Xingjiang – “Land of Diversity”

The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in northwestern part China, covers an area of 1.66 million square kilometers, making up one sixth of China's total area. It has a population 1 6 million, including the Han people, and 1 3 ethnic groups, such as the Uygurs, Kazaks, Huis, Kirgizs, Xibes, Tajiks, Uzbeks, manchus, Daurs, Tatars, and Russians. Urumqi is the capital. 
     Xinjiang is attractive for its beautiful landscapes. The magnificent Tianshan Mountain lies from the east to the west the middle, cutting Xinjiang into the north and the south. In e north is the Junggar Basin sandwiched by Mt. Altay and :. Mt. In the south is the Tarim Basin, the largest basin China, with the boundless Taklimakan Desert at the center mmed in by the mountains of Tianshan, Kunlun, Karakorum, d Altun, and the Pamir Plateau.
     Xinjiang has served as a link of international trade between e central Asia, South Asia and the West Asia and Europe. The ancient Silk Road in Xinjiang has left behind many historic :es, such as the ancient cities of Gaochang, Jiaohe and Beiting, the ruins of Loulan, Niya and Subashifo, several Thousand-Buddha caves, and ancient tombs, which are under ate protection. The long history, the brilliant culture, and the colorful Iklore of the minority peoples make Xinjiang attractive for urists. The hospitable people of Xinjiang are always ready to welcom friends from all parts of the world.

- Heavenly Lake (Tianchi): 115 km northeast of Urumqi at an elevation of 1980m, the small deep-blue lake is surrounded by hills covered with fir trees and grazed by horses. Scattered around are the yurts of the Kazakh people who inhabit the mountains; nearby are the 5445m-high Bogda Peak and some other snow-covered ones in Tianshan Range.Labeled as a Chinese version of Swiss lakes, the area is frequently touristed in the summer months and offers a range of activities including horseback riding, hiking, boating and authentic yurt accommodation.
- Turpan: Hot is summer in this major tourist city of Xianjiang, situated in Turpan Basin, the lowest point on the mainland of China. The local people have developed karez, an irrigation system composed of wells connected by underground channels, to counter the heat and drought of the place. at the foot of the Flaming Mountain east of Turpan lies and Grape Gully (nickname: Green Pearl City"), an oasis where the scorching sun is shut off by luxuriant tree foliages and grapevine trellises that cover 220 hectares and are crisscrossed by irrigation ditches. No place in China is hotter in summer than the Flaming Mountain in Turpan, a mountain made famous by the classical Chinese mythological novel, Journey to the West. Xinjiang's largest ancient pagoda, Dorbiljin (Emin) Pagoda, (also called Sugong Pagoda) stands 2 km east of downtown Turpan. To the east lies Gaochang, which until the early Ming was a thriving town on the Silk Road; today it has been reduced to a 2 million-square-metre stretch of broken walls and deserted fields. The inexorable pace of history is even more keenly felt at Jiaohe, another ancient city that was deserted during the early Ming, leaving a pile of ruins west of Turpan.
- Kanas Lake: The Kanas Lake (Kanasi Hu), which means "beautiful, rich and mysterious" in Mongolian, can be found 150km north of Bu'erjin Town in Xinjiang. Nestled in the deep forests and mountains of Altay, the lake is 1,374m above sea level and covers an area of 45sqkm (10 times bigger than Tianchi on Bogda Mountain) with the deepest point of 188m. The long bean-shaped lake reflects the surrounding snowcapped mountains. In autumn, it presents a picturesque landscape of forests in a riot of colors with gold, red, blue and green, which excites your sights and senses.Besides the famous legends about "Kanas Monster", the "Emei Spectacle", that light up the clouds after a morning rain, adds another air of mystery to the lake. The practices of the Tuwa Tribe and Altai Mountain rock-paintings have been attracting explorers and travelers to this area for decades.
- Mt.Tianshan: The Tianshan Mountains, with a total length of 2,500 km, includes the Western Tianshan Mountain, the Middle Tianshan Mountain and the Eastern Tianshan Mountain. The Western Tianshan Mountain is located in the territory of Kazakhstan. The Eastern Tianshan Mountain and the Middle Tianshan Mountain cross the middle of Xinjiang in China. These mountains offer graceful scenery. Seen from afar, they are snow-capped and covered by glaciers with green trees and grass thriving up to the midway point. At the foot of the mountain, tinkling streams and oases provide a picturesque touch. The area is one of the bases of animal husbandry of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Local Culture and Art

Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has a rich and time-honored cultural tradition, shaped by a variety of ethnic groups and constituting an important part of the Chinese culture. Throughout history, different ethnic groups have developed their distinct artistic traditions in the vast western part of China, including the Uygurs, Hans, Kazaks, Huis, Kirgizs, Mongols, Tajiks, Xibes, Manchus, Uzbeks, Daurs, Tatars, and Russians. The diversity, openness, and integration of different ethnic cultures have made Xinjiang's culture what it is today.The ancient name of Xinjiang is Xiyu (the "western regions"). Since time immemorial, many different ethnic groups have been living harmoniously in this area. These hardworking and creative people have contributed to the world-renowned Xiyu Culture, which covers a wide spectrum.
     From rich stocks of folk music and dances to the musical masterpiece Twelve Muqam, from the folk epics Manas and Jianggar and the oral literature of Aken to the book Kutadolu Biliq (Blessings and Wisdom) finished in the 11th centuries, and from the Kizil grotto paintings to everyday folk ornaments and architecture, these cultural legacies, with their long traditions, are great treasures of the Chinese nation.

Food

Food in Xinjiang has much more of a Central Asian flavour than elsewhere in China and many of the dishes use Turkish and Islamic spices and flavourings. Much of the food here tends to be very spicy too, with peppers and chili used to much the same effect as they are in Sichuan, for their apparent cooling properties in the intenseheat.
- Roast Meat: Xinjiang roast mutton is as famous as roast duck is in Beijing and crispy suckling pig is in Guangzhou. A two-year-old sheep is slaughtered and skinned, daubed with salt inside and outside, and then coated with a mixture of eggs, chopped ginger and scallions, and pepper. The sheep is put into a stove to roast for about an hour until it turns golden brown.
- Rice Eaten with the Hands: The materials are fresh mutton, carrots, onions, vegetable oil, melted sheep's fat and rice. There are more than 10 kinds of this rice dish, mainly mutton, chicken and vegetarian, but the most common is the one using mutton. This food is soft, delicious and nutritious. It is a feature of festivals, funerals and weddings.
- Nang (Flatbread): Nang is a staple food for the Uygurs, just like steamed buns in northern China, rice in southern China and bread in Western counties. Making a nang is similar to making a pancake. The materials include wheat flour, corn flour or sorghum flour, with such seasoning as sesame seeds, onions, eggs, vegetable oil, butter, milk, salt and sugar. With a golden yellow surface, nang are crispy and delicious.

Shopping

There are many commercial centers in downtown Urumqi, such as Shizi streets, the North Gate, the South Gate, Erdaoqiao, Wuyi Road, Hongshan Market and Youhao (Friendly) Market. Commercial activities are also busy in the areas inhabited by the Uygurs, who are talented businessmen and gifted artisans of arts and crafts. The famous local products are the small Uygur caps, silk and satin from Aidelis, knives from Yengisar, carpets from Hotan, and raisin, dried apricot slices, walnut, and fresh fruits.

Transportation

- By Air: Situated about 17 km (about 10.6 miles) northwest of the city center, Urumqi International Airport (URC) is one of the busiest air hubs in China. The airport meets the 4E Standards Airport of the International Civil Aviation. Every week, over 700 flights leave here for 53 destination cities in China, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Harbin, Guangzhou and Qingdao, etc.
- By Train: Urumqi is linked by rail to six major Chinese cities, including Xian, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Zhengzhou and Lanzhou. Due to the great distances, we strongly advise you to take hard or soft sleeper berth. Train services also connect Urumqi with other main cities in Xinjiang, such as Korla, Aksu, Kuitun, and Liuyuan. The train station is in the southwest part of the city. It will cost you 10 Yuan to take a taxi from the city center to the station. There are ticket offices situate in Huanghe Lu and No. 3 in Jianshe Lu. Remember to buy tickets at least three days in advance.
- By Bus: Long-haul buses go to most cities in Xinjiang every day. There are also special tourist lines to Heavenly Lake (120 km), Southern Pastures (75km), Turpan (200km), Shihezi (150km), etc.