Orkhon-indskrifterne

Kultigin Monument of Orkhon Inscriptions - Orkhun Museum, Kharkhorin, Mongolia
Kul tigins monument for Orkhon-inskriptioner - Orkhon-museet, Kharkhorin, Mongoliet

Orkhon-inskriptionerne (også kendt som Orhon-inskriptionerne, Orhun-inskriptionerne, Khöshöö Tsaidam-monumenter (også stavet Khoshoo Tsaidam, Koshu-Tsaidam eller Höshöö Caidam ), eller Kul Tigin-stelerne er to mindeinstallationer opført af Göktürks. De er skrevet i det gamle tyrkiske alfabet i begyndelsen af det 8. århundrede i Orkhon-dalen i det nuværende Mongoliet . De blev rejst til ære for to tyrkiske fyrster, Kul Tigin og hans bror Bilge Khagan .

Inskriptionerne, der både er på kinesisk og gammeltyrkisk, fortæller om tyrkernes legendariske oprindelse, deres histories gyldne tidsalder, deres underkastelse af Tang-dynastiet og deres befrielse af Ilterish Qaghan.

Opdagelse og oversættelse

Replika af Bilge Khagans mindekompleks i Gazi University, Ankara .

Inskriptionerne blev opdaget af Nikolay Yadrintsevs ekspedition i 1889 og blev udgivet af Vasily Radlov . Originalteksten var skrevet med det gammeltyrkiske alfabet og blev dechifreret af den danske filolog Vilhelm Thomsen i 1893. Vilhelm Thomsen udgav første gang oversættelsen på fransk i 1899. Han udgav derefter en anden fortolkning på dansk i 1922 med en mere fuldstændig oversættelse.

Område

Orkhon-dalen er en region ved den vestlige Orkhon-flod i det moderne Mongoliet, nær Ögii-søen. Mere specifikt står de omkring firs kilometer nord for Erdene Zuu-klosteret og omkring fyrre kilometer nordvest for Ordu-Baliq.

Betydning

Før Orkhon-indskrifterne blev tydet af Vilhelm Thomsen, vidste man meget lidt om tyrkisk skrift . Skrifterne er den ældste form for et tyrkisk sprog, der er bevaret. Da Orkhon-inskriptionerne først blev opdaget, var det tydeligt, at de var en runetype, der også var blevet opdaget andre steder, men disse versioner havde også en klar form, der ligner et alfabet. Da Vilhelm Thomsen dechifrerede oversættelsen, var det et stort fremskridt i forståelsen af gammel tyrkisk skrift. Inskriptionerne dannede derefter et vigtigt grundlag for oversættelse af andre tyrkiske skrifter.

Skrifterne følger en alfabetisk form, men ser også ud til at have stærk indflydelse af runeudskæringer. Inskriptionerne er et godt eksempel på tidlige tegn på det nomadiske samfunds overgange fra brug af runer til et ensartet alfabet, og Orkhon-alfabetet menes at være afledt af eller inspireret af en ikke-kursiv udgave af den sogdiske skrift. [1]

Restaurering

Begge inskriptioner er en del af Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape UNESCO World Heritage Site i Mongoliet. TIKA ( Tyrkisk Internationalt Samarbejde og Udviklingsagentur ) viste interesse for stedet i slutningen af det 20. århundrede. Siden 2000 har over 70 arkæologer fra hele verden (specifikt fra Uighur, Turkmenistan, Aserbajdsjan, Usbekistan, Tataristan og Tyrkiet) studeret området og udført udgravninger. Stedet er nu beskyttet af hegn med bygninger til forskningsarbejde og opbevaring af artefakter. De samlede omkostninger ved projektet var omkring 20 millioner dollars og omfattede bygningen af et museum til at huse inskriptionerne og andre nyligt opdagede artefakter. [2]

Historisk kontekst

Orhkon-inskriptionerne blev opført af Göktürks i begyndelsen af det 8. århundrede. De mindes brødrene Bilge Khagan (683-734) og Kul-Tegin (684-731), den ene en politiker og den anden en militærchef. Begge var efterkommere af Ilterish Qaghan fra det Andet Turkic Khaganate, som var et fremtrædende turkisk nomadisk samfund under Tang-dynastiet . [3]

Placering af Orkhon-dalen.

