Xinjiang Province
Xinjiang means ‘New Frontier’ literally and is largely populated by Mainland ethnic minority groups, such as the Mongols, Kazaks, Kyrgyzs and Uighurs. The northwestern border region of Xinjiang, lauded variously as a land of song and dance, melons and fruits, precious stones, and carpets, is situated in the heart of the Eurasia Continent. Xinjiang was also a key link on the Silk Road and a hub for east-west cultural exchanges in ancient times.
History. The recorded history of Xinjiang dates to the 2000 BC. There have been many empires, primarily Han, Turkic, and Mongolic, that have ruled over the region. Xinjiang was previously known as "Xiyu", under the Han Dynasty (206BC – 220AD), which drove the Xiongnu empire out of the region in 60BC in an effort to secure the profitable Silk Road, but was renamed Xinjiang when the region was conquered by the Qing Dynasty in 1759. Xinjiang is now a part of the People's Republic of China, having been so since its founding year of 1949.
Nomads & oasis dwellers. To grasp Xinjiang, begin with the region’s two principal groups: the pastoral nomads, north of the Tian Shan range, and the sedentary oasis dwellers, skirting the Tarim Basin. The original nomads were the Xiongnu, while the earliest known oasis dwellers were an Indo-European group generally referred to as the Tocharians. Over millennia, the ethnicities comprising these two groups have changed; however the groups themselves remained the basis of human civilization in Xinjiang.
Silk & horses. Although evidence of Hotan jade in China indicates that trade must have existed as far back as 7000 years ago, significant mention of the western regions doesn’t appear in the Chinese annals until the Han dynasty. In the 2nd century BC, in the hope of ending the devastating Xiongnu raids along their borders, the Chinese sought an alliance with the far off Yuezhi. Zhang Qian, the Chinese envoy charged with completing the mission, set out in 138BC into the hitherto unexplored west. He was immediately taken prisoner and held for 10 years by the Xiongnu, but he did succeed in discovering the northern and southern routes around the Taklamakan Desert and into Central Asia, as well as the exceptional Ferghana horses. While other goods were imported into China during this time, none took on the importance of the superior Central Asian steeds. By the end of the 2nd century BC, the Han had pushed their borders further west, military garrisons were established along the trade routes and silk flowed out of the empire in return for the ‘Heavenly Horse’.
Buddhism. Along with goods from the west came ideas and languages, and by the 300AD Buddhism had taken root throughout the Tarim Basin. A number of powerful Buddhist city-states arose, chiefly in Hotan, Kuqa and Turpan, leaving behind beautiful artwork that blended Kashmiri, Persian, Indian and even Greek styles. Source: www.chinatourguide.com
Xinjiang means ‘New Frontier’ literally and is largely populated by Mainland ethnic minority groups, such as the Mongols, Kazaks, Kyrgyzs and Uighurs. The northwestern border region of Xinjiang, lauded variously as a land of song and dance, melons and fruits, precious stones, and carpets, is situated in the heart of the Eurasia Continent. Xinjiang was also a key link on the Silk Road and a hub for east-west cultural exchanges in ancient times.
History. The recorded history of Xinjiang dates to the 2000 BC. There have been many empires, primarily Han, Turkic, and Mongolic, that have ruled over the region. Xinjiang was previously known as "Xiyu", under the Han Dynasty (206BC – 220AD), which drove the Xiongnu empire out of the region in 60BC in an effort to secure the profitable Silk Road, but was renamed Xinjiang when the region was conquered by the Qing Dynasty in 1759. Xinjiang is now a part of the People's Republic of China, having been so since its founding year of 1949.
Nomads & oasis dwellers. To grasp Xinjiang, begin with the region’s two principal groups: the pastoral nomads, north of the Tian Shan range, and the sedentary oasis dwellers, skirting the Tarim Basin. The original nomads were the Xiongnu, while the earliest known oasis dwellers were an Indo-European group generally referred to as the Tocharians. Over millennia, the ethnicities comprising these two groups have changed; however the groups themselves remained the basis of human civilization in Xinjiang.
Silk & horses. Although evidence of Hotan jade in China indicates that trade must have existed as far back as 7000 years ago, significant mention of the western regions doesn’t appear in the Chinese annals until the Han dynasty. In the 2nd century BC, in the hope of ending the devastating Xiongnu raids along their borders, the Chinese sought an alliance with the far off Yuezhi. Zhang Qian, the Chinese envoy charged with completing the mission, set out in 138BC into the hitherto unexplored west. He was immediately taken prisoner and held for 10 years by the Xiongnu, but he did succeed in discovering the northern and southern routes around the Taklamakan Desert and into Central Asia, as well as the exceptional Ferghana horses. While other goods were imported into China during this time, none took on the importance of the superior Central Asian steeds. By the end of the 2nd century BC, the Han had pushed their borders further west, military garrisons were established along the trade routes and silk flowed out of the empire in return for the ‘Heavenly Horse’.
