Kyrgyz

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Kyrgyz :: Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz (also spelled Kirghiz) are a Turkic ethnic group found primarily in Kyrgyzstan.

There are several etymological theories on the name "Kyrgyz." First, the name Kyrgyz may mean "forty girls" (кырк + кыз), a reference to the Manas epic unifying forty small tribes against the Chinese on one side and the Muslim expansion on the other. This is symbolized by the yellow sun in the center of the flag of Kyrgyzstan, which has 40 rays referring to forty Kyrgyz tribes. Next, a meaning of "forty tribes" (кырк + ууз) which makes more direct sense. Finally, a meaning with totally different word formulation (кыргыс, adj.), meaning "imperishable", "inextinguishable" or "undying". This version has an obvious popular appreciation. Historical evidence for many conflicts with other peoples also supports this theory.

History

The homeland of the Kyrgyz was the upper Yenisey river and Sayan mountains of southern Siberia in what is now mordern Khakassia and Tuva. Firstly appeared in Chinese Record Records of the Grand Historian as Gekun or Jiankun (鬲昆 or 隔昆), and was later parts of the Tiele tribes, they were once under the rule or Gokturks and Uyghur. After defeating the Uyghur, the Uyghurs started to migrated to Xinjiang. ^*

The Kyrgyz in China

The Kyrgyz form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. There are more than 145,000 Kyrgyz in China.

They are found mainly in the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in the southwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a smaller remainder found in the neighboring Wushi (Uqturpan), Aksu, Shache (Yarkand), Yingisar, Taxkorgan and Pishan (Guma), and in Tekes, Zhaosu (Monggolkure), Emin (Dorbiljin), Bole (Bortala), Jinghev (Jing) and Gonliu in northern Xinjiang.

Several hundred Kyrgyz whose forefathers emigrated to Northeast China more than 200 years ago now live in Wujiazi Village in Fuyu County, Heilongjiang Province.

The Kyrgyz are Muslims. Some Kyrgyz practice shamanism.

Anthropologically the Kyrgyz are of the Mongoloid Central Asian race. They have dark skin and eyes and coarse dark hair, and beards. Their face is wide, the cheekbones are not very prominent. The Kyrgyz tend to be short, with the average male height being 162-164 cm. The Kyrgyz in tradition had green eyes, fair skin and red hair according to some Chinese sources, and although they have mixed thoroughly with other Turkic and Mongolian groups, some still have this stunning complexion.

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History

The Kyrgyz in China

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