Göktürkerne har efterladt artefakter og installationer over hele deres område, fra Manchuriet til Sortehavet, men kun i nutidens Mongoliet er der fundet nogen mindesmærker for konger og andre aristokrater. Dem i Khöshöö Tsaidam består af tavler med inskriptioner med kinesiske og gamle tyrkiske tegn. Begge monumenter er stenplader, der oprindeligt er rejst på udskårne stenskildpadder inden for murede indhegninger. Bilge Khagans sten viser en udskåret stenbuk (Göktürk Kagans emblem) og en snoet drage. I begge indhegninger blev der fundet beviser for altre og udskårne afbildninger af menneskepar, muligvis forestillende den respektive æresmedlem og dennes ægtefælle.

De gamle tyrkiske inskriptioner på disse monumenter blev skrevet af Yollug Tigin, som var nevø af Bilge Khagan . Disse inskriptioner er sammen med Tonyukuk-indskriften den ældste eksisterende attestering af det sprog. [4] [5] [6] Inskriptionerne viser tydeligt regionens hellige betydning, som det fremgår af udtalelsen: "Hvis du bliver i Ötükens land og sender karavaner derfra, får du ingen problemer. Hvis du bliver ved Ötüken-bjergene, vil du leve evigt og dominere stammerne!"

Indholdet af inskriptionerne

Rekonstruktion af Kül Tigins mindesmærke.

En fuld engelsk oversættelse af inskriptionerne kan findes i The Orkhon Inscriptions: Being a Translation of Professor Vilhelm Thomsens Final Danish Rendering

De to monumenter har selv graveringer på alle fire sider. Noget af scriptet blev dog ikke bevaret eller mangler, og derfor er der kun dele af den originale besked tilbage. Det følgende er et resumé af det mest komplette afsnit af inskriptionerne.

En oversættelse af det første og andet monument synes at indikere, at teksten fortsætter fra den ene side til den anden.

Den første del af de tyrkiske oversættelser ser ud til at være Bilge Khagan, der diskuterer mindehøjtideligheden af tavlen, samt nævner imperiets udstrækning. En passage lyder,

Citat"To the East I have made campaigns as far as the Shantung plain, and almost reached the sea; to the South I have made campaigns as far as Tokuz-Ersin and almost reached Tibet; to the West I have made campaigns beyond Yenchii-Iigiiz (Pearl River) as far as Timir-Kapig (The Iron Gate); to the North I have made campaigns as far as the land of the Yer-Bayirku's. To all these lands have I led (the Turks). The forest of Mount Otiikin has no [foreign] overlord; the forest of Mount Otiikin is the place where the kingdom is held together."Citat

Fortsat derfra diskuterer inskriptionerne erobringerne af Bilge Khagan og de kampe, som han og hans folk står over for med kineserne. Inskriptionerne beskriver endda, at tyrkerne blev gjort til slaver af kineserne. Men inskriptionerne fremhæver også Bilge Khagans bedrift med at forene sit folk. Som en passage lyder,

Citat"By the will of Heaven, and because I was greatly deserving and it so brought it about, I brought the dying people back to life; for the naked people I found clothing, the poor people I made rich, the scanty people I made numerous. I have made the other, which has a kingdom and a kagan, to stand higher. All the peoples in the four quarters of the world I have brought to keeping the peace and making an end of hostilities; they all have obeyed me, and serve me."Citat

Resten af inskriptionerne er opdelte og sporadiske, men ser ud til at detaljere erobringerne mod kirghizerne og tangut -folkene og også Kul-Tegins død i kamp, og til sidst Bilge Khagans arv efter hans søn. Bilge Khagans mor El Bilga Khatun blev også nævnt i disse inskriptioner. [7]

Det følgende er et uddrag fra det sidste afsnit af inskriptionerne (på gammeltyrkisk og dansk): [8]

" I, tyrkiske og oghuziske herrer og folk, hør dette! Hvis himlen ovenover ikke kollapsede, og hvis jorden nedenunder ikke gav efter, o tyrkiske folk, hvem ville være i stand til at ødelægge jeres stat og institutioner? "

