Uyghurs, people, indigenous population of Uyghuria (East Turkestan, Xinjiang, Xinjiang - China) (approx. 15 million people). They also live in some areas of the CIS, India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. They speak Uyghur. Believers profess Islam, which supplanted in the 14th-17th centuries. shamanism, Manichaeism, Christianity and Buddhism. Anthropologically they belong to the Caucasian race with minor Mongoloid admixture.
The Uyghurs are one of the oldest Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia. Their ancestors, the nomadic tribes of Uyghuria, played a significant role in the Hunnic tribal union (3rd century BC – 3rd-4th centuries AD). The Uyghurs have been mentioned in written sources since the 3rd century. n. e. (including in the Orkhon inscriptions of the 8th century). In the 5th-8th centuries. The Uighurs were part of the Juran Khaganate and then the Turkic Khaganate. The process of ethnic consolidation of the Uyghurs ended in the 8th century. after the collapse of the Turkic Khaganate and the formation of the Uyghur early feudal state on the Orkhon River. In 840, the Uyghur state was defeated by the Yenisei Kyrgyz. Some of the Uighurs moved to Uyguria and the western part of Gansu, where two independent states were created - with centers in Gansu and the Turfan oasis. The first was destroyed by the Tanguts, and the second in the 12th century. became a vassal of the Karakitai, and in the 14th century. entered Mogolistan. The long reign of the conquerors, fragmentation and a number of other reasons led to the fact that the ethnonym “Uyghur” almost ceased to be used. Uighurs began to be called by their place of residence - kashgarlyk (Kashgarian), turfanlyk (Turfan), etc., or by their occupation - taranchi (farmer). However, the Uyghurs retained their ethnic identity and their language. In the 17th-18th centuries. There was a Uyghur state in Uyghuria, which by 1760 was captured by the Manchu rulers of China. National oppression and brutal exploitation caused numerous uprisings of the Uyghurs against the Manchu and later Kuomintang enslavers. With the victory of the people's revolution in China in 1949 and the formation of the XUAR in 1955, the economy and culture of the Uyghurs began to develop slightly.
The original occupations of the Uyghurs are agriculture and various household crafts; The working class began to emerge. The Uyghurs created a rich and unique culture (monumental religious architecture, musical and literary works), which influenced the culture of many countries in the East.
In the CIS, Uyghurs live in a number of regions of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan (total number 800 thousand people;). The Uighurs moved to Central Asia (mainly to Semirechye and Fergana) from Kashgaria due to oppression by Chinese rulers from the mid-18th century. until the beginning of the 20th century. In 1921, at a congress of Uyghur representatives in Tashkent, at the suggestion of academician Bartold V., the ancient self-name “Uyghur” was restored as a national one. Uyghurs in the CIS are mainly employed in collective farm production, some in industry. A national intelligentsia has emerged.
http://uighur.narod.ru/uighur.html
The Uyghurs believe that, according to legend, on the site of the Taklamakan Desert (“desert of death”, “homeland of the Tochars”, “you will enter and not return”), located in the center of the Uyghur region, there was its own civilization in ancient times, and that the ancestors of the Uyghurs came from exactly from those places.
Historically, East Turkestan forms one ethnocultural region with Central Asia. Turkic-speaking peoples are close in culture and history to the peoples of the Central Asian republics. Traditions, customs, national clothing, traditional music and musical instruments, culinary delights and much more closely connect the Uyghurs with the Uzbeks. The Uyghurs even have the opinion that the Uzbeks, Uyghurs, Turks and Tatars are “from the same breed,” and the Kyrgyz and Kazakhs are “neighboring.” However, I will not engage in reflections on the topic “what is Uzbek and what is Uyghur”; I will only share facts from the long-suffering life of the Uyghurs and the events taking place in modern Uyghur society. Everything described below is based on our own observations and study of real events.
NEW FRONTIERS
In ancient times, the well-developed Uyghur civilization had a huge influence not only on Central Asia, but also on China. However, in the 18th century, the Uighurs lost their independence under the pressure of the Manchu Chinese. The occupied territories became known as Xinjiang, which means “New Frontier” in Chinese. Since then, according to the Uyghurs, rebel revolts have broken out against the conquerors every now and then.
