Why is Ötüken Strategically Important for Turks?

Central Asian Turkish history remained behind for a long time and could only be followed from the records of states such as China, Sassanid and Eastern Rome. Because there is no archive belonging to the Turkish states that were established and destroyed in Central Asia, and a monument with inscriptions and understood to belong to the Turks could not be identified until the 19th century. For this reason, it was thought that the Turks did not have an alphabet and did not even use writing. However, this situation changed with the discoveries at the end of the 19th century.
When some inscribed stones, whose identity could not be determined before, were identified, the Russian Geographical Society sent N. M. Yadrintsev to Mongolia to conduct research in 1889. During this trip, Yadrintsev found two large stones 360 km west of Ulan Bator, on the banks of the Orkhon River, near the Kosho-Chaydam Lake.
When the alphabet used in these stones was deciphered by the Danish linguist Vilhelm Thomsen in 1893, it was revealed that the monuments were from the Göktürk period and were erected for Bilge Kagan and his brother Kultigin. This situation not only showed that the Turks had been using writing for a long time, but also revealed that they had an alphabet that they had developed since ancient times.
After that, Central Asian Turkish history researches intensified and other inscribed stones were found. In this context, Y. N. Klements found the Tonyukuk inscriptions in 1897 in a place called Bain-Tsokto, close to Nalayh Town, about 60 km east of Ulan Bator.
By reading the inscriptions, it is understood that his elder brother Bilge Kagan had the Kul Tigin Inscription erected in 732, and the Bilge Kagan Inscription was erected by his son, one year after he died, in 735. He had the Tonyukuk Inscription erected between the years 720-725.
The Kül Tigin Inscription was seated on a hollow turtle-shaped pedestal. Its height is 3.75 meters. It is a kind of limestone or impure marble. It has four faces. The width of the east and west facades; 132 inches below, 122 inches above. The south and north façades are 46 cm below and 44 cm above. The top of the inscription ends in the form of an arch and is five-sided at the top. There is the sign of the kagan on the eastern façade.
The western façade is covered with a large Chinese inscription. The other three facades are full of Turkish inscriptions. There is a Göktürk script on the blunt edges between the facades and next to the Chinese inscription. There are 40 lines on the east side and 13 lines on the north and south sides. The lines are written from top to bottom and stacked from right to left. The length of the lines is about 235 cm.
The Bilge Kagan Inscription is one kilometer away from the Kul Tigin Inscription. It is similar to the Kultigin Inscription. It's just a few inches taller. There are 41 lines on the eastern front and 15 lines on the narrow fronts. There is a Chinese inscription on the western façade. Above the Chinese inscription, the Turkish inscription continues.
The first eight lines of the northern façade of the Bilge Kagan Inscription resemble the first eight lines of the southern façade of the Kultigin Inscription, while lines 2-24 of the northern façade resemble the corresponding lines of the eastern façade of the Kultigin Inscription. In this Inscription, it is also seen that some developments after Kul Tigin's death were added.
In both inscriptions, apart from Bilge Kagan's words, there are inscription records and additions of his nephew Yolluğ Tigin, who wrote the article. There are tomb debris, statues, balbals and stones around the inscriptions. The Tonyukuk Inscription is located a little further east of the other two inscriptions. It is in the form of two standing four-sided stones that are not overturned. The first and larger stone has 35 lines, and the smaller stone has 27 lines. These inscriptions are written from top to bottom. But unlike the other two inscriptions, it is stacked from left to right.
The First Face of the Kultigin Inscription; “(I) the God-like (and) God-begotten Turkish Bilge Khan, I sat (on the throne) in this era.” It starts with the sentence. After this striking introduction, it continues as follows:
“Hear my words thoroughly, first (you) my brothers (and) my sons, my united clan (and) my people, the Shadapit lords on the right, the Tarkans (and) commanders on the left, the Thirty (Tatar…), the Nine Oghuz lords (and) people, Hear (and) listen closely to these words of mine!
To the east of the future, to the middle of the day in the south, to the west (and) to the middle of the night in the north, (all) peoples within these (boundaries) are always subject to me. I always put all these people in order. They are not (at all) bad now. If the Turk(s) khan resides (and rules from there) in the Ötüken mountains, there will be no trouble in the country.
