Influence of Turkic North Pole Star Tradition on Chinese Culture

Year 2026, Issue: 117 , 53 - 70 , 30.04.2026

Zhaozhong Jiang

https://doi.org/10.12995/bilig.8108

https://izlik.org/JA82GZ25JF

Abstract

Considered as the rotation axis of the northern celestial hemisphere, north pole star was called altun qazŋuq “gold stake” in OT (Old Turkic). The article finds that Turkic north pole star tradition exerted its influence on Chinese culture twice. At the first time, the Chinese transcribed OT qazŋuq into gōzhèn (勾陳) in the Warring States period. And at the second time, the transmission took place in the Qing dynasty, when the government tried to confirm that the huge rock called altan γadasu in Mongolian was the origin of the Yellow River, the Mongolian translation of OT altun qazŋuq was translated into “gold north pole star” (黃金北極星).

Keywords

North pole star , Turkic-Chinese transcription , astronomy , qazŋuq , Yellow River

Ethical Statement

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: CSQ24044); the Teaching Research Project of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: JYX24005); and the Key Research Project of Philosophy and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education (Grant Number: 22JZD024). An initial draft of this work was read at the 12th Conference on the History of Science, Hsinchu Tsinghua University, Mar. 2021.

Project Number

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: CSQ24044); the Teaching Research Project of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: JYX24005)

Türk Kuzey Kutup Yıldızı Geleneğinin Çin Kültürüne Etkisi

https://izlik.org/JA82GZ25JF

Abstract

Kuzey gök yarım küresinin dönüş ekseni olduğu kabul edilen kuzey kutup yıldızına Eski Türkçede altun qazuq “altın kazık” deniyordu. Bu makale, Türk kuzey kutup yıldızı geleneğinin Çin kültürü üzerinde iki önemli etkisi olduğunu anlatmaktadır. İlk etkisi, Çinlilerin eski Türkçedeki qazŋuqu Savaşan Devletler döneminde gōzhèn (勾陳) olarak kullanmaya başlaması ile görülmüştür. İkinci etkisi, Qing hanedanlığı döneminde, hükümetin Moğolcada altan γadasu olarak adlandırılan devasa kayanın Sarı Nehir’in kökeni olduğunu doğrulamaya çalıştığı dönemde görülmüştür. Bu dönemde Eski Türkçedeki altun qazuqun Moğolca çevirisi “altın kuzey kutup yıldızı” (黃金北極星) olarak yapılmıştır.

Keywords

Kuzey kutup yıldızı , Türk-Çin transkripsiyonu , astronomi , qazŋuq , Sarı Nehir

Ethical Statement

Bu çalışma, Güney-Orta Minzu Üniversitesi’nin Merkezi Üniversiteler için Temel Araştırma Fonları (Proje No: CSQ24044); Güney-Orta Minzu Üniversitesi Öğretim Araştırma Projesi (Proje No: JYX24005); ve Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı Felsefe ve Sosyal Bilimler Kilit Araştırma Projesi (Proje No: 22JZD024) tarafından desteklenmiştir. Bu çalışmanın ilk taslağı Mart 2021’de Hsinchu Tsinghua Üniversitesi 12. Bilim Tarihi Konferansı’nda sunulmuştur.

Project Number

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: CSQ24044); the Teaching Research Project of South-Central Minzu University (Grant Number: JYX24005)

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