In 1949, the resettlement of the Chinese to East Turkestan began, as a result of which relations between the indigenous population and the Chinese settlers deteriorated. Today, tensions between the Uyghurs and the Chinese are expressed not only in the form of insurgencies by Uyghur separatists in Xinjiang, but also in clashes and hostility towards each other in everyday life. The Chinese, for example, are reluctant to eat in Uyghur restaurants and rarely travel to traditionally Uyghur cities, such as Kashgar, Turpan, Ili, and Khotan. Uighurs, in turn, do not travel to other provinces because it will be difficult for them to find a restaurant or cafe where food is prepared strictly according to Muslim laws; they avoid Chinese catering establishments, where food is mainly prepared from pork. The Uighurs call the Chinese “kofir” (infidel), avoid using the services of Chinese taxi drivers, preferring to pay money to “their own,” and do not give way to representatives of this people. “Hand-to-hand fighting,” especially between Chinese and Uighur youth, can be observed even in such an economically and culturally developed city as Urumqi. There is no need to mention weddings between representatives of these two nations - this is a taboo: for a Chinese it is considered categorically unacceptable to have a Uyghur bride or groom. And vice versa. Although there are precedents for creating marriages between Uyghurs and foreigners.
THE LARGEST PROVINCE IN CHINA
The Uyghur Autonomous Region or East Turkistan, adjacent to the Central Asian republics of Mongolia and Russia, is China's largest province. According to official statistics, the region is home to a little more than 16 million people, a good half of which are Chinese (Hanzi), the other part is the Muslim population, namely 42 percent Uyghurs, the remaining 8 percent includes ethnic Kazakhs, Dungans, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Tajiks , Russians and representatives of other nations. Uighurs believe that there are actually many more of them, but the Chinese government is hiding the real data. In essence, Chinese birth control (one family, one child) does not affect ethnic groups, but the birth rate among the indigenous population has sharply decreased and leads to the complete assimilation of the Uyghurs, which is in line with the demographic policy of the Chinese authorities. This situation is considered by international organizations as genocide of the people who have lived in this territory for many centuries.
Although the region is rich in natural resources, flora and fauna are abundant in diversity, the Uyghurs live in poverty. Most of the resources are sent to the eastern regions of China to equip the country's military, rather than to fight poverty and unemployment. Many key positions in power and government positions are occupied by the Chinese. Muslims working in government agencies were unofficially warned of dismissal if they attended a mosque. The number of Uyghur students studying outside of Xinjiang (such as at Beijing or Tianjin universities) is extremely small, making Uyghurs feel like outcasts. In a conversation with one Uyghur student from Tianjin University, it turned out that national minorities at the university are regularly oppressed, despite the fact that their representatives are among the best students. As a result, this girl was forced to quit her studies and return to her native Xinjiang.
NEW GENERATION CHOOSE CHINESE
For political reasons, many Uighurs send their children to Chinese schools, where they are taught only Chinese literacy. Thus, the new generation of Uyghurs is not able to read Arabic script, and they communicate much more literately in Chinese than in their native Uyghur. In addition, the change in writing in the seventies of the last century also played a role. At that time, the Uyghurs used the Latin script (old magazines and books written in the Latin script can still be found in underground passages in Urumqi), then switched to Arabic writing. Some experts are inclined to believe that this was done to prevent the reunification of the Turkic peoples of Soviet Turkestan with the inhabitants of Eastern Turkestan. Others claim that a council of Uyghur scholars was convened at that time, at which it was decided to adopt the Arabic script, which had been used by the Uyghurs since the adoption of Islam in the tenth century.
Last but not least, this is why the level of education of the Uyghur population leaves much to be desired. Thus, according to my observations, many middle-aged people, apart from everyday life, trade and survival in harsh conditions of poverty, have no idea about many things happening both in the country itself and outside its borders. Dislike for the Chinese, the Chinese language and everything Chinese is quite understandable, but this cannot justify illiteracy and ignorance of basic knowledge in the field of geography, biology, physics and so on. And this despite the fact that several centuries ago the Uyghur empire was considered the most developed and powerful in the Asian region.
RIOTS WITH A RELIGIOUS TENDER
In the 1990s, separatist groups were active in Xinjiang, rare cases of terrorism occurred, and spontaneous rebellions broke out. Memorable for the population of the Uyghur Autonomous Region were the dates when a bus exploded in Kashgar in 1990, and in 1992 in Urumqi. When authorities banned Muslims from attending mosques, riots and protests took place in the suburbs of Kashgar. The 1995 uprising in Khotan also took on a religious hue, when the authorities decided to change the imam.
But the most serious were the unrest in the town of Inin, bordering Kazakhstan, that occurred in 1997. Demonstrations by Muslims demanding the return of their religious rights from the authorities ended in open rebellion, which was brutally suppressed by the Chinese army. Few today dare to remember those times. Meanwhile, the recent report about the destruction of the terrorist training center of the Uyghur “East Turkestan” in Xinjiang, classified by the UN as a terrorist organization in 2002, is perceived by the public as nothing more than a screen for the next extermination of the local population.
