History and context Amur River

a remnant of yishiha s monuments @ tyr, seen c. 1860

the mongols, ruling region yuan dynasty, established tenuous military presence on lower amur in 13–14th centuries; ruins of yuan-era temple have been excavated near village of tyr.

during yongle , xuande eras (early 15th century), ming dynasty reached amur in drive establish control on lands adjacent ming empire northeast, later become known manchuria. expeditions headed eunuch yishiha reached tyr several times between 1411 , 1430s, re-building (twice) yongning temple , obtaining @ least nominal allegiance of lower amur s tribes ming government. sources report chinese presence during same period on middle amur – fort existed @ aigun 20 years during yongle era on left (northwestern) shore of amur downstream mouth of zeya river. ming dynasty aigun located on opposite bank later aigun relocated during qing dynasty. in event, ming presence on amur short-lived tenuous; after end of yongle era, ming dynasty s frontiers retreated southern manchuria.

goldi village along amur river, north of khabarovsk, 1895



goldi men dog sled on amur river 1895

chinese cultural , religious influence such chinese new year, chinese god , chinese motifs dragon, spirals, scrolls, , material goods agriculture, husbandry, heating, iron cooking pots, silk, , cotton spread among amur natives udeghes, ulchis, , nanais.

russian cossack expeditions led vassili poyarkov , yerofey khabarov explored amur , tributaries in 1643–44 , 1649–51, respectively. cossacks established fort of albazin on upper amur, @ site of former capital of solons.

amur river (under manchu name, saghalien oula) , tributaries on 1734 map jean baptiste bourguignon d anville, based upon maps of jesuits in china. albazin shown jaxa, old (ming) site of aigun aihom , later, qing aigun, saghalien oula.

at time, manchus busy conquering region; few decades later, during kangxi era, turned attention north-manchurian backyard. aigun reestablished near supposed ming site in 1683–84, , military expeditions sent upstream dislodge russians, albazin establishment deprived manchu rulers tribute of sable pelts solons , daurs of area supply otherwise. albazin fell during short military campaign in 1685. hostilities concluded in 1689 treaty of nerchinsk, left entire amur valley, convergence of shilka , ergune downstream, in chinese hands.

fedor soimonov sent map little explored area of amur in 1757. mapped shilka, partly in chinese territory, turned when reached confluence argun. russian proselytization of orthodox christianity indigenous peoples along amur river viewed threat qing.

the amur region remained relative backwater of qing empire next century , half, aigun being practically major town on river. russians re-appeared on river in mid-19th century, forcing manchus yield lands north of river russian empire treaty of aigun (1858). lands east of ussury , lower amur acquired russia well, convention of peking (1860).

the acquisition of lands on amur , ussury followed migration of russian settlers region , construction of such cities blagoveshchensk and, later, khabarovsk.

numerous river steamers, build in england, plied amur late 19th century. tsar nicolas ii, tsarovitch, visited vladivostock , cruised river. mining dredges imported america work placer gold of river. barge , river traffic hindered civil war of 1918–22. soviet reds had amur flotilla patrolled river on sequestered riverboats. in 1930s , during war japanese had own flotilla on river. in 1945 soviets again put own flotilla on river. ex-german yangtse gunboats vaterland , otter, on chinese nationalist navy service, patrolled amur in 1920s.