Man and landscape in B. Baradiin’s diary “Amdo-Mongolia” (1905–1907): from route description to a comprehensive analysis of the Region

The article analyzes B. Baradiin’s diary entries during his expedition of 1905–1907.
It explores his perception of the cultural landscape of Central Asia and the transition from field observations to a systematic scientific understanding of the region. Through a synchronous comparison of the records made by B. Baradiin and G.Ts. Tsybikov (1899–1901), the transformation of the author’s research perspective is revealed. The study examines the description of Alashan and of the approaches to Amdo, where analysis of traditional toponymy and legends is combined with characteristics of the socio-economic infrastructure (transport routes, demographics, communication systems). It is shown that, in B. Baradiin’s records, the landscape appears as an integral system reflecting the socio-cultural potential of the Buddhist world in a zone of contact between various cultural and historical traditions.