The next territory of interest in terms of historical and genealogical connections with Kyrgyz tribes is the Eastern Tian Shan and Pre-Tian Shan (we primarily mean the territory of Dzungaria and Kashgaria), as well as Priirtyshye. In his time, A. N. Bernsham noted that historical documents (Tibetan documents published by F. Thomas) contain mentions of Kyrgyz tribes in the pre-Tibetan areas and in the territory of Eastern Turkestan, dating back to the 8th to early 9th centuries. S.E. Malov, in his research on the Lobnor language, concluded that this language is a direct descendant of the spoken language of the ancient Kyrgyz.
Ethnographic data also confirm the existence of ancient ethnic ties with this territory. Not only ethnographic parallels related to material culture but also historical legends, numerous testimonies about the movements of Kyrgyz tribes to Central and Western Tian Shan and in the Pamirs from the east, toponymy, folklore, and other evidence indicate that the range of distribution of Kyrgyz tribes in this territory was significantly wider at certain periods than it is now. They spread as far as areas adjacent to Tibet and Kashmir, maintained close relations with the population of modern Qinghai Province, and inhabited mountainous regions adjacent to Hotan.
Ethnographic records and data from literary sources largely document these connections. For example, the Kyrgyz have very ancient traditions of spells (badik) against snake bites, poisonous insects, etc. In one of the spells against the evil forces brought by snakes and harmful insects, it says: “Kökyönördun kölyönö köch! …kakshaaldin chölyönö köch!” (Resettle to Lake Kuku-Nor! …resettle to the steppe Kakshaala). Where did the name Kuku-Nor come from among the Kyrgyz? What connection does this remote pre-Tibetan area have with the Kyrgyz? According to some informants and geographer A. V. Stanishevsky, certain groups of Kyrgyz recently penetrated as far as Tibet, and now small Kyrgyz groups are settled in the mountains of Kunlun, relatively close to Tibet.
In this regard, attention is drawn to groups of semi-nomadic highlanders — the so-called "machintsy," briefly described by N.M. Przhevalsky. According to reports from certain informants, several hundred years ago, the Kyrgyz lived in the Hotan mountains, i.e., near the places where these so-called machintsy reside.
