For most travelers, flying into Urumqi Diwopu International Airport (乌鲁木齐地窝铺国际机场) marks their first step into the Xinjiang province. The Urumqi airport is the primary transportation hub and one of only two airports in Xinjiang that offer international flights (Kashgar is the other).

In the hopes of making things as easy for you – the traveler – as possible, below I’ve tried to answer the top 4 question I receive about Urumqi flights in Xinjiang. If you have any additional questions, please put them in the comments section and I’ll keep this updated.

1. Which Urumqi Airport Terminal Do I Use?

The Urumqi International Airport is currently divided into three different terminals which are creatively named “T1″, “T2″ and “T3″. You can disregard Terminal 1 since it doesn’t accommodate any passenger flights, which leaves us only with Terminal 2 and Terminal 3.

TERMINAL 3

Urumqi’s Terminal 3 was opened back in 2010 and is the newest wing of the airport. Known for it’s “eagle’s wings” rooftop, it boasts a modern design and supposedly faster passenger check-in.

If you happen to be hungry, it also has the airport’s only overpriced KFC – which doesn’t sound great unless you compare it to T2′s “Best Food Burger” option. So I guess what I’m trying to say is…bring your own food.

There aren’t many duty free options if you’re flying international out of Urumqi. They have a perfume shop, a cigarette shop and a liquor shop, but they’re really not worth stopping by.

**You should use Terminal 3 if you are flying on China Southern. All other airlines fly out of Terminal 2.

TERMINAL 2

Urumqi’s Terminal 2 used to be the primary terminal prior to the T3 opening. It’s old, but it still functions well.

There aren’t that many food and drink options in Terminal 2, with the aforementioned Best Food Burger available before you enter the gate area. Past the security checkpoint there are a couple places to sit down and order tea or buy some last-minute, overpriced souvenirs, but that’s all.

**You should use Terminal 2 if you are flying any other airline besides China Southern.

2. Where can I fly to/from Urumqi?

Urumqi has become a major hub for travel not just within Xinjiang but also internationally. Considering it’s strategic location there’s no doubt that will continue to grow.

For simplicity sake, I’ll break out your flight options as either within Xinjiang, within China or internationally.

WITHIN XINJIANG

There are a total of 17 airports in Xinjiang, including the Urumqi International Airport (the Fuyun airport sometimes listed as Xinjiang’s 18th airport closed down in 1994). Although flights might not be available every day, Urumqi services all airports in the province.

*Shihezi airport is being moved and is expected to reopen in 2014.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

International flights to and from Urumqi have increased over the past few years, a reflection of the increased importance of Urumqi’s central location.

For those who are making Xinjiang a stop on their round-the-world adventures, here is a quick list of all the international destinations that Urumqi serves.

*Other smaller international are serviced on occasion, but these are the major ones.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS

Instead of listing them all here, just know that Urumqi International Airport is serviced by every major airport in China and a few smaller ones as well.

3. Where do I Purchase Urumqi Flight Tickets?

There are three primary ways that you can purchase tickets for flights to Urumqi but I’ll go ahead and tell you now that the best way is from the comfort of your computer. Thankfully it’s easy!

Here are all three options:

• At the Airport: ticket counters at the airport will sell you tickets on the spot, although I highly discourage this since you will have to pay full price for these tickets. They’re never discounted.
  
• Local Travel Agent: from within Xinjiang you can easily buy tickets at the many local travel agencies. They can often get you discount that are equal to or greater than what you can find online. There’s only one catch: 95% of these agencies only accept cash! It’s a great option if you want to avoid bank fees, though.
• Purchase Tickets Online: By far the easiest and most accepted way to purchase flight tickets in Xinjiang is online. The two most popular sites are eLong.net and Ctrip.com. I recommend either since they both offer English versions of their sites and accept all major credit cards.

4. Is there transportation to/from the Airport?

The most nerve-wracking part of arriving in a new city is getting from the airport to your hotel. I don’t know about you, but I’m always on high alert for getting ripped off, especially when I arrive at night.