Relationer til kinesisk

Inskriptionerne synes at have forskellige syn på Tang kinesisk indflydelse. På den ene side lader det til at rumme den opfattelse, at tyrkerne foragter kineserne. Det ser ud som om Bilge Khagan ønskede at skelne sit folk fra kineserne for at forblive et stærkt selvstændigt samfund. I inskriptionen irettesætter Bilge Khagan de tyrkere, der er blevet påvirket af kinesisk kultur og har antaget en kinesisk livsstil. Som en passage lyder,

Citat"Because of want of harmony between the begs and the people, and because of the Chinese people's cunning and craft and its intrigues, and because the younger and the elder brothers chose to take counsel against one another and bring discord between begs and people, they brought the old realm of the Turkic people to dissolution, and brought destruction on its lawful kagans. The sons of the nobles became the bondsmen of the Chinese people, their unsullied daughters became its slaves. The Turkic begs gave up their Turkic names, and bearing the Chinese names of Chinese begs they obeyed the Chinese Emperor, and served him during fifty years. For him they waged war in the East towards the sun's rising, as far as Bokli kagan, in the West they made expeditions as far as Taimirkapig; for the Chinese Emperor they conquered kingdoms and power. The whole of the common Turkic people said thus: 'I have been a nation that had its own kingdom; where is now my kingdom? For whom do I win the kingdoms? said they. I have been a people that had its own kagan; where is my kagan? Which kagan is it I serve?'"[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]Citat

Den påståede slaveri af tyrkerne hjalp heller ikke på kinesernes omdømme. Bilge Khagan ser ud til at give kineserne skylden for splittelsen af hans tyrkiske stat. Denne tyrkiske opfattelse af kineserne ser ud til at være negativ.

Men oversættelsen afslører også en vis grad af diplomati med nabokineserne, som det fremgår af hans udtalelse,

Citat"While I have ruled here, I have become reconciled with the Chinese people. The Chinese people, who give in abundance gold, silver, millet, and silk, have always used ingratiating words and have at their disposal enervating riches. While ensnaring them with their ingratiating talk and enervating riches, they have drawn the far-dwelling peoples nearer to themselves. But after settling down near them these we have come to see their cunning."Citat

Bilge Khagan henviser også til ansættelsen af kinesiske kunstnere, når han hævder,

Citat"From the Chinese Emperor I have had artists to come, and have set them to work. My request has not been refused. They have sent the Chinese Emperor's court painters. I have bidden them set up a separate hall, and inside and out I have had them to make various paintings. I have had the stone hewn; that which lay in my heart to utter I have. Understand to see this all as far as the suns and subjects of the Ten Arrows. I have had the memorial stone hewn."Citat

For yderligere at komplicere det allerede blandede syn på kineserne, indeholder inskriptionerne både tyrkiske og kinesiske oversættelser. Således indeholder inskriptionen bevis på, at Bilge Khagan havde kulturel interaktion med Tang-dynastiet.

