Kyrgyz
A traditional Kyrgyz Manaschi performing part of the Manas epic poem at a yurt camp in Karakol
Total population
approx. The Epic of Manas is a traditional epic poem of the Kyrgyz people Karakol ( Kyrgyz: Каракол formerly Przhevalsk, is a city of about 75000 near the eastern tip of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, about 4 million
Regions with significant populations
Kyrgyzstan 3. Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан 55 million [1]  Uzbekistan 225,000  China 144,000 [2]  Afghanistan 125,000  Tajikistan 81,000  Pakistan 60,000  Russia 32,000 [3]  Kazakhstan 11,000 [4]  Ukraine 3,000 [5]  Turkey 1,000 [6]
Languages
Kyrgyz
Religions
Predominantly Sunni Islam, small Buddhist minority
Related ethnic groups
other Turkic peoples

The Kyrgyz (also spelled Kirgiz, Kirghiz) are a Turkic ethnic group found primarily in Kyrgyzstan. Uzbekistan, officially the Republic of Uzbekistan ( Uzbek: O‘zbekiston Respublikasi or Ўзбекистон Республикаси is a doubly Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Tajikistan (təˈdʒɪkɨstæn or /təˈdʒiːkɨstæn/ Тоҷикистон tɔʤikɪsˈtɔn or, Persian تاجیکستان‎ taajikestaan officially the Republic of Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches Kyrgyz or Kirghiz (Кыргыз тили Kyrgyz tili, قىرعىز ٴتىلى is a Turkic language, and together with Russian, an official Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Kyrgyzstan (ˈkɻ̩gɪztɑn (AmE or /'kɝgəztan/ (BrE Kyrgyz: Кыргызстан; Russian: Киргизия or Киргизстан or Кыргызстан

Contents 1 Etymology 2 Origins 3 Political development 4 Religion 5 The Kyrgyz in China 6 Notable Kyrgyz people 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References and further reading

Etymology

There are several etymological theories on the name "Kyrgyz. " First, the name Kyrgyz may mean "forty girls" (kyrk + kyz), a reference to the Manas epic. The Epic of Manas is a traditional epic poem of the Kyrgyz people This is symbolized by the yellow sun in the center of the flag of Kyrgyzstan, which has 40 rays referring to forty Kyrgyz tribes. The Flag of Kyrgyzstan was adopted on March 3, 1992. It consists of a red field with a yellow sun in the center having 40 rays representing the Next, a meaning of "forty tribes" (kyrk + uuz) which makes more direct sense. Finally, a meaning (kyrgys, adj. ), meaning "imperishable", "inextinguishable" or "undying". This version has an obvious popular appreciation. Historical evidence for many conflicts with other peoples also supports this theory.

The Chinese transcription "Tse-gu" (Gekun, Jiankun) allows to restore the pronunciation of the ethnonym as Kirkut (Kirgut) and Kirkur(Kirgur). Both forms go back to the earliest variation Kirkün (Chinese Tszyan-kun) of the term "Kyrgyz" meaning "Field People", "Field Huns". The term Kirkün went through a notable evolution: Kirkün (Kirgün) = Kirkut (Kirgut) = Kirkur (Kirkor, Kirgur) = Kyrkyz (Kyrgyz). The evolution is traced well chronologically. The semantic connection between kün (gün) and gür is obvious, chronologically consecutive development of the concept kün = "female progenitor" = her offsprings = "tribe" = "a people" at the last stage coincides with the gür = "people", like in the Khitan title Gurkhan. Gurkhan was a Mongol title meaning "chief of Khans" and roughly equivalent to the older word Khagan. Application of affixes of plurality "t" - "r" - "z" in the ethnonym Kirkun shaded the initial sound, and then also the meaning, making its roots enigmatic. By the Mongol epoch, the initial meaning of the word Kirkun was alredy lost, evidenced by differing readings of the earlier reductions of the Uanshi. The change of ethnonym produced a new version of an origin, and the memory about their steppe motherland, recorded in Uanshi, survived only as a recollection of the initial birthplace of forty women. Subsequently, however, that recollection was also lost. ^[1]