In the east, I sent an army as far as the plain of Shantung, I stopped just before the sea; I dispatched armies south to the Nine Inspirations, stopping just before Tibet; I sent an army to the Iron Gate by crossing the İnci (Sır Derya) river in the west, I sent an army to the lands of Yır Bayırku in the north; I have marched (my armies) to so many lands (and I realized) Otuken mountain There is never a better place than this! The Ötüken Mountains were the place where (the Turkish people would make their homeland and) be governed.
I sat in this place and fixed (relationships) with the Chinese people. The (Chinese) simply give (us) gold(ı), silver(ı)(and) silk fabrics without difficulty. Chinese people's words are sweet, their silk fabrics (also) soft. With sweet words (and) soft silk fabrics, they deceive the distant (dwelling) peoples, thus bringing them closer (to themselves). After (these peoples) approached and settled (the Chinese thought of their mischief at that time.
They do not advance good (and) smart people, good (and) brave people; (On the other hand) if a person commits a crime, they would not kill (everyone) up to his tribe, his people (and) his relative. Deceived by the (Chinese people's) sweet words (and) their soft silk fabrics, (oh) Turkish people, you have died in large numbers. (O) Turkish people, you will die!
If you say to the Çugay mountains (and) Töğütün Plain in the south, (O) Turkish people, you will die! There were bad (intentional) people giving advice as follows: “(Chinese people) give bad gifts if they are far (live) and good gifts if they are near (live).” they would say so. (O) ignorant people, you were deceived by these words and went close to (the Chinese) and died in large numbers.
If you go towards that place (O) Turkish people, you will die! If you stay in Ötüken lands and send caravans (from here to China and other countries), you will not have any problems. If you live in the Ötüken mountains, you will have a state and rule forever. (O) Turkish people, (you) are full-eyed: you do not think of hunger and satiety; if you are (also) full, you will not (never) think of hunger. Because you are like this, you went everywhere without listening to the words of your khans who fed and fed (you), and you were destroyed (and) exhausted there. Those of you who (almost) remained there were (almost) walking exhausted and helpless (in a state) in every direction.
Because God is gracious, because it is my (also) fortune, I sit on the throne (as khan). I have always gathered the poor (and) poor people by sitting on the throne: I made the poor people rich, I made the few people more. Is that a promise or a lie?
I got the eternal stone. Since (this is) a close (one) location, and also an easily accessible (one) place, I had the eternal stone engraved in such an easily accessible (one) place, I had it written. See it and know (and learn) it.” he continues. The most striking point in these statements is the insistent emphasis on the importance of Ötüken and that he should never be abandoned. The same theme is emphasized on the D side of the monument.
“We had so many rich (and) so many developed states. (O) Turk, Oghuz chiefs (and) people, hear. Unless the sky above collapses, and the ground below is not pierced, (O) Turkish people, who could destroy (your) state (and) laws? (O) Turkish people, give up (your bad habit) and be blessed! Because of your disobedience, you yourself made a mistake (and) caused discord with your wise khan who fed (you) and your independent (and) prosperous state.
From where did the armed (enemy) come and defeat (and) scatter (you)? Where did the spearman (the enemy) come from and drive you away (from your homeland)? People of the holy Ötüken mountains, you (leaving your homeland) have gone. Those (your) who went to the east You went, those who (your) who went to the west have gone. Where you went, your gain was this, no doubt: Your blood has flowed like rivers, your bones have been heaped like mountains; Your son, who will become a gentleman, has become a slave, and your daughter, who will become a wife, has become a concubine.”
The same information is repeated in the Bilge Kağan Inscription with minor differences. In the Tonyukuk Inscription, “(Turkish khan) I myself, Wise Tonyukuk (brought) the Turkish people to Ötüken land. The peoples of the south, the peoples of the west, north and east came (at us) after hearing that they (Turkish people) had settled in Ötüken land.” There are expressions. From these statements, the importance of Ötüken for both himself and the Turkish people is emphasized, and it is especially stated that all Turks flocked to the region as soon as they captured this region.
This shows that the Ötüken region is a sacred place for the Turkish people, that the people who conquered this region see the right to declare that they are khans and the people attach importance to this. As a matter of fact, the Uyghurs, who destroyed the Göktürk State and established their own state, chose the Ötüken region as the capital.
This being the case, the following question comes to mind: Why is Ötüken so important?
