing dynasty archival materials. Through many years of research at the First Historical Archives of China, he introduced into academic circulation hundreds of unique historical documents in Chinese and Manchu that are of exceptional importance for the history of Kazakhstan. His research has significantly expanded scholarly understanding of Abylai Khan’s diplomatic activities, the political processes in Central Asia, and the system of international relations in the eighteenth century.
The monograph was presented by the distinguished Oriental studies scholar Nabijan Mukhametkhanuly, who provided a comprehensive overview of its structure, scholarly significance, and source base. He highlighted that the study is grounded in previously little-known archival documents, many of which are introduced into academic circulation for the first time, offering new perspectives on the development of Kazakh–Qing relations during the reign of Abylai Khan.
Scholarly reviews were delivered by Professor Meruert Khuatovna Abuseitova, Doctor of Historical Sciences; Dr. Klara Shaysultanovna Khafizova, Doctor of Historical Sciences; Professor Nurlan Aldabergenovich Atygayev, Doctor of Historical Sciences; historian Armiyabek Sagyndykuly; and scholar Merey Islamuly. In their remarks, the speakers highly praised the monograph’s academic rigor, the uniqueness of its archival sources, the depth of its source-based analysis, and the author’s substantial contribution to the development of Oriental studies and historical scholarship in Kazakhstan.
The participants emphasized that the monograph is the result of many years of painstaking research conducted in Chinese archives and represents one of the most comprehensive studies of diplomatic relations between the Kazakh Khanate and the Qing Empire during the reign of Abylai Khan. The publication’s particular value lies in its extensive use of original archival documents, which significantly enhance current understanding of the foreign policy of the Kazakh Khanate and its place within the international political landscape of Central Asia.
The highlight of the event was the official unveiling of the book, followed by an open academic discussion involving scholars and guests. Participants exchanged views on future research prospects related to Chinese archival materials, the training of a new generation of Oriental studies specialists, and the expansion of international academic cooperation in historical research.
The presentation of Bakhyt Ezhenkhan’s new monograph became an important event in Kazakhstan’s academic community and once again underscored the importance of comprehensive research into the written heritage of the East for an objective understanding of the history of the Kazakh Khanate. The publication will be of considerable interest to historians, Oriental studies scholars, university lecturers, students, master’s and doctoral candidates, as well as to everyone interested in the history of Kazakhstan, Central Asia, and eighteenth-century international relations.