Referencer

Citater

  1. ^ "Orkhon/Old Turkic". Omniglot.
  2. ^ "Orkhon inscriptions placed under protection". Hurriyet Daily News.
  3. ^ Golden, Peter B. (2010). Turks and Khazars : origins, institutions, and interactions in pre-Mongol Eurasia. Farnham, England: Ashgate/Variorum. ISBN 978-1-4094-0003-5.
  4. ^ Sinor, Denis (2002). "Old Turkic". History of Civilizations of Central Asia. 4. Paris: UNESCO Publishing. s. 331-333. ISBN 978-0-7007-0869-7.
  5. ^ Tekin, Talat (1997). A Grammar of Orkhon Turkic (Uralic and Altaic). Routledge. ISBN 978-0-7007-0869-7.
  6. ^ Tekin, Talat (1995). Les Inscriptions des L'Orkhon. Istanbul: Simurg. ISBN 978-975-7172-06-2.
  7. ^ Pohl, Walter (15. december 2018). The Avars: A Steppe Empire in Central Europe, 567–822 (engelsk). Cornell University Press. s. 257. ISBN 978-1-5017-2940-9.
  8. ^ Sela, red. (2010). Islamic Central Asia An Anthology of Historical Sources. Indiana University Press. s. 55.
  9. ^ Kemal Silay (1996). An Anthology of Turkish Literature. The University. s. 4. ISBN 978-1-878318-11-4.
  10. ^ Kemal Silay (1996). An Anthology of Turkish Literature. The University. s. 4, 5. ISBN 978-1-878318-11-4.
  11. ^ J. J. Saunders (1. marts 2001). The History of the Mongol Conquests. University of Pennsylvania Press. s. 24–. ISBN 978-0-8122-1766-7.
  12. ^ René Grousset (1953). The Rise and Splendour of the Chinese Empire. University of California Press. s. 130–. ISBN 978-0-520-00525-9.
  13. ^ Julia Lovell (1. december 2007). The Great Wall: China Against the World, 1000 BC - AD 2000. Grove/Atlantic, Incorporated. s. 142–. ISBN 978-1-55584-832-3.
  14. ^ Analecta Orientalia Posthumous Writings and Selected Minor Workds. Brill Archive. s. 42–. GGKEY:3S3JPXD29QD.
  15. ^ Luther Carrington Goodrich (2002). A Short History of the Chinese People. Courier Corporation. s. 120–. ISBN 978-0-486-42488-0.
  16. ^ Edward H. Schafer (1963). The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of Tʻang Exotics. University of California Press. s. 49–. ISBN 978-0-520-05462-2.
  17. ^ Edward H. Schafer (1963). The Golden Peaches of Samarkand: A Study of Tʻang Exotics. University of California Press. s. 49–. GGKEY:XZ70D3XUH9A.
  18. ^ Denis C. Twitchett (27. september 1979). The Cambridge History of China: Volume 3, Sui and T'ang China, 589-906 AD, Part One. Cambridge University Press. s. 223–. ISBN 978-0-521-21446-9.

Eksterne links


Koordinater: 47°33′38″N 102°50′28″Ø / 47.56056°N 102.84111°Ø / 47.56056; 102.84111

Autoritetsdata

Medier brugt på denne side

Kultigin.png
Forfatter/Opretter: Nowgorodova, Licens: CC BY-SA 4.0
Illustration 1: Reconstruction of Kül Tigin’s memorial. Only altar [behind the bark] and the balbal line [in front of the enterence] cannot be seen (after Nowgorodova 1981).
Kultigin Monument of Orkhon Inscriptions.jpeg
Forfatter/Opretter: Vezirtonyukuk, Licens: CC BY-SA 4.0
Kultigin Monument of Orkhon Inscriptions
1st side

