JOURNAL OF RELIGIOUS HISTORY, cilt.47, sa.4, ss.586-603, 2023 (AHCI)
The original beliefs of the Uyghurs, which have
been overshadowed by their conversion to Manichaeism and Buddhism, have not
been thoroughly studied until recently. However, Uyghur inscriptions as well as
Chinese and Islamic sources provide us with some information regarding their
beliefs. In the first part of this article series, the Uyghurs’ belief in
various cults related to celestial and natural beings was explored. In this
second part, other religious elements will be analyzed. The Uyghurs possessed a
cult of ancestors, in which souls were believed to fly away. Funeral ceremonies
called yoγ are noted to contain
animal and human sacrifices as well as self-harming activities. Worship
included animal sacrifice and idol worship. Qam
(shamans) performed rituals, including fortune telling and weather magic. Religious
terminology included qut (divine fortune),
ülüg (destiny), yol (luck), and yazuq (sin).
They held the numbers seven and nine in high esteem as sacred numbers, while
sacred lights descending from the sky and the sacred consort of a mythological
ruler were important motifs. Although some scholars have written that Buddhism
was practiced by the Uyghurs before their conversion to Manichaeism in the 760s,
further research has shown that this was not the case. This article also reveals
how their ancient beliefs survived even after their conversions to major
religions.