Mahmud al-Kashgari
His name is transcribed with Chinese character 統, which means "main silk thread &gt; guideline, to unite, to command, to govern". Karakhanid scholar Mahmud al-Kashgari, writing in the 11th century, glossed "toŋa" in Middle Turkic as basically meaning tiger. Gerard Clauson argues against Kashgari and states that "toŋa" means vaguely "hero, outstanding warrior".