Xinjiang

Xinjiang (literal translation "New Frontier") is China's most remote western province. Several hours flying time west of Beijing brings you to ancient Silk Road cities that are closer to the Middle East than to Beijing. It is home to a sizeable Muslim population which also gives it a look and feel closer to Central Asia than to the rest of China. Unfortunately due to terrorism fears, it also has an overwhelming police and military presence that makes travel around the province difficult and time-consuming. But for those willing to put up with the inconveniences, it is a remarkably photogenic place.

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China is an enormous country; it's a full day of travel to get from Beijing to the country's Far West. First a flight to Urumqi, the province's capital city, and then a change of planes for another couple hours of flying time to reach Kashgar along china's far western border near Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan..

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The first thing you realize about this alleged Uyghur "autonomous" region is that it's very much in a state of Chinese military occupation. Due to Muslim extremist terrorism concerns, checkpoints and soldiers are everywhere. As I look back on this trip I sometimes marvel that foreigners are permitted to visit and see things like this at all because such images fly directly in the face of what the Chinese government likes to present to the outside world as a unified harmonious whole. Unlike most of the rest of China, which seems to have evolved and modernized beyond the need for red revolutionary propaganda signs, the heavy hand of communist party indoctrination is everywhere here as well. Below, me using Google Translate on my phone to decipher some of the propaganda signs that are everywhere in the province. Below that, some quick stolen snapshots of the heavy security presence.

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Always fun to find unusual English translations of Chinese signs!

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Kashgar is home to the world's largest statue of Mao Zedong,
another not-so-subtle attempt by the central government in Beijing to make clear who's in charge here.

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The Uyghur people of Kashgar look and dress nothing like the people in the rest of China. The place is quite popular with Chinese tourists looking for a taste of the exotic without ever having to leave home.

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Random mural found while wandering around Kashgar's back alleyways.

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The shimmering green Afaq Khoja Mausoleum, the holiest Muslim site in Xinjiang.
Built in 1640, it's a 17th Century family cemetery of the area's Islamic leader and family.

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Some of the tombs inside -- and outside -- of this vast mausoleum.

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Famous Id Kah Mosque, the largest mosque in China.
Constructed in 1442, it has the capacity to house 20,000 worshippers.

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There isn't a whole lot of variety when it comes to food in Xinjiang, but eateries run the gamut from small local-style family restaurants to vast dining halls that look like they were dropped straight out of royal palaces. Regardless of the venue however, the main course was invariably skewers of delicious meat.

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Kashgar has lots of old tea houses with pretty decor and artwork.
Below, a couple snapshots of the photographs hanging inside the Guli Tea House.

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Kashgar kids strike a pose as the sun goes down.

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Night falls, and the public square in front of the giant Mao statue is awash in bright neon.

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Gorgeous detail of the exterior wall of the Heritage Expo Park in Yarkand.

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The main mosque in Yarkand. The Chinese government has a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with Islam. Lest the worshippers forget who's the boss in this part of the world, the giant red banner over the entrance says "Love the (communist) Party. Love the country."

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Tomb of Sultan Sayid Khan, the founder of the Yarkand dynasty of rulers (1514�1682).

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Tomb of Ammanisahan, a famous Uyghur queen known for her musical talents.

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The completely deserted (except for us!) Hotan Museum has an impressive exhibit detailing ancient burial customs. Mummies are well preserved in this climate due to the almost total lack of humidity and precipitation. There was one docent who periodically looked up to make sure we weren't photographing anything, but her lack of real effort made it all the more tempting to snap a few quick photographs as keepsakes. Traditional coffin on the left, one of the mummies on display to the right.

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The Uyghur people were mostly friendly and would often smile at us,
quite a nice contrast to the heavy police and military presence.

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Camel rides for tourists at the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert,
the second largest sand desert in the world after the Sahara.

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More Chinese attempts to show the Han and Uyghur people as natural allies under the benevolent rule of Beijing.

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Pretty mountain scenery on the drive to the Kizil Cave Temple Complex in Kuqa.

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The Kizil Caves are a set of Buddhist rock-cut caves. This area was a commercial hub of the Silk Road and is said to be the earliest major Buddhist cave complex in China with development occurring between the 3rd and 8th centuries.

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Subash Buddhist ruins site.
This old temple complex was in continuous use from the 3rd to the 10th Century.

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The famous "Flaming Mountains" of Turpan. The name comes from the effect of viewing these mountains from afar in the searing summer heat, where the vertical erosion lines create a waving illusion as if the mountains are on fire. This area is also known China's "Death Valley," the hottest and lowest part of the country.

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Picturesque Mazar Village in Tuyuk Valley.

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One Uyghur family invited us into their home for some locally-grown watermelon and tea as we walked by. We noticed that they didn't extend the same courtesy to the many Chinese tourists who plodded up and down the streets; no doubt the presence of Westerners was as much a delight and a curiosity for them as they were for us.

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A couple more glimpses of life in Mazar Village.

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Soaking up 2,000 years of history at the Yar City / Jiaohe ruins,
site of the oldest, largest and best-preserved ancient mud city ruins on earth.