Buddhism. Along with goods from the west came ideas and languages, and by the 300AD Buddhism had taken root throughout the Tarim Basin. A number of powerful Buddhist city-states arose, chiefly in Hotan, Kuqa and Turpan, leaving behind beautiful artwork that blended Kashmiri, Persian, Indian and even Greek styles. Source: www.chinatourguide.com
Xinjiang Cuisine
The cuisine of Xinjiang reflects the region's many ethnic groups, and refers particularly to Uyghur cuisine. Signature ingredients include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice. Because of the Islamic population, the food is predominantly halal. Ethnic groups in Xinjiang generally have different cooking and eating methods. Han people in Xinjiang use chopsticks while Kazakhs eat with their hands. Ceremonial foods for certain groups include horse milk for the Kyrgyz and sheep entrails for the Xibe. The dishes of the Dongxiang people are prominent in Xinjiang-style restaurants. Signature Dongxiang dishes are noodles boiled in thick mutton soup and steamed twisted rolls.
Uyghur Food. characterized by mutton, beef, camel, chicken, goose, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, celery, various dairy foods, and fruits. Uyghur-style breakfast is tea with home-baked bread, hardened yogurt, olives, honey, raisins, and almonds. Uyghurs like to treat guests with tea, naan and fruit before the main dishes are ready. Sangza are crispy and tasty fried wheat flour dough twists, a holiday specialty. Samsa are lamb pies baked using a special brick oven. Youtazi is steamed multilayer bread. Göshnan are pan-grilled lamb pies. Pamirdin are baked pies with lamb, carrots, and onion inside. Xurpa is lamb soup. Other dishes include Tohax, a different type of baked bread, and Tunurkawab.
Primary Dishes. The primary dishes include Shou La Mian, Shou La Mian is a special type of handmade noodle, made from flour, water and salt. The dough is divided into small balls and then stretched by hand. The noodles are boiled until very soft and then served topped with stir-fried meat, vegetables (bell peppers, hot peppers, cabbage, onion, tomatoes), in meat stock. Other dishes include soups made of lamb or chicken; shish kebabs of lamb or beef; and polos (rice platters also known as pilaf, with lamb or chicken). Bread is the Central Asian-style baked flatbread known as naan, using sesame seeds, butter, milk, vegetable oil, salt, and sugar. Kebabs, seasoned with chili powder, salt, black pepper, and ziran (cumin), are eaten with the skewer parallel to the mouth, gripping the kebab closest to the end with one's teeth and sliding it off the pointed edge into one's mouth. Another popular Xinjiang dish is Da Pan Ji, which is literally translated as 'Big Plate Chicken'. Spices include cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, sultanas, and the fat of the meat is used for flavoring. Beverages include Chinese black tea, Kawas, a honeyed nonalcoholic drink, and other drinks available in other areas of China (bottled). Source: www.chinatourguide.com
The cuisine of Xinjiang reflects the region's many ethnic groups, and refers particularly to Uyghur cuisine. Signature ingredients include roast mutton, kebabs, roast fish and rice. Because of the Islamic population, the food is predominantly halal. Ethnic groups in Xinjiang generally have different cooking and eating methods. Han people in Xinjiang use chopsticks while Kazakhs eat with their hands. Ceremonial foods for certain groups include horse milk for the Kyrgyz and sheep entrails for the Xibe. The dishes of the Dongxiang people are prominent in Xinjiang-style restaurants. Signature Dongxiang dishes are noodles boiled in thick mutton soup and steamed twisted rolls.
Uyghur Food. characterized by mutton, beef, camel, chicken, goose, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, celery, various dairy foods, and fruits. Uyghur-style breakfast is tea with home-baked bread, hardened yogurt, olives, honey, raisins, and almonds. Uyghurs like to treat guests with tea, naan and fruit before the main dishes are ready. Sangza are crispy and tasty fried wheat flour dough twists, a holiday specialty. Samsa are lamb pies baked using a special brick oven. Youtazi is steamed multilayer bread. Göshnan are pan-grilled lamb pies. Pamirdin are baked pies with lamb, carrots, and onion inside. Xurpa is lamb soup. Other dishes include Tohax, a different type of baked bread, and Tunurkawab.
Primary Dishes. The primary dishes include Shou La Mian, Shou La Mian is a special type of handmade noodle, made from flour, water and salt. The dough is divided into small balls and then stretched by hand. The noodles are boiled until very soft and then served topped with stir-fried meat, vegetables (bell peppers, hot peppers, cabbage, onion, tomatoes), in meat stock. Other dishes include soups made of lamb or chicken; shish kebabs of lamb or beef; and polos (rice platters also known as pilaf, with lamb or chicken). Bread is the Central Asian-style baked flatbread known as naan, using sesame seeds, butter, milk, vegetable oil, salt, and sugar. Kebabs, seasoned with chili powder, salt, black pepper, and ziran (cumin), are eaten with the skewer parallel to the mouth, gripping the kebab closest to the end with one's teeth and sliding it off the pointed edge into one's mouth. Another popular Xinjiang dish is Da Pan Ji, which is literally translated as 'Big Plate Chicken'. Spices include cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, sultanas, and the fat of the meat is used for flavoring. Beverages include Chinese black tea, Kawas, a honeyed nonalcoholic drink, and other drinks available in other areas of China (bottled). Source: www.chinatourguide.com