Post by H. İhsan Erkoç on Nov 18, 2004 17:37:23 GMT 3
(originially posted by me at September 26, 2004)
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The original religion of the Tujue was in interesting and unique one 8)
At the top, there was the single god Teñri (different versions Tengri or Teñgri), who was believed to be sitting at a throne in the Sky (in Old Turkic, Teñri was used also for Sky; Chinese Tian and Mongolian Tenggeri were related with the Turkic Teñri). He was the Creator of the Sky, Earth, Humans and everything around. He gave rulers the right to rule over the people. He was the greatest and most powerful.
Under the Teñri were other sacred beings, but these were not deities. There was the Ïduq Umay (Protector Spirit of Mothers and Children, Spirit of Fertility), Ïduq Yir-Sub (Holy Spirits of Earth and Water, including all the spirits of nature) and the Souls of Dead Ancestors. Chinese sources also mention Spirits of Winter and Summer, whereas Roman sources talk about the holyness of fire.
There are no official names for this religion, the name "Shamanism" is wrong, I prefer Tengrism or Ancient Turkic Religion.
So you see, "Tengrism" was like a mixture of Monotheism, Animism and Worship of Ancestors' Souls
And don't forget the priests; Holy Men or Turkic Druids were called Qam and Bögü (Shaman or Saman is a Tungusic word and it was not used in Old Turkic). The Qams were believed to be communicating with souls from the "other world" and predicting the future; they healed the sick and they organized religious rituals, which included praying and making sacrifices. However, the Qams were not un-touchable holy beings; they could be killed if their predictions didn't come true (like for example a Qam says the battle will result in victory, the army go fights a battle and if defeated, the ruler could execute that Qam).
Māhayāna Buddhism was practiced only by a few rulers and by some élites like Taspar (Tabuo) Qaghan. The common folk were largely "Tengrist".
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The original religion of the Tujue was in interesting and unique one 8)
At the top, there was the single god Teñri (different versions Tengri or Teñgri), who was believed to be sitting at a throne in the Sky (in Old Turkic, Teñri was used also for Sky; Chinese Tian and Mongolian Tenggeri were related with the Turkic Teñri). He was the Creator of the Sky, Earth, Humans and everything around. He gave rulers the right to rule over the people. He was the greatest and most powerful.
Under the Teñri were other sacred beings, but these were not deities. There was the Ïduq Umay (Protector Spirit of Mothers and Children, Spirit of Fertility), Ïduq Yir-Sub (Holy Spirits of Earth and Water, including all the spirits of nature) and the Souls of Dead Ancestors. Chinese sources also mention Spirits of Winter and Summer, whereas Roman sources talk about the holyness of fire.
There are no official names for this religion, the name "Shamanism" is wrong, I prefer Tengrism or Ancient Turkic Religion.
So you see, "Tengrism" was like a mixture of Monotheism, Animism and Worship of Ancestors' Souls
And don't forget the priests; Holy Men or Turkic Druids were called Qam and Bögü (Shaman or Saman is a Tungusic word and it was not used in Old Turkic). The Qams were believed to be communicating with souls from the "other world" and predicting the future; they healed the sick and they organized religious rituals, which included praying and making sacrifices. However, the Qams were not un-touchable holy beings; they could be killed if their predictions didn't come true (like for example a Qam says the battle will result in victory, the army go fights a battle and if defeated, the ruler could execute that Qam).
Māhayāna Buddhism was practiced only by a few rulers and by some élites like Taspar (Tabuo) Qaghan. The common folk were largely "Tengrist".
The theory that One Supreme God created all is wide theory.(Chinese, Cristians, Muslims... think so)
