Ötüken
Encyclopedia
Ötüken Old Turkic: 
, Ötüken yïš, Bilge kagan’s Memorial Complex, TÜRIK BITIG, Mount Ötüken, 於都斤山, Linghu Defen
, Book of Zhou
, Vol. 50, Li Dashi, Li Yanshou, History of Northern Dynasties
, Vol. 9, 都尉揵山, Liu Xu etc, Book of Tang
, Vol. 199-II, 烏德鞬山/乌德鞬山, Ouyang Xiu
etc, New Book of Tang
, Vol. 93, 都斤山, Yan Shigu
, Kong Yingda etc, Book of Sui
, Vol. 84, Ouyang Xiu etc, New Book of Tang, Vol. 215-I, Sima Guang
, Zizhi Tongjian
, Vol. 175, 大斤山, 郁督軍山/郁督军山,
, Ötüken jer, Land of Ötüken) is one of the names given to Mother Earth
in Tengriism
. According to this ancient belief, the mood of the Yer-sub
and Ötüken could be seen in the trees’ condition. If the trees are healthy and strong and are bearing a lot of fruit, it is believed that Ötüken is satisfied with humans. A prayer dedicated to Ötüken was once directed to a grand tree.
Later, the word was used to describe the sacred mountain of the ancient Turks. It was mentioned by Bilge Qagan in the Orkhon inscriptions
as, "the place from where the tribes can be controlled." A force called qut was believed to emanate from this mountain, granting the local potentate the divine right to rule all the Turkic tribes.
Although never identified precisely, Ötüken probably stretched "from the Khangai Range of Central Mongolia
to the Sayan Mountains
of Tuva
, at the centre of which is the Orkhon Valley
", which for centuries was regarded as the seat of the imperial power of the steppe
s.
, Ötüken yïš, Bilge kagan’s Memorial Complex, TÜRIK BITIG, Mount Ötüken, 於都斤山, Linghu DefenLinghu Defen
Linghu Defen , formally Duke Xian of Pengyang , was an official of the Chinese dynasties Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty...
, Book of Zhou
Book of Zhou
The Book of Zhou was the official history of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, and it ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was compiled by the Tang Dynasty historian Linghu Defen and was completed in 636...
, Vol. 50, Li Dashi, Li Yanshou, History of Northern Dynasties
History of Northern Dynasties
The History of Northern Dynasties is one of the official Chinese historical works in the Twenty-Four Histories canon. It contain 100 volumes and covers the period from 386 to 618, the histories of Northern Wei, Western Wei, Eastern Wei, Northern Zhou, Northern Qi, and Sui Dynasty...
, Vol. 9, 都尉揵山, Liu Xu etc, Book of Tang
Book of Tang
The Book of Tang , Jiu Tangshu or the Old Book of Tang is the first classic work about the Tang Dynasty. The book began when Gaozu of Later Jin ordered its commencement in 941...
, Vol. 199-II, 烏德鞬山/乌德鞬山, Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu was a Chinese statesman, historian, essayist and poet of the Song Dynasty. He is also known by his courtesy name of Yongshu, and was also self nicknamed The Old Drunkard 醉翁, or Householder of the One of Six 六一居士 in his old age...
etc, New Book of Tang
New Book of Tang
The New Book of Tang , is a classic work of history about the Tang Dynasty edited by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi and other official scholars of the Song Dynasty. The emperor called for a revision of the former Book of Tang in 1044. The New Book was presented to the throne in 1060. It was given its...
, Vol. 93, 都斤山, Yan Shigu
Yan Shigu
Yan Shigu , formal name Yan Zhou , but went by the courtesy name of Shigu, was a famous Chinese author and linguist of the Tang Dynasty.-Biography:Yan was born in Wannian , his ancestry was originally from Langya...
, Kong Yingda etc, Book of Sui
Book of Sui
The Book of Sui was the official history of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty, and it ranks among the official Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was compiled by a team of historians led by the Tang Dynasty official Wei Zheng and was completed in 636.-External links:* of the Book of Sui,...
, Vol. 84, Ouyang Xiu etc, New Book of Tang, Vol. 215-I, Sima Guang
Sima Guang
Sīmǎ Guāng was a Chinese historian, scholar, and high chancellor of the Song Dynasty, jinshi 1038.-Life, profession, and works:...
, Zizhi Tongjian
Zizhi Tongjian
The Zizhi Tongjian was a pioneering reference work in Chinese historiography, published in 1084, under the form of a chronicles. In 1065 CE, Emperor Yingzong of Song ordered the great historian Sima Guang to lead with other scholars such as his chief assistants Liu Shu, Liu Ban and Fan Zuyu, the...
, Vol. 175, 大斤山, 郁督軍山/郁督军山,
, Ötüken jer, Land of Ötüken) is one of the names given to Mother EarthMother Nature
Mother Nature is a common personification of nature that focuses on the life-giving and nurturing aspects of nature by embodying it in the form of the mother. Images of women representing mother earth, and mother nature, are timeless...
in Tengriism
Tengriism
Tengriism is a Central Asian religion that incorporates elements of shamanism, animism, totemism and ancestor worship. Despite still being active in some minorities, it was, in old times, the major belief of Turkic peoples , Bulgars, Hungarians and Mongols...
. According to this ancient belief, the mood of the Yer-sub
Yer-sub
Yer-sub are a category of nature spirits in the Turkic-Mongolian belief of Tengriism. The name means "Earth–Water" in Turkic languages. Tengrist people believe that Yer-sub spirits exist in trees, lakes, mountains, stones and sometimes in a whole empire; that Yer-sub spirits are the...
and Ötüken could be seen in the trees’ condition. If the trees are healthy and strong and are bearing a lot of fruit, it is believed that Ötüken is satisfied with humans. A prayer dedicated to Ötüken was once directed to a grand tree.
Later, the word was used to describe the sacred mountain of the ancient Turks. It was mentioned by Bilge Qagan in the Orkhon inscriptions
Orkhon inscriptions
"Orkhon inscription" may refer to:*two monuments in the Orkhon valley, see Khöshöö Tsaidam Monuments*inscriptions in the Old Turkic "Orkhon alphabet" in general, see Old Turkic epigraphy...
as, "the place from where the tribes can be controlled." A force called qut was believed to emanate from this mountain, granting the local potentate the divine right to rule all the Turkic tribes.
Although never identified precisely, Ötüken probably stretched "from the Khangai Range of Central Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
to the Sayan Mountains
Sayan Mountains
The Sayan Mountains are a mountain range between northwestern Mongolia and southern Siberia, Russia.The Eastern Sayan extends from the Yenisei River at 92° E to the southwest end of Lake Baikal at 106° E...
of Tuva
Tuva
The Tyva Republic , or Tuva , is a federal subject of Russia . It lies in the geographical center of Asia, in southern Siberia. The republic borders with the Altai Republic, the Republic of Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, and the Republic of Buryatia in Russia and with Mongolia to the...
, at the centre of which is the Orkhon Valley
Orkhon Valley
Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape sprawls along the banks of the Orkhon River in Central Mongolia, some 360 km west from the capital Ulaanbaatar. It was inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List as representing evolution of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two millennia...
", which for centuries was regarded as the seat of the imperial power of the steppe
Steppe
In physical geography, steppe is an ecoregion, in the montane grasslands and shrublands and temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biomes, characterized by grassland plains without trees apart from those near rivers and lakes...
s.