When the sources are examined, it is understood that there are multiple reasons for this. The fact that the Turkish states established before the Göktürks also established their headquarters in Ötüken gives the impression that historical continuity has an important effect on this issue. For example, IV. In the 16th century, the center of gravity of the Huns was the Ötüken region, which is the source basin of the Orhun and Selenga Rivers, and the Altai Mountains. The Huns were the dominant power in Central Asia for 500 years, and their center remained in the Orkhon region during this time. This situation must have caused the region to settle as an unchanging center in the minds of the Turks.
The Gokturks descended from the Huns, as it is clearly stated in the Chinese sources. A female offspring of the Ashina lineage, the Basbug family. There is a common myth that it derives from rt. This situation makes it understandable that the Göktürks chose the capital of the Huns, who were also their ancestors, as their capital. However, other Turkish tribes also value this region in the same way. Because the Hun Empire gathered almost all Turkish tribes under one flag and continued its existence for a very long time, Ötüken was engraved in the minds of all Turkish tribes as the capital and center.
Probably due to this, the Ötüken region was considered not only important but also sacred by the Turks (Iduk Ötüken). In other words, it can be said that the importance of Ötüken also has a religious aspect. As seen in the Orkhon inscriptions, the directions in the Turks are expressed as forward, backward, right and left. The eastern direction must be considered more sacred than the other directions, because the forward expression is used for east. In addition, when the state was divided among the members of the dynasty, the eastern part of the country was always ruled by Hakan/Kağan and the center of the state was Ötüken, located in the east of the country's territory. It is possible to see this in both Huns, Göktürks and Uyghurs.
Ötüken is the capital city of the Huns, Göktürks and Uyghurs and the blessed homeland. As it is understood from here; It was only possible to gather and manage the Turkish masses around Ötüken, where the spirit of Turkish statism was settled. It is known that Turks have a cult of ancestors, that is, a belief in respect for the spirits of ancestors. The Ötüken region, which has been the center for the Hun, Göktürk and Uyghur States for centuries, is the region where the rulers who probably ruled these states during this period and whose names became legendary over time are buried. The Ötüken region, where the graves of these important people are located, may have been accepted as a sacred place in terms of getting strength from the spirit of these people.
Since Ötüken was the capital city for a long time, it has also been a region that shaped the state and social culture of the Turks. The structure of the state and the basic characteristics of the people have been shaped according to the effects of this geography. The cultural structure of all societies, including the Mongols, who lived in the Asian steppes, including Ötüken in the center of the historical records, is a reflection of the characteristics of this geography.
To understand this, it is sufficient to look at the structure of the armies, which is the most important element for the existence of states and human societies. Because almost all of the male population in steppe societies are considered soldiers, the structure of the army also reflects the cultural structure. Soldiers of steppe societies have been described as those who can draw bows throughout history. This military structure has also been decisive in terms of the process of nationalization of steppe societies. As a matter of fact, Mete wrote a letter to the Emperor of China in 176 BC; “These all became Huns, all bow-drawn archers united into one family.” he said.
The geography where nomadic cultures in Asia can be followed best is the Mongolian steppes. For this reason, the Mongolian steppes have a special place in terms of Turkish history and culture within the vast steppe geography stretching from Manchuria to Hungary. This nomadic lifestyle has continued from prehistoric times to the present. Especially in the north of Mongolia, the middle belt is one of the fields where the horse steppe culture emerged, developed and is still alive today. The heartland in this area is the cultural geography where the Bilge Kagan and Költigin Inscriptions are located.
It is understood that the factors that we have tried to explain so far and that are generally subjective are more or less effective in the acceptance of Ötüken as an important region for the Turks. However, no place is considered an important place throughout history by a society just because it is a sacred or historical place. There are many examples of this in history. For example, many places that were considered sacred or important in different periods of history in Anatolia lost their importance and sanctity in later periods. For this reason, it is possible to say that the always valid positive factors are more effective on the acceptance of a place as important or sacred.
The most important of these factors is considered to be geography. Because geography affects and shapes everything about people, including people themselves. The effect of geography is not only due to its own characteristics, but also where a region is located. For this reason, it can be said that the location of Ötüken in the world and especially in Central Asia is important in accepting it as an important place.
Before examining the geographical importance of Ötüken, it would be useful to determine the boundaries of the geographical region where the Turks lived for most of history. The Himalayas, which form the highest mountain range of the world, including the Alpine system in Central Asia in the south, and the Sayan Mountains and the mountains around Lake Baikal in the north, form the wide area between the Caspian Sea in the west and the Kadırgan (Kingan) Mountains in the east.