The Chinese mistakenly attribute Uyghur separatism to the Islamic religion. Under the guise of the fight against terrorism and radical Islamist groups, the authorities oppress the entire people. And the Uyghurs have practically no opportunity to propagate their ideas. For example, due to limited sources of information, few people knew about the nomination at the end of 2006 of a successful businesswoman, politician and fighter for the rights and freedom of the Uyghur nation, Rabia Kadir, for the Nobel Peace Prize. And even those who knew kept quiet about it.
The Chinese authorities, on the contrary, are quite good at bringing ideology to the masses, building a less religious society in the Uyghur Autonomous Region. Freedom of religion is persecuted, all sorts of measures are taken to limit “religiosity,” and the concept of a “secular society” is cultivated among the Muslim population. In order to limit schoolchildren's attendance at Friday prayers, boys are strictly ordered to come to school during the holidays. During the holidays, working Uyghurs are given alcohol as gifts - Chinese vodka with a specific smell - “baijiu”, which is translated from Chinese as “white liquor” or “white spirit”.
At first glance, the rights of Muslims in Xinjiang are not infringed upon by the authorities. Everywhere, even in small towns, you can see open doors of mosques and people coming to evening prayers. But they say that all mosques are under strict control, and imams are appointed only by the authorities. One Uyghur family advised us not to make charitable contributions—“zakat”—to the mosque itself, since the money is stolen by the servants of the “house of God,” but to directly transfer it to poor families.
There is also an Orthodox church in Urumqi, founded by Russian settlers who moved to East Turkestan in the thirties of the last century. Chinese who attend this church are not persecuted unless they are members of the Chinese Communist Party. However, missionaries who arrived from America cannot openly preach and convert “non-believers” to Christianity. Because the authorities are confident that, under the pretext of studying Chinese and Uyghur cultures and languages, American preachers are carrying out their mission underground, which is contrary to the laws of the Communist Party.
MEANWHILE, LIVING STANDARDS ARE RISING
Despite all the facts of oppression of the Uyghurs, infringement of their religious rights, interference in the internal affairs of the Uyghur region, which acquired the status of “autonomous” in 1955, newspapers, magazines, and television and radio programs are published here in the Uyghur language, and at universities, schools and units of the Chinese army, stationed in the Uyghur Autonomous Region, special canteens, cafes and restaurants have been opened for Muslims.
In addition, the Chinese authorities are making more and more efforts to improve the standard of living in the Uyghur region, develop industry, exports, and attract foreign capital, for which in 1994 Urumqi was named a special economic zone. In the outback, more and more people began to drive cars rather than ancient means of transportation. Business and trade, especially with Central Asian countries and Russia, are developing. Many cities receive government subsidies. Thus, one cannot ignore the fact that the living standards of the people in Xinjiang have improved significantly over the past decade.
However, the efforts made by the Chinese authorities to pacify and improve the situation in this region are not welcomed by all devout Muslims, for whom living according to the laws of their ancestors and Friday prayers are more important than accumulating wealth that they cannot take with them to the Hereafter.
AND THE WALLS HAVE EARS
In general, it is quite difficult to obtain any information, since the Chinese authorities have taken all necessary measures to stop the leak. People say that in China even the walls have ears, and foreigners who come looking for any information about the Uyghurs and their situation are sternly warned: “Keep quiet for your own sake and for our safety.” In private conversations, people can criticize the communists and the system, but it is almost impossible to openly support or fight for the independence of the Uyghur people, even within the same family - under the threat of arrest. As we were told, the Uyghurs also have their own “postmen,” who, for the sake of little encouragement and “state security,” report conversations of neighbors and friends to the right authorities. All Internet sites from the category that includes the BBC, Wikipedia, Human Rights Watch, as well as all sites dedicated to the Uyghurs, are blocked by local providers.
Uyghurs
UYGURS-ov and -gur; pl. People living in China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan; representatives of this people.
◁ Uygur, -a; m. Uyghur, -i; pl. genus.-rock, date-rkam; and. Uyghur, -aya, -oe. Uh village. U. language. In Uyghur, adv. Speak Uyghur.
Uighurs(self-name - Uyghur), people in China (7.5 million people). They also live in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, etc. The total number is 7.77 million people (1995). The language is Uyghur. Believers are Sunni Muslims.
UYGURSUYGURS, people in Central Asia (cm. CENTRAL ASIA), live in the eastern regions of China, as well as in Kazakhstan (220.3 thousand people, 1999), Kyrgyzstan (50.8 thousand, 2004), and Uzbekistan. The total number is about 8 million people. They speak Uyghur. Believers profess Sunni Islam, which supplanted shamanism, Manichaeism, Christianity and Buddhism in the 14th-17th centuries. Anthropologically they belong to the Caucasian race with minor Mongoloid admixture.