When the blue sky above and the brown earth below were created, between them a human being was created. Over the human beings, my ancestors Bumin Kagan and Istemi Kagan ruled. They ruled people by Turk laws, they led them and succeeded. From all four sides there were enemies. They sent there lance-bearing armies to conquer all those people in the four quarters of the world and made them still. They made bow those, who had heads and made kneel those, who had knees. To eastwards up to the Kadyrkhan mountain forests and westwards as far as the Iron Gate they went on campaign. There were Kok (Blue) Turks between the two boundaries, having neither rulers nor masters. Wise kagans were they. Great kagans were they. Their buyruqs (officials), too, were wise and brave, indeed. They were great too. Both the lords and people were straightforward and honest. For this reason, kagans were able to rule the state. They (the lords) thus passed away (lit.: 'flied away to Tengri'). As mourners and laments there came from the east, the representatives of the people of the Böküli Čölüg (Korea), Tabγač (Chinese), Avar, Rome, Kirgiz, Uc-Quriqan, Otuz-Tatar, Qitaŋ and Tatabi, this many people came and mourned and lamented. So famous kagans were they. Then the younger brothers became kagans, and their sons became kagans. But, apparently the younger brothers did not resemble their elder brothers. The sons did not resemble their fathers. Unwise kagans succeeded to the throne. Bad kagans succeeded to the throne. The lords and people went unfair. Since they give way to Chinese people, since they were defrauded by them, younger and elder brothers became revengeful and enemy to each other. Turk people were exiled. The kagans were exiled. Chinese people made your kind sons slave; made your beautiful daughters servant. The Turk lords forgot their Turk titles. Those lords held Chinese titles and obeyed the Chinese emperor for fifty years, and gave their deeds and services to him. They went on campaigns up to the Böküli kagan in east, and as far as the Iron Gate in west. They gave the Chinese emperor to rule the state and lordship. Then, Turk common people said as follows: "I had a state. Where is my state now? Who do I give my state to? I had kagans. Where is my kagan now? Who do I give my deeds and services to?" So they became hostile to the Chinese emperor. They became hostile and strike against, (but) they submitted again. They were near to annihilated. They couldn't get that they gave all their deeds and services, they had no warn against. All Turk people degraded, they had no generation and went to ruins. Then Turk Tengri above, Turk holy Earth and Water said as follows: "in order to Turk people would not go to ruin and in order to it should be a nation again", they rose my father Ilteris Kagan, and my mother Ilbilga Katun, to the top and sat them upwards on the throne. My father, the kagan, gathered together seventeen brave lords. All having heard that they went off on campaigns, those who were in towns went off to fields, and those who were on mountains went down, gathered together seventy brave men. Tengri gave them power, my father's army was like wolves, their enemies were like sheep. Having gone on campaigns forward and backward, gathered together seven hundred soldiers. After they had numbered seven hundred men, he brought them to order and trained people who had lost their state and their kagan, people who had turned to slaves and servants, people who had lost the Turk institutions, brought to order and followed the rules of my ancestors. Then he gave people Tolis and Tardush states. And gave them two rulers, a yabgu and a šad. Chinese people were our enemy in south, Tokuz-Oguz people in north with Baz Kagan on head were our enemies too. The Kirgiz, Quriqan, Otuz-Tatar, Qitaŋ and Tatabi – they all were hostile to us. My father, the kagan, was on campaigns forty-seven times and engaged in twenty battles. By the grace of Tengri, he took the realm of those who had had a realm, and captured the kagan of those who had a kagan; he subjugated enemies. He made powerful enemies kneel and proud ones to bow. (My father, the kagan,) after he had founded (such a great) empire and gained power, passed away (lit.: 'went flying'). Balbals erected for my father, the kagan, were first erected from Baz Kagan's balbals. My uncle succeeded to the throne then. My uncle, the kagan, organized and nourished Turk people anew. He made poor people rich and few people numerous. When my uncle, the kagan, succeeded to the throne, I was šad over Tardush people. Together with my uncle, the kagan, we went on campaigns eastwards up to Green River (= Yellow River) and Shantung plain, and we went on campaigns westwards as far as the Iron Gate, (We went on campaigns up to the land of Kirgiz) beyond the Kogmen (mountains). We went on campaigns twenty-five times in all and we fought thirteen times. We took the realm of those who had a realm, and we captured the kagan of those who had a kagan; we made powerful enemies kneel and proud ones to bow. The Turgesh kagan (and his people) was our Turk. (Because of their unawareness and foolishness) their being traitorous to us, their kagan had died; his buyruqs and lords, had died too. The On-Oq people suffered (a great deal). In order the land (lit.: 'earth and water'), which was ruled by our ancestors, not to be left without a ruler, we organized Az people and put them in order.... and because they were treasons their kagan had died; his buyruqs and lords, also was Bars Beg. It was we, who had given him the title of kagan. We had also given him my younger sister, the princess, in marriage. But, he betrayed (us). (As a result) the kagan was killed and people became slaves and servants. In order the Kogman land would not remain without a ruler, we organized the Az and Kirgiz peoples, and then we came (back) and fought. We gave (them) back.... Eastwards as far as beyond the Khingan mountains