When you exit the baggage claim area in both Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, you’ll find a line of taxis that are a common way to get into the city. As long as you always take a certified taxi (it has a meter) and they drop the flag on the meter, you’ll be fine. Expect to pay between 30-50 RMB depending on where you’re going.

Another option is to take the shuttle. They have a couple, some of which go to the city center while others go to the train station, all with stops in between. There is a desk right before you exit the doors, so be prepared with the name of your hotel and show the clerk. They’ll let you know if they can take you there. By doing this, you’ll save yourself some money, as the average shuttle costs less than 20 RMB.

At least, that’s my theory when it comes to Uyghur homes in Xinjiang, China. It’s for that reason (I believe) that the locals in almost every town along the ancient Silk Road put a lot of time and thought into their doors.

That’s right. Their doors.

Perhaps you’ve noticed it during your own travels to Xinjiang, but I’ll admit that their beauty completely escaped me for the first couple years I traveled the region. But once I noticed one, I couldn’t stop looking for cool doors.

Below is a mix of my favorite Xinjiang doors that I ran across in Turpan, Kashgar, Urumqi…and pretty much anywhere else in Xinjiang.

 A door in Turpan within the Emin Minaret complex

My favorite door of all time in Turpan’s Tuyoq Valley

A door in the Uyghur part of Turpan city proper

Another Turpan door. Can’t you tell from the painting?

An open door in Kashgar. Beautiful woodwork!

Nothing special, but this door in Kashgar’s Old City actually had nothing behind it. So why the padlock?

Not the greatest photo, but I love the doors to Kazakh yurts!

Xinjiang is known for some crazy things, but only one odd fact has landed the Chinese province in the Guinness Book of World Records: Xinjiang is home to the geographic center of Asia. It’s the point furthest from the sea than anywhere else in the world.

Think about that for a moment. Xinjiang – a land that China is investing millions over the next decade to become an Asian trade hub – is further from a sea port than any other location in the world.

To commemorate this achievement, a monument park has been erected 25 kilometers southeast of the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi. Two questions come to mind:

 1. Is it really the center of Asia?
2. Is it worth a visit?

Photo credit: Confluence.org

Where EXACTLY is the Center of Asia?

The exact geographic center of Asia has been debated for quite some time, but somehow Chinese cartographers conveniently decided that it should be located not far from Urumqi where they quickly built a tourist attraction.

The official coordinates, as officially measured by the Chinese in 1992, is 43° 40′ 50″ North, 87° 19′ 52″ East.

Translated into English: about 30 minutes by car from Urumqi.

Of course, such a prestigious title like “Center of Asia” doesn’t come without contest. Kyzyl, in Russia, also claims to be the center of Asia.

Funny little fact: prior to the building of this monument park by the Chinese government in the late 1990′s, the geographic location was marked only by a 2 meter tall wooden stake.

In order to construct the monument park, the village that was originally situated on the land was actually relocated a kilometer away. Each house was torn down and a new one was constructed just for the sake of this geographic measurement!

Visiting the Centre of Asia

Have you taken a picture standing over an imaginary line between two countries? Are you a sucker for things like the Four Corners Monument in the United States?

If that’s you, you might enjoy visiting the Center of Asia monument park!

Most people stop here on their way down to NanShan, the beautiful grasslands south of Urumqi. It’s not far off the G216 highway and you won’t be able to miss the funky gate that welcomes you as you enter.

The wing-like entrance gate to the Center of Asia

Once you enter, though, don’t expect too much more than a simple monument pointing to a specific spot. That’s it.

Here you can take your picture next to (or under!) a 22-meter high fixture with a golden globe on top. The circle surrounding the tower boasts a relief of all Asian flags as well as a map of the Asian continent.

If you have the extra time, make the quick stop. At the very least it will be one of those things where you can say to your friends and family when you get home “I stood in the center of Asia!” Not many people can say that, you know.