The Uyghurs are one of the oldest Turkic-speaking peoples of Central Asia. The Uighurs have been mentioned in written sources since the 3rd century AD. The process of ethnic consolidation of the Uyghurs ended in the 8th century after the collapse of the Turkic Khaganate and the formation of the Uyghur state on the Orkhon River. In 840, the Uyghur state was defeated by the Yenisei Kirghiz. Some Uighurs moved to East Turkestan and the western part of Gansu, where two independent states were created - with centers in Gansu and the Turfan oasis. The first was destroyed by the Tanguts, and the second submitted to the Karakitays in the 12th century, and in the 14th century entered Mogolistan. During this period, the ethnonym “Uyghur” almost ceased to be used. Uighurs began to be called by place of residence - kashgarlyk (Kashgarian), turfanlyk (Turfan), or by occupation - taranchi (farmer). However, the Uyghurs retained their ethnic identity and their language.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, a Uyghur state existed in East Turkestan, which by 1760 was captured by the Manchu rulers of China. Due to the oppression of Chinese rulers from the mid-18th to the early 20th century, Uyghurs moved from Kashgaria to Central Asia (mainly to Semirechye and Fergana). In 1921, at a congress in Tashkent, a decision was made to restore the ancient self-name “Uighur”. In 1935, this name was adopted in China. With the formation of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 1955, the Uighurs of China received some autonomous rights.
Their places of residence are mainly in the regions of Southern Xinjiang: Kashi, Khotan, Aksu, as well as the city of Urumqi and Ili County in Northern Xinjiang. According to the 1988 census, the number of Uyghurs in Xinjiang is 8.139 million people (47.45% of the population of Xinjiang, in rural areas the proportion of Uyghurs is 84.47%, in rural townships 6.98%, in cities 8.55% ). The original occupations of the Uyghurs are agriculture and crafts. They created a rich and unique culture (monumental religious architecture, musical and literary works), which influenced the culture of many Eastern countries.
encyclopedic Dictionary. 2009 .
See what “Uyghurs” are in other dictionaries:
- ئۇيغۇرلار ... Wikipedia
- (self-name Uyghur) people in China (7.5 million people; 1992) They also live in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, etc. The total number is 7.77 million people. The language is Uyghur. Sunni Muslim believers... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary
UYGURS, Uighurs and Uyghurs, units. Uyghur, Uighur, husband. A people of the Turkic linguistic group living in the eastern regions of the Kazakh SSR and in some areas of Western China. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary
UYGURS, ov, units. Uyghur, ah, husband. A people living in northwestern China, in certain areas of Central Asia and Afghanistan. | wives Uyghur, I. | adj. Uyghur, aya, oh. Ozhegov's explanatory dictionary. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova. 1949 1992 … Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary
Uighurs- Uyghurs, b. Uyghurs and Uyghurs... Dictionary of difficulties of pronunciation and stress in modern Russian language
Uyghurs- (self-name Uighurs, Dungans) people with a total number of 7770 thousand people. Main country of settlement: China 7505 thousand people. Other countries of settlement: Kazakhstan 185 thousand people, Kyrgyzstan 37 thousand people, Uzbekistan 36 thousand people, Russian Federation 3 thousand… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
East Turkish people mentioned in Chinese chronicles from the 4th century. according to R. Chr. According to some scientists, the former Turkish peoples called themselves U., and the name U. is identical with the name of the Finnish Ugrians, or Yugras: when moving to the west, the Turks mixed with ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron
One of the ancient Turkic languages. Peoples Center Asia, indigenous people of modern times. Xinjiang Uyghur Aut. r in the PRC, where their number is. is approx. 5.3 million people (Evaluation, 1970). U. also live in the USSR, northwestern India, and Afghanistan. Language U. (New Uyghur)… … Soviet historical encyclopedia
Uighurs- UYGURS, ov, plural (ed Uyghur, a, m). People living in northwest China, as well as in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan; people belonging to this nation; language Uyghur, a Turkic family of languages; Sunni Muslim believers. // well Uyghur... Explanatory dictionary of Russian nouns
- (plural) – the name of another Turkic. people in China Turkestan, whose state extended to the upper reaches of the Yenisei and around 1000 AD. e. experienced its heyday, at present - the name Turk. nationalities in the east of Kazakhstan and in the west. China (Ushakov 4,... ... Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language by Max Vasmer
Books
- Essays on the history of the Kazakh SSR, Vyatkin M.. The book presents a general picture of the development of the Kazakh national statehood from ancient times to October 21, 1868. The essays include the following sections: I. Pre-class society on ...
Uyghurs – ancient people, whose history goes back to the distant past.
The ancestors of the Uyghurs were the inhabitants of East Turkestan, and the first mention of the Uyghurs found in chronicles dates back to the 1st century AD.
According to the results of numerous studies, the racial identity of this people is ambiguous, and represents mixture of European and Mongoloid races in approximately equal proportions.