Origins

The early Kyrgyz people, known as Yenisei Kyrgyz or Xiajiasi, first appear in written records in the Chinese annals of the Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian (compiled 109 BC to 91 BC), as Gekun or Jiankun (鬲昆 or 隔昆). The Yenisei Kirghiz or Xiajiasi ( were an ancient people that dwelled at the headwaters of the Yenisei River and Minusinsk Depression between the 3rd century Early life and education Sima Qian was born and grew up in Longmen, near present-day Hancheng Shaanxi. The Records of the Grand Historian, also known in English by the Chinese name 史記 or Shiji, written from 109 BC to 91 BC Year 91 BC was a year of the pre-Julian calendar. Events By place Rome Consuls Sextus Julius Caesar and The Middle Age Chinese composition "Tanghuiyao" of the 8-10th century transcribed the name "Kyrgyz" Tsze-gu (Kirgut), and their tamga was depicted identical with the tamga of present day Kyrgyz tribes Azyk, Bugu, Cherik, Sary Bagysh and few others. A tamga, or tamgha (Modern Turkish: damga stamp mark stigma brand) is an abstract seal or device used by Eurasian nomadic peoples and by ^[2] According to recent historical findings, Kyrgyz history dates back to 201 BC. The Yenisei Kyrgyz lived in the upper Yenisey River valley, central Siberia. Yenisei (Енисе́й is the greatest River system flowing to the Arctic Ocean, and at 5539 km (3445 mi is the fifth longest river in the world Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving Yenisei Kyrgyzes in the Late Antique times were a part of the Tele tribes. The Dingling (丁零 or Gaoche (高車 Chile (敕勒, Tiele (鐵勒 were an ancient Siberian people Later, in the Early Middle Age, Yenisei Kyrgyzes were under the rule of Göktürk Kaganate and Uigur Kaganate. Göktürks ( Turkish: Gök Türkler) were a Turkic people of ancient Central Asia. The Uyghur (also spelled Uygur, Uighur, Uigur, Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. In 840 a revolt lead by Yenisei Kyrgyzes brought down the Uigur Kaganate, and brought the Yenisei Kyrgyzes to a dominating position in the former Turkic Kaganate. With the rise to power, the center of the Kyrgyz Kaganate moved to Jeti-su, and brought about a spread south of the Kyrgyz people, to reach Tian Shan mountains and Eastern Turkestan, bringing them immediately to the borders of China and Tibet. The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National Definitions of Tibet See also Definitions of Tibet Name In English The English word Tibet, like the word for Tibet in most European By the 16th century the carriers of the ethnonym "Kirgiz" lived in South Siberia, Eastern Turkestan, Tian Shan, Pamir Alay, Middle Asia, Urals (among Bashkorts), in Kazakhstan. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving DO NOT ADD THE FLAG OF EAST TURKESTAN TO THIS ARTICLE *** THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AND Central Asia is a region of Asia from the Caspian Sea in the west to central China in the east and from southern Russia in the north to northern Pakistan in the south Riphean redirects here For the time period see Riphean stage The Ural Mountains (Ура́льские го́ры Uralskiye Republic of Bashkortostan (Респу́блика Башкортоста́н Башҡортостан Республикаһы or Bashkiria (ru Башки́рия Kazakhstan, also Kazakstan ( Қазақстан, Qazaqstan, qɑzɑqˈstɑn Казахстан, Kazakhstán,) officially the ^[3] In the Tian Shan and Eastern Turkestan area, the term "Kyrgyz" retained its unifying political designation, and became a general ethnonym for the Yenisei Kirgizes and aboriginal Turkic tribes that presently constitute the Kyrgyz population. ^[4] Though it is obviously impossible to directly identify the Yenisei and Tien Shan Kyrgyzes, a trace of their ethnogenetical connections is apparent in archeology, history, language and ethnography. Yenisei (Енисе́й is the greatest River system flowing to the Arctic Ocean, and at 5539 km (3445 mi is the fifth longest river in the world The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central Majority of modern researchers came to a conclusion that the ancestors of the southern Kyrgyz tribes had their origin in the most ancient tribal unions of Sakas and Usuns, Dinlins and Huns. The Sakas ( English form of Old Iranian Sakā, Nominative plural masculine case; Ancient Greek Σάκαι, The Wusun (烏孫 were a nomadic Turkic speaking people who according to the Chinese histories originally lived to the northwest of China near the Yuezhi The Dingling (丁零 or Gaoche (高車 Chile (敕勒, Tiele (鐵勒 were an ancient Siberian people The Huns were an early confederation of Central Asian equestrian nomads or semi-nomads with a Turkic core of aristocracy ^[5] Approximately 300,000 Yenisei Kyrgyzes survived in the Tuva depression until present.

Chinese and Muslim sources of the 7th–12th centuries AD describe the Kyrgyz as red-haired with fair complexion and green (blue) eyes.

