December 15th was declared “World Turkic Language Family Day” by a decision adopted at the 43rd conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), held on November 3, 2025. December 15, 1893, is the date on which Vilhelm THOMSEN announced the decipherment / reading of the Orkhon Inscriptions to the scientific world and the public at the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences.

Bilge Tonyukuk and his inscriptions are virtually identical to the Second Turkic Khaganate and the Orkhon Inscriptions. This article will provide information about Bilge Tonyukuk and the Bilge Tonyukuk Inscriptions.

Bilge Tonyukuk served as a commander, advisor, and spokesman during the reigns of Kutluk İlteriş Kagan, Kapgan Kagan, and Bilge Kagan, and left his mark on the Second Turkic Kaganate period thanks to his successful services and guidance.

Despite his successful services, local and international scholars have offered, and continue to offer, differing views on the identity of Bilge Tonyukuk and the origins of his ancestry. This is largely due to the scholars' inability to read and understand the texts of ancient Turkic inscriptions directly from the source and their inability to correctly interpret the information in contemporary sources.

Bilge Tonyukuk was born in China, as stated in the inscriptions he commissioned, but he was not Chinese. Both the information in the inscriptions and recent research and analysis prove that he was definitely Turkish.

This article provides information about the family roots of Bilge Tonyukuk, the Bilge Tonyukuk Inscriptions, the Bilge Tonyukuk Monumental Tomb Complex, and the museum built by TIKA to preserve the Bilge Tonyukuk Inscriptions, based on recent research, examinations, and documents obtained.

World Turkish Language Family Day, Bilge Tonyukuk, Bilge Tonyukuk Inscriptions, identity, wisdom