By the 5th century, the Uyghur people had created a fairly rich cultural heritage and their own written language. The main occupations of the Uighurs at the dawn of their origin were: agriculture, nomadic cattle breeding, fishing, hunting, as well as household crafts, but at the same time, like any other nation, there were talented people who made a contribution to history and cultural prosperity.
They wrote music, literary works, created architectural structures and studied various sciences. They did not have strict rules regarding religion, so the same people were simultaneously adherents of Buddhism, shamanism, Manichaeism, Mazdakism and other teachings.
The ancient Uighurs looked like representatives of the Mongoloid race, but today their face shape and skin color more close to European, while maintaining dark hair and eye color. These changes indicate incest between the Uyghur people and other nationalities.
By the way, formation of Mongolian culture owes much to the Uighurs, their more developed neighbor. Some historians even believe that the main achievements of the Mongols in writing, architecture, literature, their traditions and religious views were completely borrowed from the Uighur people.
Until the 18th century, the Uighurs occupied own prosperous territory, until their state was captured by the rulers of China. After the capture, until the middle of the 20th century, these people were subjected to oppression and all kinds of hardships, and only in 1955 China granted the Uyghurs the territory now called Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and tried in every possible way to help new members of society assimilate into their state.
Today the Uyghur population is small - less than 11 million people, while over 10 million live in China and practice Sunni Islam, once brought from Central Asia during the period of Islamization.
The rest are located in nearby states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkmenistan. Uyghur language, which belongs to to the Turkic language group, still exists, but it has changed significantly during the difficult history of this people and acquired a couple of dozen dialects and dialects, so basically modern representatives of the Uyghurs speak the language of the country in which they live.
Until now, they are common among the Uyghurs. "men's unions". This tradition represents the selection of a certain number of men, the strongest and most courageous, who subsequently lead the community and help the rest of its members in every way they can. By the way, some representatives of this people still carry their national edged weapons - just as their ancestors did many centuries ago.
Only families of gunsmiths who have been doing this for many centuries are allowed to make these weapons, and each generation teaches their heirs the family craft. And another interesting tradition says that the youngest or only son must certainly remain in his parents’ house, while the eldest must leave his father’s house after marriage. Uighurs can marry only with their coreligionists.
Over such a long history, the Uyghur people created about ten states many architectural monuments, literary works, arts, miniature painting and other achievements, the history of which has survived to this day and arouses the genuine admiration of everyone who is interested in it.
Some sources say that the ancient Uyghurs created more than 60 musical instruments that the world had never seen before, and their folklore, poetry and prose were very popular at all times.
Today in China the Uyghurs valued in show business and modeling, and directors are happy to invite them to filming, because they can easily play the role of Europeans, while speaking pure Chinese.
However, confrontation between the Chinese government and the Uighurs is still the case. Cases of oppression of this ancient people are leaked to the press every now and then and have quite a resonant opinion from other members of society. And I would like to end this story with a quote from a famous pacifist from the cartoon: “Guys, let’s live together!”
The Uyghurs are the indigenous people of Turkic East Turkestan. This is an established medieval nation that has its own language, culture and traditions. The Central Asian peoples call the Uyghurs Kashgarians, the Chinese - Changtou, and the Mongols - Khotons. For a long time, the country formed by the Uyghur tribes was called Uyghurstan or Uyguristan, Mogulia, Kashgaria, Little Bukharia and Eastern Tartary.
Where live
In China, the Uyghurs are the second largest Turkic Muslim people. They inhabit the main territories of the north-west of China, the border areas of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. There is a large Uighur diaspora in Turkey. There are such communities in the UAE, Pakistan, Belgium, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Canada, Sweden, Russia, Australia and Japan. Uyghur communities form traditional self-organizations that make up one or more neighborhoods in the city called mallya. At the head are the elders of the zhigit-beshi, whom the people choose themselves. Typically, such communities are members of Uyghur public organizations united in the World Uyghur Congress.
Number
There are approximately 11 million Uyghurs living in the People's Republic of China. 7,000 people - in the southeast of China in Hunan province. About 5,000 people live outside China, most of them inhabit the countries of Central Asia adjacent to China, where there are more than 300,000 of them: 248,000 in Kazakhstan, 50,000 in Kyrgyzstan, 20,000 in Uzbekistan and about 3,000 in Turkmenistan.
Name
There are several versions of the origin of the ethnonym “Uighur”:
- According to the Turkic philologist Mahmud Kashgari, Alexander the Great called the horsemen opposing him in Central Asia “khudhurand”, which translates as “like a falcon, from which not a single beast can escape.” Over time, the word was shortened to "hudhur", which later became "Uyghur";
- historian Abulgazi in his chronicle “Family Tree of the Turks” derived this ethnonym from Turkic roots and wrote that the word “Uyghur” was used to name the tribes by the legendary hero and ancestor of the Oguz tribes Oguz Khan. Translated from Turkic, it means “a supporter who has joined, who follows.”
