Synopsis
Christianity in Iraq VIII (2011)
Between 1902-1914 the German Turfan Expedition unearthed a library at the monastery site of Bulayiq in Turfan (north-west China) that yielded over 1000 Syriac, Christian Sogdian and Christian Uighur manuscript fragments written in the Syriac script. This wealth of material was brought to Berlin where it was preserved in various locations.
Since April 2008, this remarkable collection has been catalogued by an AHRC-funded project, The Christian Library from Turfan.
Liturgical and biblical fragments form the bulk of the Syriac manuscripts. There are also hagiographies (Bar Shabba and George), prayer-amulets and even pharmaceutical treatments.
The Christian Sogdian manuscripts include translations from the Peshitta, hymns and psalms as well as several bilingual lectionaries (Syriac-Sogdian), hagiographies and translations from East Syrian ascetical writings The Christian Uighur manuscripts include a marriage contract and Psalters.
Dated between the 9th and 14th centuries, this remarkable range of literature clearly shows that the monastery at Turfan was an outpost of the Church of the East whose dioceses stretched to China, to the old imperial capital at Chang'an, serving communities who were largely Turkic and Persian speakers.
Despite its far-flung location in China, the monastery's heritage lay westwards. Strong links were maintained with the 'mother church' in Mesopotamia, seen in the range of literature and the liturgy that was always recited in Syriac.
Several Hudras (liturgical cycles) found amongst the manuscripts, that are dated to the 9th or 10th centuries are the earliest examples of their kind and provide precious insight into the history and development of the East Syrian liturgy that has a relevance for the modern communities today.