KUTADGU BILIG – YUSUF HAS HACIP

KUTADGU BILIG – Yusuf Has Hacip

Kutadgu Bilig, written in the 11th century by Yusuf Has Hacip, is a foundational work of thought that explores the relationship between the individual, society and the state through the concepts of justice, reason, happiness and virtue. This documentary approaches Kutadgu Bilig not merely as a historical text, but as a living legacy of wisdom whose traces must be followed.

At the centre of the film is Yusuf, a graduate student whose journey begins with a conversation with his academic adviser. What starts as a scholarly question gradually turns into a deeply personal and dramatic search. Following in the footsteps of Yusuf Has Hacip, Yusuf sets out on the road to trace the original manuscript of Kutadgu Bilig and to understand the historical path the work has travelled.

As the journey unfolds, the documentary investigates the identification of the original copies of the text and follows documents that reveal the manipulation of Kutadgu Bilig by Russian archaeologists. Through archival research, academic sources and historical records, the film exposes how the work was interpreted, appropriated and reshaped over time, shedding light on hidden power relations behind its transmission.

Supported by insights from leading scholars, the documentary weaves together academic analysis and personal inquiry. Yusuf’s inner questioning intersects with historical evidence, transforming Kutadgu Bilig from a text that is simply read into one that is rediscovered, questioned and reclaimed.

This dramatic documentary invites the audience to reflect on forgotten truths, contested histories and the enduring journey of justice as an idea that continues to resonate from the past to the present.