we thus settled and organized people; westwards as far as Kaŋu Tarman we thus settled and organized Turk people. At that time our slaves themselves had slaves (and servants themselves had servants. Younger brothers did not acknowledge their elder brothers, and sons did not acknowledge their fathers). We had such well-acquired and well-organized state and power. You, Turk and Oguz lords and peoples, hear this! If the sky above did not collapse, and if the earth below did not go away, what could destroy your state and power? О Turk people, regret and repent! Because of your unruliness, you yourselves betrayed your wise kagan, who had (always) supported you. And you yourselves betrayed your good realm, which was free and independent. And you (yourselves) caused discord. Where did the armed (people) come from and dispersed you? Where did the lancer come from and carried you away? You, people of sacred Otukan mountains, it was you, who went away. Those (of you), who meant to go to east went to east, and those (of you), who meant to go to west went to west. In places you went away, your (only) profit was the following: your blood ran like a river, and your bones were heaped up like a mountain; your sons worthy of becoming lords became slaves, and your daughters worthy of becoming ladies became servants. Because of your unawareness and because of your mischievousness, my uncle, the kagan, met his death. First I erected balbals (for him) beginning from Kirgiz kagan's. Tengri, which had raised my father, the kagan, and my mother, the katun, and which had granted them a state, For the name and fame of the Turk people would not perish, (that Tengri) enthroned (me). I did not become ruler of wealthy and prosperous people at all; (on the contrary,) I became a ruler of poor and miserable people, who were food-less inside and cloth-less outside. I and Kultegin, my younger brother, consulted together. For the name and fame of people, which our father and uncle had ruled, would not perish, and For the sake of Turk people, I did not sleep at night and I did not relax by day. Together with my younger brother, Kultegin, the two šads, we worked to death and I won. Having won and gathered in that way, I did not let people split into two parts like fire and water. (When) I (succeeded to the throne) in all countries people, who had gone (in almost all directions) vagrant people came back utterly exhausted, without horses and without clothes came back. In order to nourish people, I, with great armies, went on campaigns twelve times, northwards against Oguz people, eastwards against the Qitan and Tatabi, southwards against Chinese, (and I fought ... times). After (that), since I had fortune and since I had good luck – my Tengri was gracious! – I brought people to life, who were going to perish, and nourished them. I dressed naked people with clothes and I made poor people rich and few people numerous. I made them superior than people, who had great states and (esteemed rulers). I subdue all people, who live in four parts of the world. There was no enemy left. Many of them submitted to me. My younger brother, Kultegin passed away, after he had established the powerful lordship, where people had been giving their services to me. When my father, the kagan, passed away, my younger brother Kultegin was at the age of seven... My younger brother Kultegin became a man due to good luck of my Umay-like mother, the katun. When he was sixteen, my uncle, the kagan, gathered the lords. We went on a campaign in direction of Six-Čub Sogdian colonies. The Chinese governor On-Tutuq came with fifty thousand armies. And we fought. Kultegin attacked on his foot. He took On-Tutuq Yorčyn with his army. He showed their weapons to the kagan. We destroyed that army then. When he was twenty-one years old, we fought against General Čača. First he mounted Tadqyš Čor's gray horse and attacked. That horse died there. Secondly, he mounted Isbara Yamtar's gray horse and attacked. That horse died there. Thirdly, he mounted Yigan Silbeg's dressed bay horse and attacked. That horse died there. He was hit with more than one hundred arrows on his armor and caftan, (but) he was not hit on head and face even once. Turk lords, you all know what attacking is! We destroyed that army then. Then Great Irkin of Bayirqu land became our hostile. We destroyed him too at Turgi-Yaraγun lake. The Great Irkin ran away together with few men. Kultegin was... year old. We went on a campaign against Kirgiz. Dissecting lance-deep snow we marched around the Kogman mountains and fell upon Kirgiz people. We fought with their kagan at the Soŋa mountains. Kultegin mounted Bayirqu's (white stallion) and attacked. He hit one man with an arrow and killed two men with spear. He was attacking until the backbone of Bayirqu's white stallion was broken. We killed the Kirgiz kagan and conquered his country. In that year we marched to Turgesh ... crossing over the Irtish river. We fell upon Turgesh people and conquered them. A lot of army of the Turgesh kagan came clustered (against us) at Bolču land. We fought with them. Kultegin mounted Bašγu's white horse and attacked. The Bašγu's white horse ... and he (i.e., Kultegin) himself captured two of them. There he again broke into (the enemy's lines) and captured the Az Tutuq (Governor) and his army. There we killed their kagan and subdued his country. Many of the common Turgesh people run away. We ... those people in Tabar. To subdue Sogdian people, we marched as far as the Iron Gate, crossing over the Pearl (Syrdaria) river. Then common Turgesh people rose in revolt in back. We went back toward Kanaris. Our army horses were lean and army had no provisions. A coward man ... A brave man attacked us. We asked and sent Kultegin forward together with a few men. It was a great battle. He mounted the white horse of Alp Šalči and attacked. There we killed and subjugated the common Turgish people. Having marched again ...

