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Kashgar
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which is
located in the heart of the Eurasian Continent known as
the Western Regions in ancient times. It borders upon Mongolia,
Russia. Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tajikstan, Afghanistan,
Pakistan and India, covering an area of 1.66million sq.
Km, about one-sixth of the national total. The Silk Road
in Xinjiang was divided into three routes: the southern,
the middle and the northern. Along the 2,000km Silk Routes
there are numerous ruins of ancient cities, beacon towers
and cultural relics. Lining the routes are many multi-national
region marked by distinctive features of both spoken and
written languages, music and dancing, and customs of the
ethnic minorities in accordance with their different background
of history and civilization and religious beliefs.
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There is one word that best describes the
Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region: exotic. There is no other
province quite like it in all China. Taking up more than
one-sixth of the country's landmass, Xinjiang is China's
largest province, bounded by a 5,000-Kilometer (3,125-mile)
frontier which borders no fewer than eight other nations.
It embraces the Taklamakan Desert, the largest in China,
as well as some of the country's highest mountain ranges.
In winter, the temperature is well below freezing. In summer,
it is scorching. It is not just geographical splendor that
makes Xinjiang special. The ancient Silk Road
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passed through this region, linking China
with faraway ports on the Caspian and Mediterranean seas.
Those Links left a strong impression on the region that
remains today. Xinjiang is home to many magical oasis towns
that were once crucial staging posts on the most celebrated
trading route the world has ever known. This is where you
will discover one of Xinjiang's greatest attraction-its
people. The natives of the province are Uygurs, a Muslim
race who appear more Central Asian than Chinese. Some even
have fair hair and blue eyes. The Uygur speaks a language
which is Turkic in origin. Indeed, the influence of civilizations
to the west is strongly seen and felt everywhere across
Xinjiang, notably in the long Uygur tradition of showing
hospitality to outsiders. Their music, dance and custom
are fascinating and delightful. As for the food? The smell
of delicious barbecued lamb and mutton Kebabs is omnipresent.
Visiting Xinjiang is like entering a strange and exciting
world.
WELCOMING TO KASHGAR
Every year Uygur people celebrate a number
of religious festivals. The most celebrated highlights in
the life of Uygur are the Lesser Bairam and the Corban.
The dates of Muslim festivals change annually for they are
based on the Islamic calendar. According to Islamic doctrine,
the ninth month on the Islamic calendar is a month of fasting.
On the night of the last day of the month people will see
if the crescent moon is out to decide if the next day (the
first day of the 10th month) will be the day of fast -breaking.
If the moon is not seen, people will continue their fast
but the extension period will be on more than three days.
Kashgar, a town of over 100 mosques, Muslims
are led by local imams to the Idkah Mosque for a whole city
celebration. From dawn to noon, people pouring into the
square. Each group is led by an imam clad in a robe wearing
turbar. On the way they will stop after walking a short
distance to recite the Koran and repeat this seven times.
By 2:00pm. a gathering of 100,000 strong is found in the
square in front the Idkah Mosque and the ceremony now officially
begins. The Corban festival is in 24,Feb, 2002. The Muslims
great each other and pour our of the mosque and square.
Music is heard coming from the tower of the mosque to mark
the beginning of a great fanfare. On the street all you
can hear are the footsteps and Koran reciting by Muslim
disciples. All the shops in the city are closed and people
mustn' t go to work.
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