Throughout the ages, the attire of the nobility always differed from the costume of a commoner. This statement is also true for the costume of the noble Huns, known from the finds in the Noin-Ulin mounds (late I century BC – early I century AD, Northern Mongolia, excavations of the P. K. Kozlov expedition, 1924–1925 and excavations of the Russian-Mongolian expedition 2006–2012). In the burials of the Hunnish aristocracy, real items of clothing were found – silk robes trimmed with sable fur, woolen trousers, silk and woolen leggings, hats, pelerinas, fragments of caftans. The main part of the Hunnu closet known, but far from complete, consists of items sewn from Chinese silk, adapted to the harsh conditions of Northern Mongolia and the way of life of nomadic horsemen. The sleeveless silk shirt discovered in the 20th Noin-Ulin mound can be attributed to unconditional Chinese items, the analogs of which are known from finds in female burials in Xinjiang and Gansu of the Jin era. In the 20 Noin-Ula mound, a woman accompanying a noble rider was also buried in such attire. In the Han era, such sleeveless shirts were exclusively used as women’s undergarments. That is probably why there are no images of them, but there is a mention in the “Clothing” section of the Han era dictionary “Shiming” compiled by Liu Xi, and the findings of real items, among which the sleeveless shirt from the Noin-Ulin mound is the oldest. Having appeared, most likely, in the Han era, silk sleeveless shirts became widespread for both men and women in the Jin era. The tendency of Asian nomads to borrow from China, including items of clothing, was the reason why such sleeveless shirts became part of the Mongolian national costume and are still popular today.

The article discusses the current issue of studying the second capital of the early medieval state of Koguryo. It reviews and generalizes the limited and somewhat outdated Russian historiography on the topic. In order to reveal the unique features of the capital during the middle period, key Korean and Chinese written and epigraphic sources were examined and analyzed. According to the written data of the “Samguk Sagi”, the existence of the second capital is connected to the period between 3–427 AD. Information regarding the location of the capital remains unclear until the end of the Koguryo period and is only revealed in the subsequent Bohai period. The analysis of written sources is complemented by archaeological data of the ancient Guonei city and Wandu Mountain City located in the Jilin province of China, which correlate with the capital’s sites. Guonei city located in modern Jian city was a large centre; the perimeter of the walls was approximately 2.74 kilometres. In the central part, buildings correlating to administrative or palace buildings were excavated. At the nearby Wandu Mountain City, the perimeter of the walls was approximately 7 kilometres, and a large palace complex stretching over four terraces was discovered. Archaeological information indicates a different time period of the capital as a fortified city, and confirms its functioning as a centre of the district and Huanzhou county throughout the Bohai period. It is believed that initially, the Koguryo leader established a military headquarters in a hard-to-reach mountain valley near Yalu river, which evolved into a big administrative and political centre as the state developed. Further archaeological surveys are needed in the Koguryo capital area to establish a detailed chronology and better understand the futures of the Koguryo capital, and to further explore the connection between archaeology and early chronicle information.

To date, more than 60 Kushan settlement monuments have been discovered in the Kashmir Valley, however systematic archaeological work has been carried out on only three, and the rest of the monuments are known only as the result of lifting material. The main problem is the low level of knowledge of the territory. However, the Kashmir Valley has occupied an important strategic position along the Great Indian and Great Silk Trade Routes for centuries. As a result of the Yuezhi/Kushans, who paved the way from the northwestern borders of China to the western part of Central Asia, trade routes were established through Xinjiang and the mountainous territories of Northern India. The purpose of this article is to determine the sequence of the founding of settlements by the Kushans, as well as their location, in order to clarify the main migration routes between Northern India, Central Asia and China. The objectives of the study include consideration of the history of the study and characterization of the results of excavations of settlement monuments of Kushan in the Kashmir valley. The main method is historiographical analysis based on a systematic approach, using GIS technology to graphically convey the results of the study. The annexation of the northern part of the Kashmir valley to the Kushan Empire dates back to the reign of Kujula Kadfiz (30–80 AD). The rule of the Kushans in this territory continued until the beginning of IV century AD. The distribution of the identified Kushan settlement sites and cross-sectional profiles of the mountain frame of the Kashmir Valley demonstrate that the Kashmir Valley is connected to Gilgit-Baltistan along the Bandipora-Gurez road, with Ladakh along the Liddar and Sindh Rivers, along the Jhelum River basin with Gandhara.

A bronze fantasy beast and human figure in a zoomorphic headdress were discovered in 1986 at the JK2 sacrificial pit of the Sanxingdui site. It belongs to the Bronze Age culture spread in the Sichuan province of the PRC. Peculiarities of construction and methods of production of the bronze anthropomorphic statue from Sanxingdui were the same as A and C type bronze masks and bronze “spirit trees” no. 2 and no. 1, meaning they all belonged to the same time. The fantasy beast mentioned above stood at the lowest tier of the so-called “sacred altar”, which was the “model of the world” of ancient inhabitants of Sanxingdui. They could think of him as the chthonic “Lord of the Underworld”. The results of new excavations at Sanxingdui in 2020–2022 are briefly mentioned. The plan and relative chronology of six newly discovered sacrificial pits are examined. The discussion of Chinese researchers about their nature is observed. The stratigraphy of new sacrificial pit JK8 is investigated in detail. Fantasy beasts of the same pedigree as in the JK2 sacrificial pit, which were found in newly discovered sacrificial pits JK3 and JK8 are described in detail. The beginning of depicting masks on bronze heads of A and C types is considered. The author argues that the bronze statue in a zoomorphic headdress from the JK2 sacrificial pit could represent the image of the “Lord of the Underworld” of Sanxingdui in his anthropomorphic form.