2nd side

We fought with ... against Qosu Tutuq. He (i.e. Kultegin) killed many of their brave men. He brought a lot of their properties and belongings. When Kultegin was twenty-seven years old, he went to Karluk people. They became (our) enemy. We went on a campaign to Tamaq-iduq headwaters. Kultegin was thirty years old on that battle. He mounted the white horse of Alp Šalči and attacked. He stabbed two men pursuing them. We won the Karluk and subjugated them. Az people started hostilities against us. We went with a battle to the Black Lake. Kultegin was thirty-one years old then. He mounted the white horse of Alp Šalči and attacked. He took the governor of Az people to prison. Az people were annihilated then. When the empire of my uncle, the kagan, became shaky and when country was split into two parts, we fought against the Izgil people. Kultegin mounted the white horse of Alp Šalči and attacked. That horse fell down there. Izgil people were killed and destroyed. Tokuz-Oguz people were my own people. Since Tengri and earth became in disorder them, they revolted against us. We fought five times in a year. First we fought at Toγu-Balïq (city). Kultegin mounted white horse Azman and attacked. He stabbed six men with his lance. In hand-to-hand fighting he cut down the seventh man with a sword. The Second time we fought against Еdiz at Qušluγqaq. Kultegin mounted his brown horse Az and attacked. He stabbed one man with a lance. He took nine men to prison. Their people were killed then. The third time we fought against Oguz at Bolču. Kultegin mounted his Azman horse and attacked and stabbed. We fought at Učuš headwaters. Turk people were coward at Adïr Qamïs. Kultegin put their army, which had come earlier assaulting. We surrounded and killed ten giant warriors of Toŋra tribe at the funeral of (Prince) Toηrategin. Fifthly, we fought against Oguz at Azginti-Qadiz. Kultegin mounted his brown horse Az and attacked. He stabbed two men. He didn't go to city. That army was killed (= defeated) there, not arriving to the city. After we spent winter at Maγï-Qorγan, in spring we marched off with an army against Oguz. Kultegin being in home commanded the camp. The hostile Oguz attacked the camp. Having mounted his white orphan horse, Kultegin stabbed nine men and did not give the camp. My mother, Katun, and my stepmothers, my mothers-in-law, my elder sisters, my daughters-in-law, my princesses all these people would become slaves. They would have been left lying dead on roads. If Kultegin had never existed, we all would have been died. My younger brother Kultegin passed away. I mourned myself missing him. My eyes to see became as if they were blind. My mind to think became as if it were unconscious. I mourned myself missing him. Tengri creates death. Human beings have all been created in order to die. I mourned badly. Tears dropped down from my eyes and didn't stop. Sorrow captured my heart and didn't pass away. I cried missing him always. I mourned deeply in sorrow. I worried that the eyes and eyebrows of two šads and of my younger brothers left behind, my sons, my lords and all of my people could have been coward. I missed him. Heading mourners and lamenters of Qitaη and Tatabi peoples, Udar Seŋün came. From the Chinese emperor, Isіje Likеŋ came. He brought immeasurable quantity of silk, gold and silver in abundance. From the Tibet kagan Bülin came. Inek Seŋün and Oγal Tarkan came from Sogdians, Persians and Bukhara people in west. From my On-Ok descendants, from the Turgesh kagan, seal-keepers Maqarač and Oγuz Bilge came. From the Kirgiz kagan, Tardush Inanču Čor came. Čan Seŋün, the nephew of the Chinese Emperor, came in order to build the mausoleum, to make sculptures, to paint and to prepare inscription stone inscriptions. Kultegin passed away (lit.: 'flew away to Tengri') on the seventeenth day of the Sheep Year. We held (his) funeral on the twenty-seventh day of the ninth month. We finished his mausoleum, the statues and paintings, and his inscription stone on the twenty-seventh day of the seventh month, in the Monkey Year. Kultegin was at age of forty-seven. The Tuyγun Elteber brought all of these sculptors and painters. The one, who had inscribed all these inscriptions – I, (Prince) Yolluγtegin, the nephew of Kultegin. Having sat down twenty days I, (Prince) Yolluγtegin, inscribed all these inscriptions on this stone. For sons and relatives to cry. Blessed you. You passed away (lit.: 'went flying') until Tengri gives you life again.

Chinese text side

From west ... my younger brother Kultegin had died… gave his services, my younger brother Kultegin (ordered to sat) a watcher of the tomb of Turk Bilga kagan… I gave him the title Inanču Apa Yarγan Tarqan ...

