Abstract
Karı Çor Tigin Inscription
A Chinese - Turkish (Kök)türk letter Uigur language) inscription that prepared on behalf of Ötüken - Uigur khanate period princes Karı Çor Tigin found in the old capital Chang’an (Xi’an) of People’s Republic of China. According to reports from the inscription, Karı Çor Tigin is from Uigurs Yarlakan dynasty, Çabış Tigin’s son, Kan Tutuk’s nephew, Bögü Bilge Tengri Kan’s younger brother. He, come to in order to quell riots which began in the country to Chang’an / Xi’an participates as the imperial army “left forces commander” in T’ang Emperor Tai Tsung (Dài Zong) time (in the fifth month of 794 year).
Karı Çor Tigin, when he was 20 years old got sick and dies in Xi’an, in 20 May 795. T’ang Emperor Tai Tsung / Dài Zong made a mausoleum for him in Zhang Du Yuan region where today located in 10 km south-west of Xi’an and take an inscription that consist from Chinese and Turkish text on it.
There are 17 lines in (Kök)türk letter Uigur part of inscription that consist from two part. In this part, it is provides information about Karı Çor Tigin ancestry root and who is he and state which T’ang / Chinese Emperor made a mausoleum on behalf of him and held death ceremony in 7 June 795. In the Chinese part of inscription, they are given place to inscription of (Kök)türk letter in parallel of sentences is mentioned that T’ang Emperor Tai Tsung (Dài Zong) regret as death of Uigur Prince Karı Çor Tigin who staff commander at his command.
Currently, Karı Çor Tigin inscription which exhibited at T’ang West Market Museum, Xi’an, be critically importance in terms of reflecting Chinese and Turks (Uigurs) between historical friendship relationship and being a bilingual inscription.
In this article, before status of Turk-China relationship attention served in (Kök)türk Khanate and Ötüken Uigur Khanate periods; after it is examined (Kök)türk letter part of Karı Çor Tigin inscription all its aspects.
Keywords
People’s Republic of China, Xi’an, Ötüken Uigur Khanate, Karı Çor Tigin, Karı Çor Tigin inscription,