Each country of Asia represented. Photo by Confluence.org

Travel Tips to the Center of Asia

The most simple way to get to the Center of Asia monument is by taxi car or with a tour group. Costs will vary based on the season, but most often this trip will be combined with a visit to NanShan or Urumqi’s Number 1 Glacier.

• Entrance Fee: 30 RMB
• Chinese Name: 亚洲大陆地理中心 (Yàzhōu dàlùdì lĭzhōngxīn)
• Best Time to Visit: If you happen to be in the area in August, check around to see if the annual parachuting event is happening (usually mid-August). It might be worth hanging around to soak in the festivities!

On the cover, as you can see here, a Hui man labeled as a “Citizen of Sinkiang” stares at the reader with a youthful expression of confidence and curiosity. Forget World War II…what they heck does LIFE have to say about the far reaches of China?

Written by Theodore H. White and beautifully photographed by William Vandivert, LIFE claims this expedition in the 1940′s to be “The first accurate report on this mysterious land, since Owen Lattimore in 1927“.

Besides offering a visual history of the people and places of interest in Xinjiang (which is referred to in this magazine by its former English name ‘Sinkiang’), what struck me most were some of the ways in which the region was described.

Bathed in Blood

“Every now and then (1870, 1932) [the Chinese] have to contend with a rebellion of the Moslem masses, usually led by Chinese-speaking Moslem [now called the "Hui"]. These rebellions periodically bathe Sinkiang in blood. The massacres, though generally unreported, are spectacular.”

White actually spends little time dwelling on these massacres, but rather focuses on the “litter of races” that has been the cause. It’s interesting to see how he describes each ethnic group that he runs across, primarily because it is different from how many would describe them today:

• Kirghiz: “They are shepherds of upland pastures, are an attractive and civilized people”
• Tartars: “They have high social rating, many are rich”
• Kazaks: “They are nomads and bandits and consume huge quantities of kumiss liquor”
• Uzbeks: “…are as exclusive as the Tartars”
• White Russians: “They are mostly peasants and laborers but include some clerks”
• Chinese: ”Sinkiang’s merchant and ruling class…most Chinese are refugees from Manchuria”
• Uighur: “[They] are the chief landowners. They have been here since year 800″

The Chinese, White Russian and Uzbek women of Xinjiang

The Kirghiz, Tartar and Kazakh men of Xinjiang

During their visit in the 1940′s, the total population of Xinjiang was only 3,700,000. Of this number, 2,700,00 of them were Uyghur while only 182,000 were Chinese.

To compare, the latest census shows that Xinjiang is home to nearly 22 million people and is split almost 50/50 between the Uyghur and Han Chinese.

Chinese from Lost Manchuria

It is noted in the LIFE article that Xinjiang’s leaders were “nearly all Manchurian Chinese” and that “most of the officials today were officers in the forgotten Manchurian army of 10,000 men who retreated before the Japanese invasion”.

Xinjiang’s governor at the time was Governor Sheng (pictured to the right), who was known for implementing free education in native languages and a policy of equality between races.

According to James Millward in his book Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang, Governor Sheng’s tenure as governor was “the first time ‘Uyghur’ entered official and common use to apply to the Turki-speaking, non-nomad population of southern Xinjiang”.

Other Fascinating Quotes:

“Sinjiang is the cheapest province in China”

“Sinkiang is famed for low taxes and honest tax collectors”

“[Sinkiang's] trade has died”

“The big news about Sinkinag is that the U.S.S.R. has now given it back to China”

“[Uyghur] dancing consists more of handwork and head-weaving than of foot-work”

“There is just one steam roller [for construction] in all of Xinjiang”

A Uyghur dancer as pictured by Vandivert

Called a “Moslem Cemetery near Aksu”, I can’t place where this is. Perhaps it has decayed or been destroyed over time.

A government officials meeting in Korla, held every Monday morning.