Story
Historically, the Uyghur ethnic group was formed from geographically distant population groups, which were often of different ethnic origins. All of them lived in the territories of the East Turkestan region. And today the Uyghur ethnic group is divided into a large number of ethnographic groups:
- Lobnors
- dolans
- Turfans
- Khotanese
- Kashgarians
- Aksu people
- komuls
- Yarkandians
- Chuguchak people
- Atushians
- Uchturfans
- Kulja people
- half-mortsy
- machines
- abdals
- Corlinians
- Kuchars
Each group has its own cultural characteristics. The main part of the ethnic groups was formed as ethno-territorial groups, due to the large distance between the oasis ancient settlements, which were separated from each other by parts of the Taklamakan Desert unsuitable for human life. Some were formed as a result of tribal division.
Chinese geneticists conducted studies that showed that the Uighurs are 60% Caucasian and 40% Mongoloid. They estimate that mixing occurred about 126 generations ago (2,520 years ago). Later they conducted another scientific work, which showed 30% Caucasian race. Detailed research has revealed that the Uyghur people consist of many components in different proportions. The percentage of Caucasian and Mongoloid races differs depending on the place of residence of the Uyghurs. Genetically, Uighurs are more similar to East Asians.
Appearance
Uyghurs sew clothes mainly from cotton fabrics. Festive clothes are made from silk, cloth and velvet. Lobnors wear clothes made from kendyr. In winter, they wear robes lined with duck skins. Taglyks used to produce fabrics and clothing from wool.
As underwear, men wear long, open shirts with wide long sleeves and very wide trousers, which are gathered with a drawstring at the waist. Turfans wear a short shirt to the waist (kalta khantay) under their shirt. The outer dress is a chapan robe of various colors and a short khamcha jacket quilted with cotton wool. The chapan is sewn on a lining and covered with cotton fabric, striped or dark in color. There are fasteners at the throat and chest, and sometimes buttons are sewn on a cord folded in half. Such a lace is sewn along the entire width of the side. On the other side of the robe it ends in a loop.
In winter, Uyghur men wear cotton-lined trousers, wide leather trousers lined with fur, and lamb fur coats. When riding a horse, the tails of a fur coat or robe are tucked into the pants. In winter, a robe, shirt and jacket are tied with a belt made from a folded scarf. Sometimes a knife in a sheath, a pipe with a pouch, or a handkerchief was hung from the belt on the left side. The feet are put on leather boots, morocco or leather soft ichigi of red or green color. If they needed to go outside, they wore galoshes (kepish). Many wore leather, very high heeled boots with a tongue in the front that covered the knee. Stockings made of mata were put on the legs; in cold weather they were replaced with woolen stockings (paipak).
The headdress of the Uighurs is the skullcap (boryuk, or dopa). Ancient embroidered skullcaps consisted of a wide cylindrical part, with a conical or round top. The edge of the skullcap was trimmed with a strip of embroidered fabric. Today, small square skullcaps are increasingly worn. Warm cuff hats are made with a fur band and lined with otter and lamb fur.
Women's national clothing consists of a long dress of a tunic-like straight cut with a yoke, with straight armholes for the sleeves and a stand-up collar. The sleeves are sewn long and wide, sometimes with cuffs. On top of the dress they put on a sleeveless vest, which is trimmed with a border in the area of the sides and collar. Bloomers are wide at the bottom and intercepted at the ankle, sometimes decorated at the bottom with colored ribbon or embroidery. The dress has a clasp at the front. Previously, girls wore dresses with slits in the shoulder area, and the sides and collars were trimmed along the cut with colored braid, tied with ribbons or fastened with buttons. Married women from Khotan and Kurl who had children decorated their dresses in the chest area with ribbon stripes.
Women's outerwear differs from men's by the absence of a belt and brighter colors. In addition to the quilted short jacket, women wear sleeveless vests and jackets of a Manchu cut, which are distinguished by a collar neckline and a wide right hem. Winter clothing is no different from men's clothing. Poor people often wore one fur coat between them. For young children, overalls are sewn in which a shirt, stockings and pants are combined together.
Women braid their hair. Previously, girls parted their hair in the middle, left bangs on the forehead and braided five braids. Women were allowed to wear two braids only after the birth of a child or after a special ceremony of hair braiding. In Turfan, this hairstyle was allowed after the birth of three children. Silk black laces with tassels are woven into the ends of the braids. Sometimes instead of them they are woven with silk laces and black tassels, decorated with silver jewelry pendants. Girls and women wear skullcaps on their heads, which differ from men's in richer embroidery with beads and beads. In the cold season, they wear fur hats with a wider brim than on men's hats. From under the hat, a large white blanket made of mat or muslin descends onto the back from under the hat. On the front side, from under the cap, there is a white scarf made of transparent muslin, often bordered with tassels and embroidered along the edges. Women from wealthy families wore hats with a fur band.