East of this wide field There are fundamental differences in landforms between the western part and the western part. While the eastern part of Central Asia consists of high mountains, plateaus and some small and large closed depressions between them, the western part consists of closed seas and lakes, wide plains and low plateaus. That's why some geographers call the eastern part of Central Asia, consisting of high mountains and plateaus, "High Central Asia".
The western part, which consists of plains, forms the low part of this large region. Since this part of Asia is dominated by Turkish elements, the lands of Central Asia are called Turkistan in the broad sense. In such a naming, the eastern part of the mountainous area between the Pamir and Altai Mountains of Central Asia forms East Turkestan and the western part forms West Turkestan.
Apart from this geography that we are trying to describe, the Eurasian steppes have also been home to peoples of Turkish origin since the earliest periods of history. Therefore, ancient Turkish history took place not only in Central Asia, but also in a wide area extending to the north of the Caucasus and the Black Sea, and even to the plains of Hungary. These areas of millions of kilometers have climatic characteristics that are more or less close to each other geographically. From the first periods of history II. Until the 16th century, communities of Turkish origin moved in this climate zone in the east-west direction from the Kerulen River in the east of Mongolia to the Danube.
Within this wide geography, the Ötüken region has the most suitable features to be the center of the state. The most important reason for this is the threats faced and the location and size of these threats. As it is known, since the earliest times of history, China has offered a suitable environment for people to live in, and it is a place where agricultural economy has been passed in very ancient times. This economy has created a culture peculiar to people who settled down and made a living from farming.
This culture enabled the establishment of the first political organizations due to the rapid increase in the population due to the abundant food obtained through agriculture, and a large part of the history of China was experienced as a struggle to unite the small statelets that emerged in many regions into an empire. For this reason, China became the most important political, military, economic and cultural center of Asia during the period of the Huns, Gokturks and Uyghurs and even in the following years.
On the other hand, an economy and cultural structure based on animal husbandry emerged in the Asian steppes, which are not very suitable for agriculture. Societies that have to move constantly in a wide geography with unstable climatic characteristics have not been able to live in a settled life. These communities, which led a nomadic life, had to enter the lands of agricultural societies during climatic changes and seasonal droughts and famines, and the foundations of a conflict that continues even today in Anatolia were laid. This conflict is that of nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers.
The traces of this can be clearly seen in the historical records. In the historical records of settled agricultural societies that fought with steppe armies and lost their lands in these wars in all Eurasia from Iran to Hungary; There are complaints that fertile fields have been turned into pastures and pastures. Today, in other nomadic regions of eastern Anatolia, there are still great conflicts and even fights between the communities called Yörük, who change their place according to the seasons because they make a living with animal husbandry, and the peasants engaged in farming during these migration seasons.
This shows that one of the most important reasons for the endless wars between different societies since the earliest periods of history is the lifestyles of these societies, that is, their production and consumption patterns. For this reason, in the time of the Huns, Gokturks and Uyghurs, the main struggle was experienced in the form of conflicts (culture wars) between nomads and residents, that is, between stockbreeders and farmers.
In this period, the most important and even the only settled agricultural state against nomadic livestock was China. Therefore, no matter who or whatever tribe came to power on the side of the nomads, one of the parties of the struggle, as Mete said, he tried to gather all the nomads under one flag, and after that he started a struggle with China, which represents the other side. This has made China the biggest threat to the Turks and the Turks (and other steppe nations) to the Chinese throughout history.
Militarily, the center of gravity of an army, or even a state, must be fairly close to the greatest threat. However, this proximity should not be close enough to be destroyed by being raided in the face of a sudden attack. For example, in the National Struggle, Ankara was chosen as the center of the movement because it is close enough to both the Istanbul government, which is the biggest internal threat, and the Western Front, where the Greeks, the biggest external threat, are located. Ankara is also a center where transportation and communication lines pass. But neither Istanbul nor The Greek army is not close enough to reach Ankara with a sudden raid.
It is understood that the Ötüken region has a similar feature. In other words, it is too close to the biggest threat, China, not to overlook the developments there, and too far to be destroyed in a sudden attack. For this reason, the Ötüken Plateau, located in the southwest of Lake Baikal, surrounded by high mountains and the Orhun and Timar Rivers, in a location that is easy to defend but suitable for raids, with a mild climate and abundant pasture, was the center of gravity of the state during the Asian Huns and Göktürk Khanate. was considered the holy land.