The descent of the Kyrgyz from the autochthonous Siberian population is confirmed by recent genetic studies. Siberia (Сиби́рь Sibir) is the name given to the vast region constituting almost all of Northern Asia and for the most part currently serving ^[6] Remarkably, 63% of modern Kyrgyz men share Haplogroup R1a1 (Y-DNA) with Tajiks (64%), Ukrainians (54%), Poles and Hungarians (~60%), and even Icelanders (25%). A Subclade of R1, R1a is a Y-chromosome haplogroup found at high frequency in the extreme north of India among the Kashmiri Pandits Tajik ( - Tādjīk; UniPers: Tâjik; Cyrillic: Тоҷик is a term generally applied to Persian-speaking people of Ukrainians (Українці Ukrayintsi,) are an East Slavic Ethnic group primarily living in Ukraine, or more broadly— Citizens The Polish people, or Poles, (Polacy) are a Western Slavic Ethnic group of Central Europe, living predominantly in Poland. Hungarians (or Magyars, magyarok are an Ethnic group primarily associated with Hungary. Icelanders are the Nation or Ethnic group of Iceland descended primarily from Norsemen of Scandinavia. Haplogroup R1a1 (Y-DNA) is variously believed to be a marker of the Proto-Indo-European language and Turkic ^[7] speakers.

Political development

The Kyrgyz state reached its greatest expansion after defeating the Uygur Kaganate in 840 AD. The Uyghur (also spelled Uygur, Uighur, Uigur, Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Then Kyrgyz quickly moved as far as the Tian Shan range and maintained their dominance over this territory for about 200 years. The Tian Shan (天山 Pinyin: Tiān Shān "celestial mountains" also commonly spelled Tien Shan, is a Mountain range located in Central In the 12th century, however, the Kyrgyz domination had shrunk to the Altai Range and the Sayan Mountains as a result of the rising Mongol expansion. The Sayan Mountains (Саяны Sayany; Kokmen Mountains during the period of the Göktürks) are a Mountain range in southern With the rise of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, the Kyrgyz migrated south. The Mongol Empire ( Mongolyn Ezent Güren or mn Их Mонгол улс Ikh Mongol Uls; 1206–1368 was the largest contiguous Empire In 1207, after the establishment of Yekhe Mongol Ulus (Mongol empire), Ghengis khan's oldest son Jochi occupied Kyrgyzstan without resistance. They remained a Mongol vassal until the late of 14th century.

Various Turkic peoples ruled them until 1685, when they came under the control of the Kalmyks (Oirats, Dzungars). The Turkic peoples are Eurasian peoples residing in northern central and western Eurasia who speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family Kalmyk redirects here for the breed of cattle see Kalmyk (cattle. This article deals with the Oirat ethnic group For the obsolete term for the Turkic Altays see Altay people. Dzungar (also Jungar or Zungar; Mongolian: Зүүнгар Züüngar) is the collective identity of several Oirat tribes that

Religion

Further information: Islam in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz are predominantly Muslims. The vast majority of today's Kyrgyz are Muslims of the Sunni branch which came into the region during the 8th century A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Islam was first introduced by Arab traders who travelled along the Silk Road in the seventh and eight century. The vast majority of today's Kyrgyz are Muslims of the Sunni branch which came into the region during the 8th century The Silk Road, or Silk Routes, are an extensive interconnected network of Trade routes across the Asian continent connecting East South and Western Asia with the

In the 8th century, orthodox Islam reached the Fergana valley with the Uzbeks. The Fergana Valley or Farghana Valley (Farg‘ona vodiysi Kyrgyz: Фергана өрөөнү Tajik: водии Фaрғонa Ферганская долина The Uzbeks (Self designation sg O‘zbek, pl O‘zbeklar) are a Turkic people of Central Asia. Atheism, on the other hand, took some following in the northern regions under Russian communist influence. As of today, few cultural rituals of Shamanism are still practiced alongside with Islam particularly in Central Kyrgyzstan. During a July 2007 interview, Bermet Akayeva, the daughter of Askar Akayev, the former President of Kyrgyzstan, stated that Islam is increasingly taking root even in the northern portion which came under communist influence. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Bermet Akayeva (Бермет Акаева (born June 3, 1972 in Leningrad) is a Kyrgyz politician and former MP. Askar Akayevich Akayev ( Аскар Акаевич Акаев) (born 10 November 1944 in Kyzyl-Bairak, Kirghiz SSR) served as the For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. ^[8] She emphasized that many Mosques have been built and that the Kyrgyz are increasingly devoting themselves to Islam, which she noted was "not a bad thing in itself. A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. It keeps our society more moral, cleaner. "^[9]

The Kyrgyz in China

The Kyrgyz form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. The following is a list of ethnic groups in China where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES There are more than 145,000 Kyrgyz in China. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National