Lop Nor women throw a white blanket over their hats and tie it below the chin. In the 19th century, Uyghur women still wore hats made of duck and swan skins with the feathers facing out.
Clothes are decorated with buttons trimmed with silver or gold; very often, clothes are embroidered in the collar area, edges and yoke of the dress. For jewelry, women wear rings with semiprecious or precious stones, bracelets and earrings made of precious metals. Coral and glass beads are popular.
Language
The Uyghur language belongs to the Turkic language group; the modern language of the Uyghurs is called New Uyghur and is considered the successor of the Uyghur-Karakhanid language.
New Uyghur is divided into many dialects and the following dialects:
- Lobnor
- central
- Khotanese
The Uyghurs have changed several scripts throughout their history. The ancestors of the Uyghurs around the 6th century created the ancient Uyghur script based on Sogdian. The Uyghur script spread widely among the eastern peoples: the Manchus, Mongols and Turks and later became one of the official scripts of the Mongol Empire of the Timurid Empire. Some Uyghur groups used this type of writing until the 16th century.
From the 10th century, after part of the indigenous population of East Turkestan converted to Islam, Arabic writing spread among the Uyghurs, which finally supplanted the Old Uyghur writing in the 16th century. The Uyghurs of East Turkestan still use Arabic writing. In Central Asia, Uyghurs use a script based on the Cyrillic alphabet, which was introduced during Soviet times.
Religion
The ancient Uyghurs professed Buddhism, Tengrism and Manichaeism. In the 10th century, during the period of Karakhanid rule, some Uyghurs converted to Islam. Today, the bulk of Uyghur believers are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi madhhab.
Life
The Uyghurs have long been engaged in agriculture, trade, various crafts, transhumance and grazing livestock. Lop Nor Uyghurs engage in hunting and fishing.
Housing
The Uyghurs build their homes from clay and straw or mud brick. In areas where Uighurs live, where there are forests, the frame of houses is made of wood and filled with clay. They build walls without a foundation or make one out of cobblestones. The roof is flat, mounted on beams located transversely and longitudinally. A flooring of thin poles is laid on top of them, which is covered with reed mats. Reed is spread on top and covered with a 10 cm thick layer of earth, coated with clay. In the south, flat roofs are used for drying corn, vegetables and fruits.
Windows in homes used to be in the form of holes made in the center of the ceiling. They were covered with wooden shutters. Nowadays, windows are made in the walls and a patterned lattice made of wood is inserted into them, which is sealed with paper. All doors and windows of the house face the courtyard, the outer walls are blank. The dwelling is adjacent to outbuildings and a barnyard. The dwelling along with the buildings is fenced off with a high clay wall or hedge in places where there is water. The main room in the house is the winter room, in front of it is the summer room. Uyghur houses are made in the shape of a rectangle, which is divided into several rooms by transverse partitions with doors. The floors in the houses are earthen, compacted tightly with clay. The main part of the room is occupied by a couch, the height of which is about half a meter, it stretches along the walls. Houses are heated by lighting a fire in the middle of the room. Smoke comes out through a hole in the roof.
It is rare to find houses with a complex plan with a large central room. For the rich, outbuildings are located in a special courtyard; for the poor, they are often united by one roof, one wall, or a common entrance from the street. The rich have a separate kitchen, a guest room and a special summer room. The houses of wealthy Uighurs have 20-25 rooms.
Food
Dishes of Uyghur cuisine are very diverse and each has its own symbolism. Cold dishes are divided into 2 types: fried and boiled vegetables, dishes from raw vegetables. Salads are dressed with oil, vinegar and seasonings. Vegetables include radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, radishes, and peppers; legumes include sprouted beans and beans.
The gul tawak dish occupies a special place in the cuisine; it is prepared from vegetables, meat and seasonings. The ingredients are laid out in the shape of a flower. Popular first courses include broths, soups with vegetables and rice. There are two types of noodle soups: fried and broth. Uighurs call such dishes food for the tired and food for rest. They are seasoned with fresh herbs and roots. A very popular and beloved dish among these people is lagman. It consists of long noodles and specially prepared gravy. Lagman is called a dish of love. Depending on the time of year, lagman is divided into 4 types, which differ in the ingredients of the gravy.
Manti is steamed in special devices with grates. Dough for manti can be fresh, yeast or sour. The filling is also different: pumpkin with onions, meat, clover, figs, quince, vegetables, green onions. The Uyghurs prepare choshurya dumplings, which they serve to newlyweds on the second day of their wedding as a symbol of prosperity and having many children.
