Brief Introduction about the Uyghur Custom
Uyghur is Turkic-speaking people in the central Asia. They give their name to the vast Uyghur Region and Uyghur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang was given by Chinese, but live, for the most part, south and north of the Heavenly Mountains, in the cities and farmlands of the Tarim Basin oases. The name Uyghur means 'united' or 'allied'.

Their origins can be traced back to the early nomadic people, whose homelands lay south of Lake Baykal in present-day Buryatskaya and Mongolia and present day Tarim Basin. Legend states that the Turks are descended from the union between a boy and a she-wolf. Enemy soldiers killed the boy, and the she-wolf took to the mountains near Turpan, where she gave birth to ten boys.


The square mud-brick Uyghur homes are comfortable and quite spacious. Rooms are heated in winter by a brick supa, a platform for communal sleeping. It is covered at all times colourful wool and felt rugs, as are the walls, which have decorated niches for food and utensils. The villagers use their flat roofs for drying melon seeds and grain, and the many families who tend vineyards have an open brick-work drying room for grapes, either on the roof or in nearby fields. In an open courtyard, frequently shaded by trailing grapevines, or in a deep cellar under the house, families relax during the intense heat of the day

The majority of Uyghur tend fields of wheat, maize, vegetables and melons, orchards of apricots, peaches, pears and plums as well as vineyards. Many engage in the side-line production of silk and carpets. In the cities they work as traders, restaurateurs, factory workers and civil servants.

Uyghur dress is still quite traditional in the cities of Turpan, Kucha and Kashgar. The men wear three-quarter-length coats sashed at the waist over trousers tucked into high leather boots, and (though now more rarely) kaftans. The woman wear full, unwaisted dressed of variegated colours, often of homespun Etles silk, with heavy brown stockings; in earlier times their dress was more elegant. The more devout Muslim women still wear veils outside the house, but many women either cover their hair with a scarf or don the colourfully embroidered square doppa(cap), which is also worn by men and children .The doppas are beaded and couched in gold thread and, in earlier times, had distinct regional differences. Has are mow a question of personal preference and cost. Women enjoy wearing jewellery-red, blue or clear cutglass earrings and necklaces. Unlike the Chinese, they also wear make -up and paint their eyebrows and make up their eyes with Osma and Surme (special herbs to make up the eyebrow) and linking them together in a single line. Long plaits are common, but unmarried girls traditionally wear their hair in ten or more braids.

Great importance is attached to etiquette. Upon entering a home you are expected to rinse you hands three times from water poured by the host from a ewer. In partaking of the dastarkan-a cloth placed on the floor and laid with fruits and nan (Pan Cake , Bread cooked in tandoor )-you should stand with the family with hands together, palms uppermost, as if holding the Koran, then pass them over your face in downwards motion, a religious gesture of thanks and blessings. Forms of address are respectful and accord with the individual's status within the family. Older men stroke their beards in the Muslim sign of courtesy. The traditional greetings is Es Salaam Aleikum ('may peace be upon you'), the response being Wa Aleikum Es Salaam('and upon you'). Nowadays people in the cities greet each saying, Yahshimusiz? qandaqraq Ehwalingiz ?(How are you?)

Noruz is traditionally celebrated as the most gala event of the year within Turkish people and Iranian. Uyghur community also shares this festival. Uyghur celebrate it in his way. For them, it marks the beginning of spring; New Year. It is celebrated on March 21 every year. In Uyghur Region, people do not get official holiday, but celebrate it by organize traditional music concert, modern performances, poet reciting, traditional sports game.


Muslim religious festival are widely celebrated: in particular, the month long Ramadan fast, which culminates in several days of festivities known as Bairam or 'Minor' festival, and Korban or 'Major' festival. Korban is the celebrated Muslim New Year. In Kashgar, early morning services (6 am local time) can mean up to 10,000people flooding the Aidkah Mosque, its courtyard and the central square, where spontaneous dancing moves throughout the day to the rhythms of the drummers and horn players perched on the roof of the temple. Children roam the streets in packs, the small ones with handfuls of candy and noisemakers, and the bigger ones with holiday. Families who can afford it buy a sheep to be slaughtered on this festive day, and the whole family gathers for hours of feasting and celebration.

Weddings are merry occasions with music and dancing; can imam usually officiates and reads from the Koran. Until recently, national minorities were exempt from the one-child policy of the Chinese government, but efforts are now being made to introduce a limit of two children per family, being born a least three years apart-an extremely unpopular policy. Uyghur is not a polygamous


Uyghurs have a rich tradition of story telling, music and dance. Their folk instruments include the duttar, a two-stringed guitar, the Rawap, a six-stringed mandolin, and the sheepskin tambourine. Their dancing is elegant, full of twirling and delicate hand movements. Their folk songs include themes of exile, poverty, eager to freedom and love as well as humour.

