Ivan Petlin

Who is Ivan Petlin?

Ivan Petlin, a Siberian Cossack, was the first Russian to have reached China on an official mission. His expedition may have been the second European expedition to reach China from the west by an overland route since the fall of the Yuan Dynasty. For background, see Russia-China relations.

Although sent by the Czar he was not officially an ambassador. The mission was outfitted by the Tobolsk and Tomsk voyevodas. Petlin was originally appointed as translator and scribe under Maksim Trupcheninov, but at the last minute Trupcheninov was unable to go so Petlin became leader. His traveling companion was named Andrei Mundov.

Accompanied by two returning envoys from the Altyn Khan, Petlin and Mundov left Tomsk on 9 May 1618 and went south up the Ob River, crossed the Abakan Range, went south to Tuva and around Lake Ubsa to the court of the Altyn Khan. From there he traveled east across Mongolia to the Great Wall and reached Peking in late August. He was not allowed to see the Wanli Emperor because he did not bring proper tribute. He returned some time before November 1619. He brought with him a letter in Chinese inviting the Russians to open trade, but no one in Russia was able to read it until 1675.