Letter from China 5: Xinjiang and Some of its Beauties

[dolorous_ett]

This is technically Letter 6, as I wrote Letter 5 a few days ago, concerning the charming mountain city of Kunming - but then unfortunately managed to lose the lot when I signed off without pressing the update button *headdesk*. Still, never mind, it wasn't that good. The title about sums it up: "The City Everybody Likes". Everyone likes Kunming. It's nice there - the sun shines, the food's delicious and there's a lot to see.

That's starting to seem quite a long way away by now - I'm thousands of miles away in Xinjiang Province. If you imagine China as a big red chicken, with its head looking out towards Japan, Xinjiang Province is its fluffy tail - if that's a properly respectful term for a province about the size of Europe...

Anyway, I've been here four days now. The first full day was in the provincial capital, Urumqi, which in some ways was slightly underwhelming. They make much in China of the ethnic diversity of Xinjiang (traditionally inhabited by Uighurs, an ethnic group which has as many roots in Turkey as in China) - but there wasn't much of that visible in central Urumqi. Yes, a few of the signs were in Arabic (the Uighur written system uses Arabic), but it wasn't universal by any means; yes, there were some distinctly Caucasian faces around, but just as many obviously Han Chinese ones; yes, there were street vedors selling generously spiced kebabs and who-knows-what sausages with flatbread (the Chinese word for this is nan, a fact that pleased me enormously), but the buildings were pure Chinese - all white tiles and blue windows, or the kind of Communist drab architecture you can see anywhere in China. And it was hot and dry - but not killing heat.

Still, that was to be expected - Han Chinese are being encouraged to move from the interior to places like this, with the result that the original inhabitants can become a minority.

After a day doing not much in Urumqi (I don't fly well), we set off for Turfan, an oasis town about three hours away. I don't think I've ever passed through such barren landscape - there was a long time where you could see no plants at all, though it was more greyish dust and grit than the golden sand I was expecting. There were settlements even in the lifeless bits, though - oil wells, a chemical factory and a most spectacular wind farm, with dozens of huge, white turbines throwing their arms around in the most impressive manner.

Turfan is a lot less obviously Han, though a lot of the time the temperature was in the 40s (Centigrade) and I wasn't in much condition to take much in.

Despite the heat, we did manage to see a lot of fascinating things - thanks largely to two very enterprising young Chinese women from the south, who needed two more bodies for a taxi in which to visit same sights, and decided that we would do.

First, the Flaming Mountains - famous in the Journey to the West for actually flaming, and stopping the pilgrims on their journey to collect Buddhist scriptures from India. They didn't really flame - but they were very red in colour incredibly hot, and I could believe the people who said they could fry an egg on them, though I did not attempt this as I don't care for fried eggs.

We saw a narrow, green gorge with a river running through it, in the middle of a sea of dust. They grow grapes there, and put them in latticed huts that are more hole than brick to dry into raisins. The contrast was unbelievable - grape vines below, utterly barren mountains, broken only by the occasional domed Muslim tomb, above.

Best of all, though, was the ancient city of Jiaohe, in the fork where two desert rivers meet - really unimaginably ancient - nearly 2000 years! Of course, by now a lot has gone, but a surprising number of mudbrick walls and foundations remain, including big temples, city walls, government offices and homes. It was an amazing experience, wandering around in the blazing sun, blown by a hot, dry wind from the barren mountains on either side, watching lizards skitter away at our approach, trying to imagine what was what, and what life must have been like at that time when my ancestors were still living in barbarian huts.

There is more to Turfan - much more. But if I write it I will miss my train, and never see the markets of Kashgar, which would be a dreadful shame.

 

Comments

[ignipes.livejournal.com]

Oooh, you're making me nostalgic for the Taklamakan. Even if 40 C is just a bit too hot. I can't wait to hear about Kashgar. I didn't make it over there when I was Xianjiang (or any place historically interesting).

I hope you're eating lots of melon. Oh, and mutton kebabs. Yum. Nothing is tastier. :)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to hear about Kashgar. I didn't make it over there when I was Xianjiang (or any place historically interesting).

In other words, you've been to places untouched by tourism, and I'm following the standard tourist route!

Agree with you completely about mutton kebabs, but am leaving the watermelon alone as it's one of the few foods I absolutely will not eat. That said, oh, the grapes! The grapes!

[bufo-viridis.livejournal.com]

They built a train line from Turfan to Kashgar? I'm sooo behind the news, obviously.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Yes, they did. Otherwise it's without question the most convincing mass hallucination I've ever seen. An air-conditioned hallucination, at that!

Don't beat yourself up about it though - it's a very recent development - under 2 years I believe, possibly less.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I meant "a year or less". *headdesk*

[hannahmarder.livejournal.com]

That's very, very hot! It sounds amazing - really different. 2000 years is so ancient - it's incredible to think that some of the walls built then are still there and functional today. Update again soon and tell us about Kashgar!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It is different. Very different. To the point when I'm starting to feel guilty at doing something so non-Han Chinese on my trip to China when I should be brushing up my professional skills... but I am supposed to be on holiday, dammit!

[dharmavati.livejournal.com]

If you imagine China as a big red chicken, with its head looking out towards Japan, Xinjiang Province is its fluffy tail - if that's a properly respectful term for a province about the size of Europe...

I actually had to pause to go look at my globe to see what you were talking about. That is a large potion of land.

It all sounds really cool! The Flaming Mountains seem interesting, as well as the river running through the dust. I can imagine that everything must be rather breathtaking. I can't wait to hear about Kashgar!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It's really, really huge - that train journey was 1000km...

Glad you liked it.