A Uyghur man digging irrigation ditches

What this has meant for me and my wife is multiple invitations to weddings, meals and family get-togethers. Mind you this isn’t just our friends – it’s strangers making these requests as well.

If you’re going to spend any amount of time in Xinjiang you’ll likely receive a similar invitation. While the Central Asian culture is very forgiving to foreigners who don’t quite know proper etiquette, this is an opportunity for you to impress your Uyghur and Kazakh host by respecting their culture.

Take this quick lesson on Central Asian etiquette and you’ll be ready for any situation you face in Xinjiang.

Visiting a Uyghur Home

It’s such a privilege to enter into a Uyghur home. Whether entering a wealthy, modern home or a modest one, the general rules of etiquette remain the same for most Uyghur.

If the family is expecting your visit (and sometimes even if they aren’t!), you’ll probably find a table with a spread that looks fit for a king.

• Entering the Home: I’m not sure if this is an ancient practice or not, but with every household I entered I took off my shoes. Watch what your host is doing and follow suit. Handshakes and hugs are common among both men and women, but for men dealing with a woman always allow her to initiate contact to be safe.
• Washing Your Hands: Although not always the case in modern homes, be prepared to wash your hands prior to eating. The custom is to wash three times, allowing the host to pour water over your hands into a basin. Do not shake your hands to dry, but rather let them drip and lightly dry them with the offered towel.
• Eating with Your Hands: Once seated around the table (cross-legged if on the floor), you’ll probably find that eating with your hands is quite possibly acceptable, if not preferred. Most food is bite size, but in the cases where it is not (Uyghur bread for example), break it up into pieces to eat instead of biting off a piece.
• Drinking Tea: Tea is most likely the beverage you will be offered. When drinking, it is best to use both hands to bring the cup up to your mouth instead of one. It’s not really offensive if you don’t, but it looks weird.
• Completing the Meal: Finishing your plate of food indicates that you are still hungry (this actually goes for most of China and Central Asia, I think!). If you are getting full, leave some food on your plate. It won’t stop your host from offering you tons more food, but hopefully it will slow them down!

Visiting a Kazakh Yurt

When making your way along the border lands of western Xinjiang, you’ll likely run across many yurts dotting the grasslands (What is a yurt?).

Whether you pay to enter a yurt or are lucky enough to get an invitation from a local, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Watch Your Step: When first entering the yurt through the wooden door, avoid stepping on the threshold.
  
• Greeting: Shaking hands is common, as is kissing on the cheek for friends. For a man greeting a woman, you should probably nod and let the woman initiate any contact just to be safe. Women should follow the lead of any other women or just do what’s comfortable.
• Meal Time: Wait to be seated inside the yurt. It’s best to allow the head of the family to direct seating, eating and all toasting.
  
• Cleaning Up: It’s not rude to offer to help wash dishes and clean, but be prepared to insist hard if you really mean it. They probably won’t let you!

Eating in a Uyghur Restaurant

The etiquette for eating at a Uyghur restaurant really isn’t that much different than any other restaurant in China and Central Asia. Still there area  few things that you should keep in mind.

• Pay Before You Eat: Many Uyghur restaurants require you to pay up front when you order your food. This is common, so don’t think they’re trying to scam you.
  
• Eating with Your Hands: Eating with your hands is less common in a Uyghur restaurant (as opposed to in a home). Usually spoons and chopsticks are offered at the table.

Participating in Religious Activities

When it comes to prayers, visits to the mosque and religious festivals, be prepared for what seems like contradicting standards.

Because tourism plays such a big role in certain cities, any ignorance on your part won’t be offensive to the locals even though you may be politely corrected.

• Entering a Mosque: Many mosques in Urumqi and throughout Xinjiang are open to the public for a fee, even to those who aren’t Muslim. My wife would cover her head (not completely) out of respect even though we were never explicitly asked to. In the prayer halls, you’ll be asked to take off your shoes to walk around.
• Religious Festivals: If you’re invited to join a family in celebrating one of their festivals, such as Corban Festival or Ramadan, do it! It’s an unforgettable experience, trust me. It’s perfectly acceptable for you to take part, just be mindful of what others are doing and you’ll be fine.

