Daily Times

During a recent visit to Xinjiang, it was learnt that the Chinese government had taken a number of concrete steps to provide mental peace to its residents. It has been reported that some members of the ethnic community felt deprived and had resorted to violence bordering on insurgency. Whereas the administration has not denied the Uighurs’ resort to remonstration and aggression in sporadic incidents, on one hand the Chinese government has let the course of law take care of the dissidents but, on the other, it has embarked upon an elaborate development plan for the uplift of the province. The New Silk Road or President Xi Jinping’s One Belt One Road project (OBOR) is likely to benefit Xinjiang the most. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) terminates at Xinjiang’s western city of Kashgar, which is already the lynchpin for the OBOR, an elaborate communications infrastructure into Central Asia and Europe.
The development project for economic uplift is taking shape and new industrial cities, special economic zones, roads and rail networks are evolving. Simultaneously, the steps taken to provide cerebral peace to the residents of Xinjiang province, along with maintaining their ethnic identity, taking pride in their cultural customs, traditions and norms while adopting measures to turn their heritage into a revenue building enterprise, must also be lauded.
We also witnessed an impressive four-dimensional Silk Road show, which was rich in symbolism, choreography and performing arts by highly talented ethnic minorities. The diversity of Chinese culture is evident from its different races continuing to thrive in maintaining their cultural traditions and lifestyles as well as gaining fruitfully from their heritage. One such resort is the Kazakh folk village, located about 90 kilometers from Urumqi. The Kazakh, among 56 ethnic groups officially recognised by the People’s Republic of China, descend from a nomadic race, which moved along grasslands drifting from one green pasture to another as the weather changed cyclically and have now settled in Xinjiang. At the Kazakh folk village, they retain their traditional customs of residing in camel skin tents (yurts), weaving rugs and carpets, preparing their ethnic cuisine and presenting dances, replicating their wedding customs and other Kazakh conventional rituals, which attract many tourists. The revenue generated by the resort plus the subsidies and stipends received from the government provide them with a decent livelihood.
In addition to the folk village, the Kazakh maintain a resort at the heavenly lake, in Tianshan Tianchi National Park, situated at an elevation of 6266 feet. Above and beyond presenting boat tours of the lake, typical Kazakh delicacies are offered in their yurts, which are beautiful inside with lots of brightly coloured and decorated rugs, quilts and wall hangings.
Similarly, the Kyrgyz, Hui and other minorities have been reinstated in government provided modern housing facilities with all amenities at a reasonable cost. They receive government stipends as well as maintain their herds, farms or resorts to provide additional revenue. An important consideration is that the minorities are assured employment in various industrial and economic uplift projects including managerial posts, depending on their qualification and experience.
To assure the maintenance of peace of mind, the Chinese government has established creative industrial units where local artists, performers and artisans have been allocated space to practice their specific skills. Located in various cities, the facility offers studios for painting, sculpture, calligraphy, weaving, sewing, stitching, performing arts like drama, music and numerous other proficiencies. The ethnic minorities and retirees make full use of the facility to utilise their talents, as well as showcase their dexterity and market it to earn revenues. Art exhibitions, festivals and other galas are also organised to bring fame and fortune.
Uighurs, the largest ethnic community of Xinjiang, who were also at the forefront of ‘disturbances’, have received ample attention in all creative projects. One of the most prominent Uighur traditions of music, the muqam, includes songs, dances, folk and classical music, and is characterised by diversity of content, choreography, musical styles and instruments used. The songs vary in rhyme and metre, and are performed solo as well as by groups. The lyrics contain not only folk ballads but also poems written by classical Uyghur masters. The Xinjiang Uighur muqam has developed four main regional styles, namely the 12 muqam, dolan muqam, turpan muqam and hami muqam. In 2005, UNESCO designated The Uighur muqam of Xinjiang as part of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The Xinjiang government has established a museum and village of ethnic musical instruments at Kashgar, where traditional musical instruments are manufactured and breathtaking performances are rendered for tourists and visitors.
The freedom to practice their religious rites is an important component of cerebral peace. It is heartening to note that Uighur Muslims and other ethnic minorities continue to observe their beliefs and spiritual customs, traditions and mores with ease.

The writer is a former group captain of PAF, who also served as air and naval attaché at Riyadh. Currently, he is a columnist, analyst and a television show host