They are found mainly in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in the southwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a smaller remainder found in the neighboring Wushi (Uqturpan), Aksu, Shache (Yarkand), Yingisar, Taxkorgan and Pishan (Guma), and in Tekes, Zhaosu (Monggolkure), Emin (Dorbiljin), Bole (Bortala), Jinghev (Jing) and Gonliu in northern Xinjiang. Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture ( Chinese:克孜勒苏柯尔克孜自治州 Pinyin: Kèzīlèsū Kē'ěrkèzī Zìzhìzhōu, Kyrgyz Xinjiang ( Uyghur: شىنجاڭ Shinjang;; Postal map spelling: Sinkiang; Turkish: Sincan, Sincan Uygur Özerk Uqturpan (Uchturpan County (乌什县 Pinyin: Wūshí Xiàn ئۇچتۇرپان ناھىيىسى|Uchturpan Nahiyisi|Uqturpan Nah̡iyisi is a county in the Xinjiang Uqturpan (Uchturpan County (乌什县 Pinyin: Wūshí Xiàn ئۇچتۇرپان ناھىيىسى|Uchturpan Nahiyisi|Uqturpan Nah̡iyisi is a county in the Xinjiang Aksu or Akesu (also known as Ak-su, Akshu, Aqsu, Bharuka and Po-lu-chia; ئاقسۇ|Aqsu|Ak̡su Yarkent (Yarkand County ( Chinese 莎車县 Pinyin: Shāchē; يەكەن|Yerkent|Yərkənt; Turkish: Yerkent which means 'ground city' also Yarkent (Yarkand County ( Chinese 莎車县 Pinyin: Shāchē; يەكەن|Yerkent|Yərkənt; Turkish: Yerkent which means 'ground city' also Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County (تاشقرغان تاشقۇرقان تاجىكئاپتونوم ناھىيىسى|Tashqurqan Tajik Aptonom Nahiyisi|Taxk̡urk̡an Tajik Aptonom Nah̡iyisi Pishan may refer to Pishan County, county in Xinjiang China Pishan Town, town in Pishan County Pishan Island, Guma (Goma Town ( Chinese: 固玛镇 Pinyin: Gùmǎ Zhèn formerly as Pishan Town ( Chinese: 皮山镇 Pinyin: Píshān) is Tekes County is a county within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. The Zhaosu County is a county situated within the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and is under the administration of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. Several hundred Kyrgyz whose forefathers emigrated to Northeast China more than 200 years ago now live in Wujiazi Village in Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province. ( Postal map spelling: Heilungkiang Manchu: Sahaliyan ula is a province of the People's Republic of China located in the northeastern

Certain segments of the Kyrgyz in China are followers of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including ^[10]

Notable Kyrgyz people

• Chinghiz Aitmatov - author
• Askar Akayev - politician, scientist, first President of Kyrgyzstan
• Kurmanbek Bakiyev - politician, current President of Kyrgyzstan
• Kurmanjan Datka - politician, former stateswoman
• Felix Kulov - politician, former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan
• Abdylas Maldybaev - actor/musician
• Zamira Sydykova - journalist/ambassador
• Omurbek Tekebayev - politician, speaker of the Kyrgyz parliament
• Kasym Tynystanov - a prominent Kyrgyz scientist, politician and poet, first minister of education
• Nasirdin Isanov - politician, first Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan
• Orzubek Nazarov - former World Boxing Association lightweight boxing champion

See also

• Kyrgyz language
• List of indigenous peoples of Russia
• History of Kyrgyzstan
• History of Kazakhstan
• History of Tuva
• History of China
• Eagle hunting
• Turkic languages
• R1a1

Notes

References and further reading

• Abramzon S. M. "Kirgizes and their ethnogenetical historical and cultural connections", Moscow, 1971, ISBN 5-655-00518-2 (in Russian)
• Kyzlasov L. R. "Mutual relationship of terms Khakas and Kyrgyz in written sources of 6-12th centuries". Peoples of Asia and Africa, 1968, (in Russian)
• Zuev Yu. A. "Kirgiz - Buruts". Soviet Ethnography, 1970, No 4, (in Russian)
• Shahrani, M. Nazif. (1979) The Kirghiz and Wakhi of Afghanistan: Adaptation to Closed Frontiers and War. University of Washington Press. 1st paperback edition with new preface and epilogue (2002). ISBN 0-295-98262-4.
• Kyrgyz Republic, by Rowan Stewart and Susie Steldon, by Odyssey publications.
• Books by Chokan Valikhanov
• HEREDITARY TRANSMISSION IN SIBERIAN SHAMANISM AND THE CONCEPT OF THE REALITY OF LEGENDS
• 2002 Smithsonian folklife festival
• Kyrgyz Healing Practices: Some Field Notes
• Culture of Kyrgyz Republic.Well made JAPANESE pages.

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