So there you go! This should be a good starting point for any cross-cultural interactions you have in Xinjiang. Would you add anything else?

Turpan (also known as “Turfan” or “Tulufan”) boasts only about 300,000 residents and is located in what has to be one of the hottest depressions in all the world. For those who have visited Turpan in July or August, you’re nodding your head right now in agreement with me. It’s cook-a-burger-on-the-sidewalk hot!

It’s also only about two hours southeast of Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang province, so like I said it’s easily accessible. One of the big draws of this Silk Road city is that much of the tourist sites are all relatively close and easy to see in a 1-2 day time.

During our visit my wife and I had the chance to see the Jiaohe ruins, the Emin Minaret and all of the “must-see” sights in Turpan, but there is one trip that has been etched in my memory as the most fun site in Turpan.

Turpan’s Tuyoq Valley

The Tuyok Valley (Chinese: 吐峪沟 Tŭyùgōu) is not part of most of the 1-day itineraries you’ll see with any travel agency, so at first we were skeptical when it was suggested we check it out.

Hidden in a small valley between an extension of the Flaming Mountains, this gorgeous Turpan gem is surprisingly unknown to most travelers. Tuyoq Valley is a living museum of Uyghur history and a representation of the region’s glorious mixture of dry and fertile landscape.

Within a pleasant walking distance you can find:

• Uyghur folk homes: mud-brick Uyghur homes in all their glory.
• An old cemetery near the entrance with above-ground caskets.
• A Mazar that has become a Uyghur pilgramage site.
• A grape valley that is lush during the summer months.
• Ancient Buddhist caves rediscovered by Von le Coq in 1905.

The locals are pleasant and at every turn in the road we found ourselves pulling out the camera for one more picture.

Giving Life to History

Because we had hired our own driver (as opposed to joining a tour group), my wife and I were the only tourist in the valley during our visit. We had the entire place to ourselves as we stepped along the dirt paths and peeked through any and all open doors.

The most odd feeling during the visit was the change in attitude toward us as foreigners. In Tuyoq, where tourist are normal, if not annoying, nobody seemed to care that we were white. In fact, most of the locals flat out ignored our presence.

I didn’t mind. The truth is, it actually gave us the feeling that we had walked back in time and were exploring all of the ancient cities like Jiaohe and Gaochang back when they were inhabited. Children played in the stream, men gathered grapes to be hung to dry and the women took on the never-ending job of beating the dust out of the rugs.

Tuyoq City Layout

The layout of Tuyoq is fairly simple, mostly because it’s just so small. The tourist entrance is to the southwest of the valley and requires a short hike down across the river to the heart of the city.

It’s here in the heart that you’ll find one of the most recognizable buildings in the valley: the mosque. The four minarets shooting toward the sky can be seen from almost anywhere in the town and can help you get re-oriented if you feel lost.

To the north of the mosque is the grape fields and even further is where the ancient Buddhist caves are. At the time we visited, the path to the caves was closed, although any adventurous hiker could probably find their way there.

The further south you go on the path the more you’ll run across the brick buildings used to dry all the grapes (see an example of one in the picture below). Tuyoq is actually famous all over China for it’s oval-shaped seedless grapes as well as the raisins that are produced in these drying buildings.

Finally, to the west of the town is the mazar situated atop the hill. Officially called the Hojamu Tomb, Uyghur legend has it that five pious Muslims (and one convert) lived in Tuyoq to preach the faith. Their memory is honored by the fact that any Uyghur wishing to make a pilgrimage to Mecca must stop here first.

The Buddhist Caves near Tuyoq (not easily accessible as you can see)

A building used to dry grapes in Tuyoq

Tuyoq Travel Tips

Because Tuyoq is a good 70km to the east of Turpan and not extensively written about in major China travel guides, the following tips should be helpful as you plan your visit:

• Entrance Fee: It costs 30RMB to enter Tuyoq village and another 20RMB if you wish to enter the Mazar up on the hill.
  
