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Uygur Minority
- Updated:
- Sep 11, 2009;
- by:
- China Highlights;
- Clicks:
- 464;
Uygur, signifying unity or union, is the nickname used for members of The Uygur ethnic group. With a population of 9.9 million, the Uygur people mainly live in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Others are scattered in Hunan and Henan Provinces. Their religion is Islamism.
The Uygur people possess their own language which is derived from a branch of Turkic in the Altay Language Category. After the introduction of Islamism in the 10th century, Uygur language based on Arabian alphabet was formed, and it evolved and developed into the current Uygur language.
Uygur people depend upon agriculture. They plant various crops such as cotton, grain, corn, and rice. Many are also good at gardening. The largest grape production area in China is situated in the Turpan Basin, located 184 kilometers from Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Eating Habits
Uygur people eat three meals a day. They like to eat pancakes, melon or guard jam, sweet jam, milk tea, and oil tea for breakfast, various staple foods for lunch, and pancakes, steamed dumplings, and noodles for dinner. Uygur people enjoy strong tea and milk tea. In summer different fruit and melons are consumed. Uygur people never eat pork or the meat of other animals which are not killed by people or without blood-shedding.
Costumes
Cotton clothes are their favorite. Men wear gowns, and fasten a long scarf around the waist. Women prefer one-piece dresses with bag-sleeves, colorful vests and silk scarves. Caps are an integral part of their costume. Uygur females embroider color and various pictures on the four surface parts of a cap, and knit them together. They then put an inner layer into it and set a black floss rim to seal the cap.
Women like wearing accessories such as earrings, bracelets, necklaces and so on. They also wear their hair long, and make braids. Girls will make about a dozen braids and drape them over the shoulder, while married women will make only two braids.
Architectural Style
Residential buildings of the Uygur people are characterized by courtyard clusters. Their entrance doors usually face the west. The Architecture is square with deep, front corridors. The layout of a hall is modest; the walls are white and blue decorated with hanging tapestries; the bed is placed close to the wall and the beddings are under a carpet with a pair of pillows on it. Normally in the middle of a room there is a long or round table; the furniture is usually adorned with an embroidered; folk pictures are placed on the ground. Uygur people like to grow various plants, flowers, fruit trees, and grapes.
Customs and Taboos
Marriage interview and marriage contract ceremonies are held before marriage as a show of respect and prudence towards marriage. A marriage interview is a necessary step that must be taken if a young man falls in love with and wishes to be married, or a family wants to arrange a marriage for its son. Before a marriage-interview, the prospective bridegroom must make sure that he knows his love's background, including her age, appearance, character and family members. He will propose the marriage when he feels appropriate. In many cases the man and the lady might have previously been in courtship. They would first agree to marry with each other and then ask the family members of the male to conduct a marriage-interview so as to publicize and make their relationship legitimate.
Rice cannot be put back once taken. After the meal, guests should not stand up or behave carelessly when the elder people are holding the Duwa rite (a local pray rite). At dinner time, all family members should first wash their hands and sit together with the seniors in front of the salt. It is very discourteous if somebody splashes the water on their hands. Never place the Nang (a local food like pancake) upside down while eating it. It is impolite to wear a small shirt or a cloth with a large collar. Normally the frock should extend to ones knee and the trouser should reach the foot-surface.
Uygur people never make their entrance door face west. When they sleep, they usually lie on their back with their head towards the east. When male friends meet with each other, they should shake hands, solute, touch their chest with two hands, and withdraw one step with their right arm on the left side. Females should solute after meeting each other and then say goodbye. Two hands should be used when receiving gifts or treated with tea.
Festivals
The Uygur people observe Islamism, and their grandest festival is the Corban festival, which falls on the tenth!["Bull]("/image/travelguide/nationality/dong-minority/bullfighting-festivals)
Before the festival, people are busy with cleaning the house, making festival foods, and preparing livestock beforehand. The livestock should be healthy, and the breed of livestock varies depending on one’s financial condition. Sheep, cattle, and chicken are the common choice. The meat will be divided into 3 parts: one for the family, one for relatives and friends, and the other for donation.
On the morning of the festival, people will take a bath, dress up and gather at major mosques for worship ceremony, which is of the largest scale of the year. People should fast for half a day till the end of the ceremony. Then they will go back home and kill the livestock and separate the meat. After that, people go out to extend their festival greetings to their relatives and friends. There will be singing and dancing performances at public places.
Corban festival, as a religious festival of Muslims, is similar to other festivals in terms of promoting social harmony. People celebrate and share happiness with each other, which enhances promotes social contact and harmony among the ethnic groups celebrating the festival together.
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See Also
- Bai Minority
- Naxi Minority
- Dai Minority
- Miao Minority
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