As a matter of fact, when China, seeing that a new political structure that could rival it, started to emerge, attacked the Huns with a large army in 215 BC, Teoman, who was still trying to create power, moved to the north of the Gobi Desert, to the Orkhon and Altai regions, in order not to be destroyed. that is, he found it appropriate to withdraw to Ötüken.
Here, it is understood that the existence of a great obstacle such as the Gobi Desert is also very important. Because it is not possible for the infantry-dominated Chinese army to advance heavily with large amounts of supply and maintenance materials, to cross this desert in a short time and to raid Ötüken. However, cavalry-dominated Turkish armies could cross the desert in a short time and raid China.
The fact that it is in a place where raids can be made to China is perhaps more important than the advantages it provides in terms of defense in the selection of Ötüken as the center. Because at that time, while most of Asia lived a very modest life, China was a wealth center where large amounts of agricultural products, silk and fabric could be produced. It is the nature of the business for the khan who rules the state to be in a place where he can reach the riches most easily.
In addition to its geopolitical, geostrategic and military importance, Ötüken also has significant advantages in terms of accommodation and living conditions. Ötüken is seen as the most suitable area for Turks to live, with its highland and winter quarters, streams, lakes, mountains and hills, as well as grazing areas that are extremely suitable for animal grazing. In accordance with the life style of the Turks, there are wide plains where animals can graze and fields suitable for hunting. Ötüken is also located at the intersection of trade routes.
In the north of the region, forest and steppe meet and the region is relatively wet. For this reason, there are opportunities for farming and hunting. Here, people can also make a living by hunting and fishing and even harvesting wild berries. For this reason, the region has the means to accommodate and feed a certain amount of population without relying on agricultural societies (i.e. China).
In the Central Asian steppes in the south, agriculture and hunting-fishing opportunities are decreasing, and pet breeding remains the only solution. Even in normal times, it is necessary to constantly move over a large area in order to feed the animals. Since the region is completely desert during seasonal changes and drought periods, many animals and accordingly many people die of hunger, thirst and cold at such times.
For this reason, Turks, who can only raise animals in steppes, which are not sufficient to feed the population due to the sterility of nature, need various foodstuffs, clothing, etc. to lead a normal life. needs other economic means. Knowing this well, the Chinese established new cities on the borders from time to time in order to keep (that is, control) the Turks within the borders of China, and by establishing bazaars there, they enabled the Turks to shop easily.
By establishing such markets and giving people lands to settle in during times of civil war or climatic disaster, China has always encouraged Turks to settle within its own territory, but in a dispersed manner. They did this not because of the goodwill of the Chinese, but because of their historical strategy against the Turks and other steppe nations. China has done this in order to assimilate and Chineseize Turkish communities living a nomadic life by making them settled, that is, by breaking them from their cultural roots and changing their habits. Even today, the Uyghur Turks apply the same strategy. He tries to detach and Chineseize Turkish children, who he separated from their living spaces and his own society, from their own culture and roots by raising them like Chinese in concentration camps, which he calls education camps.
In accordance with this strategy, when the Gokturk Empire collapsed, the Chinese settled the Turkish tribes in their own lands with the promise of providing food and shelter, began to assimilate them by giving them Chinese names and encouraging them to dress like the Chinese, and to employ them as soldiers in their own army. In response to this, some leaders rebelled, but these rebellions were suppressed before the Turks, who were scattered among the dense Chinese population, could come together. For this reason, Kutluk, the founder of the Second Göktürk Khanate, When he started a new rebellion, he moved away from the Chinese lands as the first thing and settled here after capturing Ötüken as soon as he got stronger.
According to Tonyukuk, when Ötüken was captured, the Turks, who heard this, started to gather in this region quickly. As we mentioned above, Ötüken is a place where life can be sustained by hunting game animals and fish with its wide forests and rivers. In addition, in some valleys, agriculture can be done, albeit to a limited extent. Thus, it is possible for a large population to live in this region without relying only on livestock. Besides the historical, psychological and military reasons, these features, which are suitable for living, were also effective in the flow of people from everywhere to Ötüken.
This migration was also supported by Kutluk and his companions. Because, a sufficient population that can live collectively in a region that forms the center of gravity of the state without dispersing to large steppes means that the future of the state is guaranteed. In this way, the state center can be protected by a large population, and when needed, a large number of soldiers to form the central forces of the army can be gathered. The fact that the steppe trade routes pass through the Ötüken region provides ample opportunities to sustain a large army economically. This is the most important reason why Ötüken has always been seen as a blessed center, and it is repeated over and over in the Orkhon Inscriptions that the center of the state should be here and that the people should not leave this area.