Manuscripts and treatises on Uyghur medicine, which date back to a least the eighth century, include over 400 commonly used herbs and more than 200 prescriptions. A centre for Uyghur medicine in Kashgar has been particular successful in the treatment of skin deseases, especially vitiligo, known as 'the white wind sickness'. One treatment for this illness is a mixture of sugar, raisins, bird blood, mutton, grapes,


Carpet-weaving in Kashgar long story. Kashgar and Hotan carpets are famous in Uyghur Region. At present, Uyghur Region carpet are exported far and wide to many countries and have been collected by Victoria Museum and Albert Museum in London, England, Textiles Museum, New York in the United States, Frankfort Handcraft Art Museum in Germany,etc.
Not only can Kashgar carpets be hung on the walls of the halls but also can be laid on the floors of the rooms and on the corridors. The surfaces of the carpets are glossy and smooth. They are so straight, soft, pleasing to the eye and bright coloured that they will certainly add splendour to the houses, and are really and truly the ideal top-grade articles of furnishing the house.

The Yengisar small knife is one of the specially needed products by Uyghur people and the traditional famous brand handicrafts, and has a history of more than 200 years of its production. The Yengisar small knife is beautifully shaped, neat and bright. The hilt is carved with different decorative patterns.
The Yengisar small knives enjoy great fame and are exported far and wide to Japan, Pakistan and other countries in West Asia. Whoever tour Kashgar are willing to purchase with pleasure several friends or as souvenirs.


Kashgar Jade Sculpture is famous in Uyghur Region. Kashgar is both solid and finely textured, it surface sparkling and clear and the quality superb. There are sapphire, "Tes" chrysoprase, jet, "Gold Mountain" jade, topaz, jasper, etc. Kashgar Jade products have been exported to many countries the world over and deeply appreciated and welcomed.

Uyghur printed calico is good and cheap and possesses a rich characteristic of the Uyghur nationality. It is an exquisite folk handicraft article of the Uyghur. There are chiefly two kinds: one that is of block coloured printing with extremely complicated patterns and design and richly colourful. It can be used for wall coverings, wall hangings, waistband, sheets, mattress, table napkins, tablecloth, window curtains, door curtains etc. The other is the engraving blue printed calico, generally with clustered flowers being matched with scattered flowers, and largely used as sheets, wall coverings, etc.




Ethnic Arts and Crafts



Uyghur Rugs

Uyghur Region has a 2,000-year history of rug production, and Uyghur rugs enjoy a good reputation on the global market. They have been collected by many well-known museums and individual collectors. Uyghur rugs are known as "oriental rugs" due to their exquisite craftsmanship and unique artistic style, and are popular souvenirs for domestic and foreign tourists.


Yengisar Knives

Yengisar is a county in Uyghur Region, and the Yengisar knives have been produced for 400 years. They are made with exquisite skill, coming out in beautiful shapes and delicate designs displaying the unique Uyghur style. Then handle is smooth and bright, and the cutting edge is sharp and durable. Made of stainless steel, it can be put in boiling water and will not bend when cutting hard materials. Yengisar knives come in over 20 types with some 40 designs. These knives are not only a daily necessity, but an object of aesthetic beauty.


Etles Silk

Etles silk articles are the most popular silk among Uyghur women. They are made with only natural silk and ancient tie-dying skills, reflecting the cultural and geological characteristics of Uyghur Region . Etles silk is soft and vivid with bright contrasting colours. The local people use it not only to make clothes, but also to decorate their rooms.


Uyghur Embroidered Hats

The Uyghur people, both old and young, men and women, like to wear the four or five-angled embroidered hat all year round. Made with exquisite workmanship, it is brightly colored and decorated with beads. These hats have become the symbol of the Uyghur people.


Wood Block Printed Cloth

Wood block printed cloth is used to make wall hangings, belts, table cloths, curtains and so on. Using red, pink, green and yellow, they are designed with flowers, fruit, plants and daily utensils, creating a unique artistic style.


Earthenware

Among the pottery in Uyghur Region , the much imitated earthenware is the most famous. Both traditional skills and innovations have helped meet present demand. The pottery is beautiful to look at and has a practical use as bowls, plates, pots and jars. Most representative of this style is a local pot used for hand washing, which comes in different shapes. Uyghur Region earthenware has a special natural beauty that has always been attractive to domestic and foreign travellers.


Red Copper Ware

Red copper ware is one of the most important local crafts in Kashgar Prefecture of Uyghur Region . It has a long history and strong local characteristics. Red copper ware is made with superior craftsmanship and comes in beautiful shapes and designs. The local people use them both as daily necessities and as artistic treasures.

Traditional Instruments

The Uyghur Region people have long been known for their excellent singing and dancing skills, and Uyghur Region song and dance is a category of its own among Chinese arts. There are many traditional instruments in Uyghur Region which have been influenced by the ancient Western Region and modern Western instruments. There are a dozen traditional Uyghur instruments which are perfectly crafted and produce beautiful sound. It is quite an experience to watch the local craftsmen make these instruments.