• Transportation: While there are tour groups that include Tuyoq on their itinerary, I recommend grabbing a few friends and renting a taxi for the day. Work it in with other sites to the east of Turpan, including Gaochang and the Beziklik Caves.
• Other Tips: wear some good shoes for hiking as the paths aren’t paved for tourists (yet). I would also recommend some water (which is true for pretty much any Turpan tour) because it does get hot. Visiting in the morning or late afternoon is best if possible.

Xinjiang’s far west city of Kashgar is full of secrets.

Everybody loves to admire the beauty of the Id Kah Mosque and soak in the history of Kashgar’s Old City, so it’s hard to imagine anywhere else in this ancient Silk Road town that can compare.

Even as I took a taxi a few kilometers east of Kashgar’s city center, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect upon entering the Silk Road site known as Apak Khoja’s Mausoleum. Religious significance doesn’t always translate into worthwhile destinations, so I was prepared for a letdown.

It had already been confusing enough to try to figure out the name. I’d seen Apak Khoja, Abak Khoja, Afak Hoja and countless other spelling variations, but the Uyghur version seemed most fitting: Apakh Khoja Mazar (In Chinese - 阿帕克霍加麻扎).

A Brief Description of the Mausoleum

As I turned left toward the entrance,  jostling down the tree-lined dirt road and seeming to travel back in time, somehow I knew this was going to be one place in Kashgar I would really enjoy.

Once I got past the parking lot full of vendors and little shops and truly entered into the Apak Khoja complex, it took me a moment to get my bearings.

In all, the mazar complex is made up of a mausoleum, four prayer halls, one lecture hall and a massive Uyghur cemetery. Each building is a veritable shrine to ancient Islamic architecture and Uyghur woodcarving whose colorful tiles and beautiful paint are slowly being lost due to neglect and insufficient funds.

While the garden isn’t worth highlighting in a Home & Garden magazine and there is no amount of money that could get me to jump into the green, stagnant ponds, it all added to the feeling of being antique. Historical.

Gardens within the complex

One of the prayer halls with incredible woodwork

A lecture hall within the complex

The Fragrant Concubine’s Secret

One of the most famous stories that has come from this complex of ancient buildings concerns the Fragrant Concubine (also known as “Xiangfei”), a beautiful local woman who caught the eye of Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong.

Her alleged tomb is the centerpiece of this site, and her story is plastered everywhere. It goes something like this:

During Emperor Qianlong’s quest to expand the borders of China he became entranced by the beautiful wife of his recently defeated Kashgar nemesis, a woman who was famed for the intoxicating scent her body gave off without the use of perfumes or powders. She was carefully transported to Beijing to become the emperor’s newest concubine, reportedly wrapped in silks like a precious porcelain in a cart similar to the one you can see inside the mausoleum.

According to the Chinese she was granted every one of her desires, including a miniature oasis outside her new quarters in the Forbidden City, until she eventually resigned herself to her fate. For the Chinese she is a symbol unity between themselves and their new territory, a place which around this time was renamed Xinjiang, or “New Frontier”.

The Uyghurs, however, insist on a different version. They remember Iparhan (her Uyghur name) forever pacing in the Forbidden City, never happy. When threatened by the emperor’s mother to either resign to her fate or commit suicide, she boldly chose death over dishonor, a representation of the struggle the Uyghur face – even today – against Chinese rule.

Here’s her secret: Some accounts of this story claim that upon her death her body was taken back to Kashgar and buried in this mausoleum. Even the sign at the entrance to the Abak Khoja complex claims that “Xinafei [The Fragrant Concubine] was also buried in this tomb”. The truth of the matter is that recent evidence suggests that she was probably buried in Beijing.

Oops.