Because population has always been the most necessary element for Turkish states. Due to the difficulty of the steppe living conditions, the Turks have never had a population as large as the Chinese. For this reason, the Turks could not form armies as large as China, and even if they succeeded, they could not gather a new army in a short time in case of the loss of this army. Because they had to wait until a new generation, at least of military age, was born in order to replace the dead soldiers with new ones. In other words, Turks have lived in a numerical disadvantage against agricultural societies with a high population growth rate throughout their history.
This situation is also the main reason why great massacres were not carried out against the tribes that were subjugated in the wars to ensure the unity of the Turks during the Gokturks period, and the defeated tribe was immediately incorporated into the state after the war. For the same reason, every newly established Turkish state first went to China or tried to bring back the tribes spread around. For example, when the Gok Turk State regained its independence in 682, its main policy was to bring back the Turkish tribes who had to go to China or were forcibly taken away.
The plan of Kapgan Kagan, who came to power after Kutluk, is also focused on solving the population weakness and the problem of feeding the population. For this purpose, he kept China under pressure in order to supply agricultural products and ensure the peace of the state, tried to attract the scattered Turks living in China to Ötüken and to bind all the Turks in the Asian Continent to him. In addition, he made an effort to enable the people to farm at a certain rate with the seeds he obtained from China.
The weakness of the population also had an impact on the military operations and conquest programs of the Turks. Although they rapidly included the sparsely populated steppe lands within the borders of the state, the Turks never preferred to invade China, which has a dense population, to settle there and take China under their sovereignty. Because they thought that if they went to China and settled there, they would lose their identity in the crowded Chinese population and become Chinese. Since the Chinese were aware of the advantage of their population advantage, they immediately settled even the smallest Turkish group in order to further reduce the population of the steppe communities, which they called bow-drawers, and they assimilated by teaching them all the necessities of settlement.
This population weakness and the possibility of cultural assimilation has always been a source of anxiety and fear for the Turks. This is the reason why they persistently try to preserve their current lifestyle and culture, even in areas far from China. For example, when Bilge Khan wanted to build castles, walls and temples in his country, Tonyukuk objected to this and stated that they were much weaker than the Chinese in terms of population and said: “We have no cities. We roam around looking for watery and pasturelands, and we live by hunting. All of our people can practice the art of war. When we are strong, we send our soldiers on raids, if we are weak, we retreat to the steppes and are protected. If we build castles to live in and change our old way of life, one day we will be defeated.”
Conclusion:
As a result, the reasons for the acceptance of Ötüken as an important center for the Hun, Göktürk and Uyghur States and all Turkish communities can be grouped under the following headings:
1. Ötüken is one of the Turkish states established from the earliest times. It is a historically important region as it is the center of gravity of the city.
2. Since this deep history has a permanent place in the memory of the society, Ötüken is also a symbol that unites the society culturally and psychologically. Therefore, when the Göktürk State was first established, it moved its capital to this region. Kutluk, who founded the Second Gokturk State, declared himself khan after capturing this region and this situation was accepted by the Turkish communities.
3. The natural structure of the region has the potential to feed a larger population compared to other parts of the steppe, as it allows hunting and agriculture together with nomadic livestock. Having a large population in the center of gravity of the state is of vital importance for the existence and integrity of the state.
4. The area is relatively easy to defend, as it lies between mountains and deserts.
5. The vast desert to the south is a barrier to the biggest threat, the Chinese army.
6. Ötüken is far enough to provide preparation time for attacks to be made in the form of raids from the Chinese border, and close enough to be made by Turkish armies, which are predominantly cavalry, quickly and in a short time.
7. China is adept at the indirect strategy, as seen in Sun Tzu's work, and has used this strategy successfully throughout history. The most successful application of this strategy against Turks and other steppe societies is cultural assimilation. Ötüken is located in a region far beyond the reach of Chinese culture. This is perhaps the most important feature for the survival of the Turks. For this reason, it is emphasized in the Orkhon inscriptions that they do not go to the regions close to China frequently, that the Chinese attract the Turks with beautiful words and silk fabrics, settle them in their own lands and destroy them by assimilation.
8. Ötüken is also a sacred place for the ancient beliefs of the Turks.

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