The ethnic name Hishigten is formed by adding the affix -ten to the Altaic word kešik[1] meaning luck, prosperity, grace.[2]
History
They are believed to be the descendants of the Kheshig, the imperial guard of the Mongol Empire. The Hishigtens were the main core of the Mongol troops, subordinate only to Genghis Khan and in wartime became the main regiment, and in peacetime they performed the duties of personal guard of the rulers and their headquarters led by Genghis Khan. Mongol rulers revered the Hishigtens and showed them special trust. The descendants of the Hishigten, who represented the main core of the troops of the Great Mongol State and the Yuan State and were the main guardians of the rulers and their headquarters and palaces, formed the modern Hishigten ethnic group.[1]