Secret of the Khoja Tombs

The beautiful mausoleum has a couple other secrets that it likes to hide. This place represents the tombs of 72 people, including Abakh Khoja for whom the complex is named and his father Yusef Khoja.

Count the tombs. There are only 58. So what happened to the other fourteen?

In the 1960′s an earthquake in the Kashgar region did quite a bit of damage to the mausoleum, including the destruction of many of these tombs. The building was repaired but the tombs were never rebuilt, hence the discrepancy in number.

Secret “City of the Dead”

Perhaps my favorite memory of the mausoleum is what is called the “City of the Dead”. If I hadn’t been looking for it I might have missed it.

To the north and east of the mausoleum, on the other side of the wall, is an above-ground cemetery that is home to thousands of tombs. I’ve seen similar mud burial sites around Turpan and along the Taklamakan oasis towns.

What you  may not know is that this City of the Dead used to cover much more area than it does now. In order to accommodate all the tourist, the cemetery was downsized and a concrete ground was laid.

Click to see more historical photos of Apak Khoja

Final Observations

So the stories about the Fragrant Concubine being buried here might not be true, but I would still recommend my friends to take a quick trip out here if they make their way all the way out to Kashgar.

The place is in desperate need of a face-lift, there’s no doubt about that, but the 30 RMB entrance fee is worth a look at the ancient architecture, mausoleum, and the City of the Dead. A living monument to Uyghur history!

Many people wish to keep the nostalgic feel of an ancient Silk Road oasis while others want to bring prosperity – and with it modernization – to this part of Xinjiang.

It’s a debate that has been played out multiple times throughout history in cities across the world.

In 2009 China began to tear down Kashgar’s Old City, promising safer homes and higher standards of living.

Two years and 20 million yuan later, China completed construction of the Kashgar Urban Planning Museum located on its own little island in the East Lake Park.

Inside are various exhibitions that showcase the Silk Road history, tourism models and special planning projects.

Most interesting of all, however, is the scale model of a “modern Kashgar” set up similar to what you’d find in Shanghai. As you look at the model in the photos below, try to use the East Lake as a frame of reference.

You are looking at the future of Kashgar. The future of Kashgar’s Old City. Some will love it. Some will hate it.

Photos courtesy Jingzhen News, Cqzlzz, and Mujaddid

Is this exhibit worth a visit on your trip to Kashgar? Probably not, unless you have extra time to kill or you’re especially interested in the future of Kashgar.

But it is interesting to note that China does have a very comprehensive plan for Kashgar, one that they hope will return the city to its Silk Road trading mecca status.

Read More about Kashgar:

• 7 Reasons Why You Should Visit Kashgar
• Photos of Kashgar, circa 1983
• What Remains of Kashgar’s Old City?

One of the most visually rewarding destinations in Xinjiang’s capital of Urumqi is the International Grand Bazaar (国际大巴扎). Nestled in the heart of Uyghur, Hui and Russian neighborhoods, it claims to be the largest bazaar in the world.

The bazaar grounds have played various roles over the past decade: a shopping center for tourist, a staging area for festivals, a place of worship for Muslims, and even an outpost for Chinese troops following the 2009 Urumqi riots.

From Urumqi’s South Gate (Nan Men), the kilometer walk down Jiefang Nan Lu is actually quite fun. Clothing stalls and hole-in-the-wall restaurants litter both sides of the street crowded with tourists and locals alike.

On the east side of the street you’ll begin to see a tower rising above the buildings and that’s when you know you’re getting close to the bazaar. It all looks so old, so historic, until you read the inscription on the small pyramid that greets you at the entrance to the bazaar.

Historical…Insignificance

“…completed on June 28, 2003.”

That’s right. There’s pretty much zero historical significance with the Urumqi International Grand Bazaar other than the fact that the land itself has been home to international trade for more than two centuries. Regardless, it remains a popular place to hang out in Xinjiang’s capital.

