Tengrism and the religious landscape of Central Asia
Lessons 6 · 1 lessons · Z. Islomov, D. Rahimjonov, J. Najmiddinov, N. Ismatova. History of world religions, Grade 11, 1st edition. Yangiyul Poligraph Service, Tashkent, 2018
6
Tengrism and the religious landscape of Central Asia
Textbook: pp. 32–33
GoalDescribe impartially Tengrism, its historical sources and the different attitudes to present-day revival movements; give a general picture of the religious landscape of the Central Asian states.
New words
Tengri (sky deity) · Tangrithe Great Silk Road · Buyuk Ipak yo‘liconfession (religious community) · konfessiyarevival movement · qayta tiklash harakati
Explanation
The Great Silk Road ran through cities such as Shash, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva and brought to Central Asia, along with trade, various languages, cultures and religions: Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity (including the Church of the East), Manichaeism, Judaism and Islam spread in this area. Tengrism is the ancient belief of Turkic and Mongol peoples, centred on the sky deity Tengri; its sources include the 8th-century Orkhon–Yenisei inscriptions (for example the monuments of Kul Tegin and Bilge Khagan), in which the name Tengri is connected with the khagan’s authority. In the old Turkic view, power was given by Tengri and, if it did not justify the trust, it was taken back; historians study these views from written inscriptions and archaeological finds. From the 1990s attempts to revive Tengrism appeared in parts of Central Asia and Siberia; some regard it as cultural heritage, while others, including official circles in the region’s states, express concern that such movements could cause new divisions in society. In the early 21st century, alongside Islam, Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist and other communities were registered in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan; their number and the registration procedure differ from country to country.
Worked examples
In the Orkhon inscriptions the word “Tengri” is linked to the divine basis of the ruler’s authority. A historian analyses this not as a truth of belief but as a source showing the political idea of that time.
In a medieval caravanserai of Samarkand or Bukhara merchants from different countries met; languages, goods and religious ideas were exchanged with them. This is a historical reason for the region’s religious diversity.
Class activity
Discussion: write a brief position on a “revival of an ancient belief” movement from three viewpoints (a historian, a cultural researcher, a state official) and compare them.
Practice
1
How did the Great Silk Road affect the religious make-up of Central Asia?
Along with trade it brought different religions (Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and others), which existed side by side.
2
Which historical sources are important for studying Tengrism?
The 8th-century Orkhon–Yenisei inscriptions (Kul Tegin, Bilge Khagan) and archaeological finds.
3
Why is the question of reviving Tengrism assessed differently?
Because one group sees it as cultural heritage, while others fear new divisions in a multi-confessional society.
4
State a general feature of the religious landscape of the Central Asian states.
Alongside Islam there are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and other communities; but their number and registration procedure differ in each country.