3rd side

I, Tengri-like and Tengri-born Turk Bilge Kagan, succeeded to the throne at this time. Hear my words, all of you, my younger brothers and my sons, and my nation and relatives, my people! You, Šad-apit lords in south, tarkans and buyruq lords in north, Otuz (Tatar?), Tokuz-Oguz lords and people! Hear these words of mine well, and listen hard! All people following me eastwards to sunrise, southwards to midday, westwards to sunset, and northwards to midnight (listen this)! I made you more. There is no false in these words. If the Turk kagan rules from the Otukan mountains, then there will be no trouble in country. I went on campaigns eastwards up to the Shantung plain. I almost reached the sea. I went on campaigns southwards up to Tokuz-Arsin. I almost reached Tibet. Westwards beyond the Pearl River I went on campaigns up to the Iron Gate. Northwards I went on campaigns up to Bayirqu land. I went on campaigns up to all these places. There was no good ruler in the Otukan mountain. The place from which the country can be controlled is the Otukan mountain. Having stayed in this place, I ruled the Chinese people. The words of Chinese people, who give us gold, silver, alcohol and treasures in abundance, have always been sweet and silks have always been soft. Deceiving by their sweet words and soft silks, they attract people to come from remote places. After people have settled close to them, they made people be addicted to them even more. They do not let wise men and brave men come close. They corrupt beginning from a single man up to his whole family and clan. Having been deceived by their sweet words and soft silk, you Turk people, died! In order to survive Turk people intended to settle at the Čuγay mountains in south on Тügeltin plain. They deceived so much, that led Turk common people to death. They lied that they would give bad silk if be afar, and would give good silk if they would be close to them. Unwise people followed that words, went close and all died. If you go toward those places, О Turk people, you will die! If you stay in the land of Otukan, and send caravans from there, you will have no trouble. If you stay at the Otukan mountains, you will live forever dominating the countries! О Turk people, you always regard yourselves as satiated. You do not think of being hungry or satiated. Once satiated, you forget of being hungry. On account of your being so, you didn't listen to the words of your kagan, who had nourished you. You went away in all directions. You completely tired and become weak. Those who survived where utterly exhausted. But Tengri was gracious, and since I was granted with fortune, I succeeded to the throne. Having succeeded to the throne, I changed all poor and destitute people. I made poor people wealthy and few people numerous. This word of mine is blessed! О Turk lords and people, hear this! In order to join together all Turk people and direct our country, I have inscribed here: Being deceived you will die. All words which I wanted to say I have inscribed on this eternal stone. Read these inscriptions! You, Turk people now and lords! With the lords who had already been deceived there I had inscribed. I get painters from the Chinese emperor, and ordered them to inscribe. They put all my words on the stone. The court painters of the Chinese emperor took part. I got them to build an extraordinary mausoleum. They decorated the inside and outside with wonderful paintings and sculptures. They inscribed all my word on the stone, I had all the words in my mind recorded. See these inscriptions and get lessons, all of you from my On-Ok descendants to slaves. I had the memorial stone inscribed. This is plain place to live. I had the memorial stone erected for the brave man in this country and inscribed on this place. See this memorial and learn its contents. ... The one who inscribed these inscriptions is nephew (Prince) Yolluγtegin. In order to take care of Kultegin's gold and silver, his treasures and possessions, his four (thousand?) horses.... Tengri … I inscribed the stone. (Prince) Yolluγtegin...

Inscription on the stone turtle
people... lords and people ... ... Kultegin ... ... subdued ... ... I, myself,... ... die ... ...
Göktürk-orhun.svg
Forfatter/Opretter: Oktaytanhu, Licens: CC BY-SA 4.0
Sample of the w:Kul Tigin stele inscription (8th century). Transcription and Latin transliteration. Unreferenced, provided by uploader without source indication. Kendi çalışmam translates to "own work", the claim apparently being that this is original research based on the primary source.

Translation:

""Türk Oguz lords and people, listen! Unless the Eternal Blue Sky were to crash down, unless the earth be rent / O Turk people, who could do away with your realm and law?""
Unclear where this is from. Here is a comparable (but not identical) text.
Location of Orkhon valley.JPG
Location of the Orkhon Valley.