The article focuses on a popular superstitious belief that has developed around the name of a famous swordsmith Sengo Muramasa 千子村正, namely the fabulous “curse” of his blades and the demonization of his person. The mythologized image had overshadowed a real school of swordsmiths active in the 16th – 17th cc.; the core of the school was formed by the first three and partly the fourth generations, and the periphery – by numerous smiths of the second and third plans. Muramasa I (初代 shodai) lived in Ise Province in the late Muromachi period; his blades were particularly sharp and well-forged, and therefore highly valued as practical weapons. However, a lack of reliable historical sources about his life, except for the preserved dated blades, caused significant discrepancies concerning the history of the Sengo Muramasa school and the identification of its generations. The superstition of the “demonic” curse of the Muramasa blades was formed among the samurai class at the turn of the 16th – 17th cc. as a result of their malevolent role in the fate of Tokugawa Ieyasu and several of his close relatives. Later, in the mid Edo period, the superstition of the “unlucky” nature of the Muramasa blades became widespread throughout Japanese society, and was also reflected in traditional Japanese art, literature and drama. In the 20th c. when Japanese swords gained worldwide popularity, the story of the “demonic Muramasa” spread far beyond Japan.

Buddha’s teachings are deep in insight, beyond verbal communication. The only way to free yourself from the power of words and concepts is, according to the words of Buddhist researcher Anagarica Govinda, by replacing our singletrack logic with a multidimensional symbol. The language of symbol, sound and gesture, used in art, opens up the possibility to comprehend the world in non-rational ways. In Zen, it becomes the means of transmission of the truth, residing deep in the heart. The dynamic nature of reality is, as is known, one of the main spiritual orientations of Buddhism. The motif of the Way, the road, the movement, the transition manifests itself in one way or another in Zen art, for the world itself is a stream, a process of becoming, not a state of being. The article emphasizes the disclosure of the inner meaning and philosophic implications of some of the most representative and significant motifs, bearing the wisdom of the lived experience of many spiritual mentors. Another emphasis in the article is made on research of what the images and symbols manifest in different fields of Zen art (painting, poetry, gardening, tea ceremony). Artistic creativity is regarded in Zen context as a spiritual discipline. The image in art becomes one of the means for the transformation of consciousness. Although this theme is one of the most significant and cross-cutting for Zen culture, there are no scientific studies on this topic in Russia. This certain fact identifies the urgency and practical value of the article.

This article provides an overview of the history and evolution of four major Tibetan Buddhist temples in Northeast China (Dalelinsi, Wudangzhao, and Gegenmiao Monasteries in Inner Mongolia and Ruiyingsi Temple Complex in Liaoning Province) and analyzes the characteristics of their religious rituals. As important centres for the dissemination of Tibetan Buddhism, the temples of Northeast China not only preserve rich historical and cultural traditions, but also demonstrate unique features of ritual practices. The temples of Northeast China, while preserving traditional religious rituals of Tibetan Buddhism (various pujas and prayers), incorporate elements of local folk culture and beliefs, forming specific ritual forms. These rituals, by reflecting the doctrinal spirit of Tibetan Buddhism, enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the local population. Historical analysis of the evolution and activities of these temples allows us to identify the features of the current religious situation in Northeast China, as well as to largely predict possible trends in their further interaction with local cultures.

The religious component of funeral rites in modern day Japan is almost entirely under the jurisdiction of Buddhism. In this regard, Buddhism as a teaching has acquired a certain “funeral aura” in the eyes of the Japanese. As part of a Buddhist funeral, the Japanese, as a rule, receive a special posthumous name. This tradition was established in the Middle Ages, and the format of posthumous names has gradually changed – from Japanese multi-component names, similar to the names of deities, to a standard Chinese name of two hieroglyphs with moral and legal significance. In order to have a posthumous name assigned in a temple, a donation is collected, the amount of which varies depending on the region, temple and status of the name, as well as the wishes of the relatives of the deceased. Today, the tradition of assigning posthumous names is considered a service and is criticized for its exorbitant cost. The religious significance of posthumous names inevitably weakens in a consumer society.