All in all, the complex is comprised of 6 buildings covering an area of 100,000m². This includes the tower, the mosque and all the shopping areas – of which there are plenty.

The primary reason you’ll find yourself walking through here is to grab that souvenir you’ve been searching for but haven’t been able to find.

A “Fantastic Shopper’s Emporium”

A travel pamphlet I once read called the International Bazaar a “fantastic shopper’s emporium”. While it’s not really my favorite place to shop in Urumqi, there’s no denying that there are plenty of things to buy.

Inside you can get your fill of mass-produced souvenirs including Uyghur knives, local musical instruments, a wide selection of Xinjiang fruits and nuts, and plenty of jewelry.

Also available for purchase is a wide array of rugs tapestries, but in my opinion they aren’t nearly the same quality as those found in Kashgar and Hotan.

Here’s my recommendation: if your time in Xinjiang is short and you’re afraid you won’t have an opportunity to shop elsewhere, by all means buy yourself some souvenirs at the Grand Bazaar! If you’re going to be traveling around Turpan, Kashgar, Hotan or other great places around the province, though, use the bazaar to see what you like and then buy on the road.

The International Bazaar Tower

In the center of the bazaar square is a large tower which, although it looks like an important Islamic building, is really just a tourists’ viewing deck.

You’ll never hear a call to prayer coming from this tower, even though it is modeled after minarets in the area. At night it is lit up in a glorious display that brings life to the rest of the square.

After entering the base of the tower and paying a fee of 20 RMB, an elevator takes you to the top of this viewing deck to give you a bird’s eye view of the International Bazaar and the expanse of Urumqi.

Check out the pictures to see if the view is worth the time and money for you. I will say this: the windows obviously hadn’t been cleaned in years when I was there and I left feeling a little disappointed.

If I were to do it again: I’d still wander all around the International Bazaar, but I don’t think I would go up the viewing tower. That money would have been better spent on a good Uyghur meal!

A view of Urumqi from the Bazaar viewing tower

A bird’s eye view of the International Grand Bazaar

Final Thoughts on the International Bazaar

To best appreciate Urumqi’s International Grand Bazaar, I always find it best for me to temper my expectations. Am I looking for a truly authentic Uyghur experience? Do I want hand-made souvenirs?

If I am, then I’ll probably walk away from the International Bazaar feeling like it was a tourist trap.

If, however, I want to enjoy some good food, stock up on what I know is mass-produced souvenirs, and enjoy the local atmosphere, then I usually walk away quite satisfied.

Set your expectations accordingly and then enjoy your visit to Urumqi!

According to Radio Free Asia:

Chinese authorities in the troubled northwestern region of Xinjiang on Thursday placed a city under security lockdown after deadly violence between ethnic minority Muslim Uyghurs and Han Chinese, police and Uyghur exiles said.

Police said a security clampdown had been imposed following clashes in Korla city in central Xinjiang, confirming an undetermined number of fatalities.

A regional spokesperson quoted by the South China Morning Post confirmed that the death toll was indeed 4 individuals.

Ethnic Clash or Stupid Argument?

Because this is Xinjiang, much of what has happened in Korla will be attributed to ethnic tensions and you’ll likely see news reports that inevitably end with the customary “In 2009, riots in Xinjiang killed nearly 200 people”.

As if these are connected.

An interesting report by Uyghurbiz.net suggests that this was no ethnic riot. Although hatred may have fueled the fire, the fight initially broke out at a downtown video game arcade.

Knives were produced and the afternoon went downhill fast. Both Uyghur and Han died.

————Don’t continue reading if you don’t like blood———–

Bystander Photographs

If you can’t stand the sight of blood, don’t look any further in this article. The following are photos from cell phones of the incident and the aftermath.

Further Reading on Clashes in Xinjiang

• Is it Still Safe to Travel to Xinjiang?
• The Effects of Massive Riots in Xinjiang: Before and After
• What Really Happened at the 2011 Hotan Riots
• The Urumqi Riots of 2009 – from Inside the Province