Bumin Qaghan (Old Turkic: 𐰉𐰆𐰢𐰣:𐰴𐰍𐰣, Bumïn Kagan) or Illig Qaghan (伊利可汗, Pinyin: yīlì kěhàn, Wade-Giles: i-li k'o-han) was the founder of the Göktürk Khaganate (552 CE).
Bumin was the eldest son of Ashina Tuwu (吐務 / 吐务). Under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan, the Göktürks continued their existence as a tribe subject to the Rouran Khaganate. In 552 he defeated the Juan-juan in a raid, destroyed their state, and thus founded the Göktürk state and declared its independence. In addition, Chinese sources note that Bumin Qaghan was referred to in the Rouran Khaganate by the title "Tumen" (土門, 吐門, commander of a ten-thousand-strong unit).
Bumin was the chief of a Turkic group that lived under the sovereignty of the Rouran (Juan-Juan or Rouran)—according to some researchers, in a federative manner. He was later given the title Tumen ("土門" / "土门", "head of ten thousand"). He invaded and plundered the borders of the Western Wei dynasty (Tabgach) state, which began to reign in China in 534, and in 542, when there had as yet been no contact with China, he appeared near the Yellow River.
In 545, the first contact with the Western Wei was established when the Western Wei prime minister Yü-wen T'ai sent as envoy An No-P'an-t'o (An Nuopanto, Nanai-Banda, originally from Bukhara), a Sogdian from Chiu-ch'üan, in order to initiate trade relations. The following year Bumin sent an envoy to the Western Wei and offered goods as tribute.
In 546 he suppressed the revolt of the Tiele (or Töles), who had risen against the Rouran, and brought them into submission. He requested to marry the daughter of the Rouran qaghan. However, according to the Chinese chronicle books, the Rouran qaghan A-na-kuei (Anahuan) sent an envoy to Bumin conveying the words: "How dare a blacksmith slave like you have the audacity to ask for my daughter?" His request was thus crudely rejected. Enraged, Bumin killed the envoy. On the basis of this statement transmitted from historical Chinese sources, the Göktürks are described as "blacksmith slaves" (鍛奴, Pinyin: duànnú, Wade-Giles: tuan-nu) working under Rouran sovereignty. Some researchers have associated this with the slavery system of the Rouran. Others have argued that it may have been a 'vassalage' system peculiar to Rouran society. According to Denis Sinor, this arrogant statement by A-na-kuei is sufficient evidence to show that the Turks were specialized in the arts of blacksmithing.