The article presents an attempt to identify the most likely descendants of the Dian culture among the vast list of nonHan peoples inhabiting South-Western and Southern China at the present time. Bronze drums, as an important element of material culture were taken as the first selection criterion, since they were one of the most noticeable markers for sites and relics of the DongSon-Dian civilization. However, it turned out that the area of distribution of these items is too large, and many peoples adopted (borrowed) this effective symbol of wealth and power. To limit the sample, the study took ritual dances, namely with bronze drums as an essential element of spiritual culture, as the second criterion. A retrospective analysis showed that an ethnographically significant binomial (bronze drums and dancing) had developed in the Dian culture. Therefore, the peoples who preserved this combination throughout time can be pointed out among the heirs of Dian Сulture, and their ancestors, respectively, among its creators. In the most developed and stable version, dancing with bronze drums is recorded in various groups of Miao (Hmong), Yao (Mien), Zhuang and Yi (Yizu), which, on the one hand, is quite consistent with the information about the multicomponent nature of the Dian State and Culture (and the DongSon-Dian civilization as a whole), and on the other hand, can serve as a basis for subsequent paleoethnographic research. Data about the funeral rite and traditional art of these peoples will be used as materials for future research.

Cultural exchanges and acculturation play an important role, as a necessary requirement for the existence and development of each community and each nation. In Southern Vietnam, beginning from the 16th to 18th centuries, this area witnessed an extremely vibrant process of cultural exchange and acculturation. It was this process that contributed to the formation of a new identity among several ethnic groups, among which the custom of Mother Goddess worship serves as a vivid testament for the process of the Vietnamese – Cham – Chinese – Khmer cultural exchange and acculturation in Southern Vietnam. By utilizing historical and logical research methods combined with analysis and comparison methods, this article aims to delve deep into the process of the Vietnamese – Cham – Chinese – Khmer cultural exchange and acculturation in Southern Vietnam and the traces of cultural contact by these ethnic groups which are reflected in the belief of Mother Goddess worship.

Both Vietnamese and foreign historians have extensively studied the migration from North to South in Vietnam following the Geneva Agreement of 1954. It is widely acknowledged by scholars that the migration occurred promptly after the signing of the Geneva Agreement, lasting for about 300 days and involving the movement of troops from both the French Union and the DRV. During this period, approximately nearly one million people from North Vietnam migrated to the South, with the majority being Vietnamese Catholic. This article aims to realistically recreate the process of implementing foreign financial support for migration. It will comprehensively and accurately quantify the scale and structure of the use of these aid sources. The author will discuss and explain the purposes, as well as the key reasons France, the US, the Vatican, and the international Catholic community invested in this migration. The article will draw important conclusions about the role and influence of these aid sources and find worthy explanations for these questions: Why were there more than 887,000 Vietnamese refugees to the South in less than a year? What motivated them to leave their homeland, ancestors' graves, family and future in the North to migrate to distant and unfamiliar places?

This study uses a technique known as a literature review to investigate contemporary derivative sources and arguments addressing the diplomatic history of the Republic of Vietnam in relation to Free World Military Forces during the Vietnam War (1965–1973). The primary discovery of this study is that, despite extensive discussion about the conflict and the involvement of allied troops, a significant gap remains in the diplomatic history of the Republic of Vietnam, despite a gradual increase in attention within international scholarly circles. The purpose of this report is to compile relevant publications and make suggestions for additional research to fill in the gaps that exist in the existing literature on the Vietnam War around the world.

Marxism-Leninism has served as a guiding ray of hope for oppressed nations and classes, inspiring them to rise up and liberate themselves. Since his encounter with Marxism-Leninism, Nguyen Ai Quoc (Ho Chi Minh, 1890–1969) gradually laid the foundation for a struggle to emancipate the Vietnamese nation and its people. To achieve this great objective, he actively worked towards propagating the path of saving the nation and liberating the people through Marxism-Leninism in Vietnam. While embracing Marxist principles, he distanced himself from dogmatic teachings and instead, based his understanding on a solid grasp of the revolutionary essence and scientific nature of that theory. He selected core principles, adapted and developed them to suit the Vietnamese reality, and expressed them in an easily understandable language. Additionally, he discovered the most effective forms and means of dissemination. The success of the revolutionary cause in Vietnam is inseparable from the immense contributions of Nguyen Ai Quoc. One of his significant contributions to the nation’s revolution was the propagation of the path of saving the nation and liberating the people through Marxism-Leninism in Vietnam. Placing this issue within the historical context of that time helps appreciate the visionary and remarkably forward-thinking mindset of Nguyen Ai Quoc.

This article is an overview of the work of the II International Forum “Traditional Buddhism and Modern Challenges”, which was held on 12–14 August 2024 in Ulan-Ude. This year, more than 1,800 participants from 16 countries gathered together, with representatives from not only religious structures, but also political, public, and scientific organizations. This forum aims to strengthen international relations between Buddhists of the world at all levels. The article analyzes the main activities of three events united by a single theme – the conference "Buddhism in a Changing World", the II International Forum “Traditional Buddhism and Modern Challenges”, the conference “The Phenomenon of the XII Pandito Khambo Lama Dashi-Dorzho Itigilov”, related to the actualization of the Buddhist culture in today's society, understanding of the philosophy and practice of Buddhism in the modern world, assessment of the main directions and results of the activities of Buddhist institutions and organizations both at the religious level and in the system of their interactions with political powers in Russia and Asian countries, their role and influence in international relations, education and medicine.