One essential guarantee of the intellectual independence of any sovereign nation is having its own language and script. After founding the Great Mongol Empire in 1206, Chinggis Khaan decreed the use of the vertical Mongolian script, known as Uyghur or Khudam script [traditional Mongolian script], as the official state script. Chinggis Khaan’s declaration to make the Uyghur or Khudam Mongolian script, then used by a few Mongolian tribes, the official administrative script of his empire, was a significant state reform policy.
According to “The Secret History of the Mongols,” during the conquest of the Naiman tribe in 1204, Khazar captured Tayang Khaan’s minister Tatatungaa, a scholar who fled with a golden seal hanging from his neck. The Khaan reproached him, saying, “The people and lands of Tayang Khaan are now under my authority; why did you take the seal and flee?” Tatatungaa replied, “This seal was given to me by my former lord, and I am bound to protect it, even in death. How could I betray my Khaans trust?” Chinggis Khaan then praised him, saying, “You are a man of loyalty.” When asked about the seal’s purpose, Tatatungaa explained, “This seal is used as a symbol of trust in all matters, such as the collection and distribution of resources and the appointment of officials.” The Khaan appointed Tatatungaa to oversee writing affairs.
Tatatungaa was an Uyghur, esteemed as a teacher and entrusted with seal management by Tayang Khaan of the Naiman tribe. Although there is no specific documentation on whether Chinggis Khaan himself was literate, he clearly understood the importance of learning, respected scholars, and valued their counsel. His administration included learned figures like Tatatungga, of Uyghur descent; Yelu Chucai (1189–1243), a high-ranking minister in the Jin dynasty who became Chinggis Khaan’s advisor after its fall; and Shikhikhutug, one of his nine generals, all contributing to the state’s governance with wisdom and intellect.
There is evidence that Chinggis Khaan not only valued his script but also ordered writing materials from abroad. For instance, in 1221, the Great Khaan sent an edict to the King of the Goryeo (Koryo) Dynasty, requesting ten thousand sheets of paper, brushes, ink, and inkstones, as noted in the 22nd volume of the “History of the Goryeo Dynasty.”