State Secretary criticizes encyclopedia cover about Jusup Balasagyn

Kyrgyzstan's State Secretary Arslan Koychiev has publicly criticized the cover design of a new five-volume encyclopedia honoring the medieval scholar Jusup Balasagyn. Koychiev voiced his dissatisfaction on Facebook, stating that his personal conception of Balasagyn differs significantly from the depictions used in the encyclopedia, which was published by the Kyrgyz National University.

Koychiev suggested alternative representations, proposing that Balasagyn might have resembled figures like Muraybek Ryskulov, Suymankul Chokmorov, or Tolomush Okeyev, prominent artists and cultural figures in Kyrgyzstan. His critique resonated with many online users who also expressed disappointment with the encyclopedia's visual presentation.

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I represent our ancestor Jusup Balasagyn differently. For example, similar to Muratbek Ryskulov, Chokmorov, Okeyev, Chorotegin.

Many commenters pointed to the image of Jusup Balasagyn featured on Kyrgyzstan's 1000 som banknote as a more accurate and fitting portrayal. One user specifically advised the university's editorial team to consider this existing representation in future publications. Another commenter called for an investigation into those responsible for editing and releasing the encyclopedia, suggesting they should be held accountable and fund a revised edition.

The encyclopedia, part of an initiative titled "100 Books for the 100th Anniversary of the National University," was reportedly presented in February 2025. Each volume has a reported print run of 500 copies. The project was prepared under the leadership of Professor At Tokur Zhapanov.

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The image of our ancestor Jusup Balasagyn was very well conveyed on the 1000 som banknote. The KNU team that released the book should have taken this into account.