Often, especially on holidays, Uyghurs prepare pilaf and season it with raisins and garlic. Chefs are invited to special occasions for this purpose. ashpaz. One of the most revered ancient dishes of the Uyghurs is samsa. These are pies filled with minced meat, onions, vegetables, pumpkin and fruits. They are prepared in a special cone-shaped oven in which bread is baked. Meat bread “goshch-nan”, pasties “porya” and bread-roll “olukh nan” are popular among the Uyghurs.
You need to have special skill to prepare the dish opkya-esip - stuffed lungs. When Uighurs slaughter a calf, lamb or ram, they take care not to hit the lungs with the knife. They are filled with a mixture of milk, butter, eggs and dough; to do this, the lungs are inflated and only then the filling is poured into them through a sieve. The hole is tightly bandaged and the lungs are immersed in boiling water.
Bread is baked from wheat and corn flour in the form of flatbreads. There are more than 40 varieties of bread in Uyghur cuisine. Rich puff pastries and pancakes are baked in a cauldron. During the holidays, cookies of various types are baked in a cauldron.
Tea plays a very important role in the Uighur diet. They drink it with salt, milk, seasoned with cream, butter and sour cream. The drink is poured into large bowls. They drink tea with fatty dressings mainly for breakfast, and after a heavy meal they drink black tea with sweets. Fergana Uighurs love green tea.
Culture
The Uyghur culture is unique and rich. This is monumental religious architecture, literary and musical works, fine arts, especially miniature painting. The key work in the music of the people is the “Twelve Uyghur Mukams”, which was declared by UNESCO as part of the intangible heritage of humanity.
These people have a huge number of songs and instrumental folk music. The Uyghurs made various musical instruments, of which there are about 62. Some of them:
- dutar
- gijak
- tambir
- rawap
- satar
A popular Uyghur dance is sanam. It is danced at weddings and festive evenings. You can perform dances accompanied by singing and musical accompaniment. Sama is also a popular group dance for the New Year (Novruz). For dancing, the Uyghurs use the dap hand drum as an accompaniment.
The literature of the Uyghur people has been very rich since ancient times. It contains poetry, folklore, prose, and religious literature, consisting of translations of Buddhist and Manichaean texts. Most of the literary monuments of the Uyghurs are works of the common heritage of the Turkic-speaking peoples of East Turkestan and Central Asia.
Uyghur architecture is divided into pre-Islamic and Islamic. It is worth noting the following monuments of Uyghur architecture: Mausoleum of Togluk-Timur, Mausoleum of Appak Khoja and the largest mosque in China, Id Kah.
Traditions
The Uighurs have preserved many traditions to this day. There are still men's unions called Ottuz Ogul, which translates as “30 guys” or “30 horsemen.” Men of a certain age join the union and are led by elected leaders. The purpose of such men's unions is mutual support and assistance to all members of the union.
Another tradition of myashryap is an ancient custom, which is otherwise called an evening of rest. It begins at the end of autumn and lasts until spring. The circles gather men from men's unions who have common interests and live in the same village or region. At the beginning of such a meeting, the participants elect a head who has the right to appoint a musician, a cook and a dancer, as well as a judge who punishes the defecting members of Myashryap. Folk songs are sung and danced at the meetings. Men talk, discover something new and useful. For them, myashryap is also a circle of friends who are always ready to help. Sometimes people from a union are closer to each other than relatives. After the 1997 events in Ghulja, the Chinese government banned myashryaps, but the Uyghurs still do not give up their customs.
The Uyghurs of East Turkestan have a tradition of everyday carrying of edged weapons - the national knife pchak. For centuries, the pchak has been a symbol of a man and a traditional bladed weapon of the Uyghurs. Even baby boys put pchak under their pillow in the cradle. These knives have been made by families of artisans for many generations. The most famous area for making pchak is the Uyghur ancient city of Yangigisar. Here almost the entire population is engaged in this craft.
The Uyghurs have a tradition in which the only or youngest son in the family remains, and his older brothers, who have married, are separated from the family. Marriages are usually concluded only between co-religionists. Marrying a girl to a non-Christian is highly condemned and disapproved. The will of the parents is important in choosing a bride or groom. The act of marriage must be confirmed by a clergyman - an imam or akhun. After the imam reads a surah from the Koran, the newlyweds should eat a flatbread soaked in water with salt, tea and milk.
A woman must give birth to her first child in her mother's home. 20-30 days before the birth, the wife's mother comes to her husband's house and asks permission to take her daughter to her place. She is accompanied by her close friends and relatives with gifts. When a child is born, the woman's mother takes care of everything. It is believed that 40 days after birth, mother and newborn are especially susceptible to the influence of evil spirits and need to be protected. During the entire 40 days, access to the woman in labor is limited. After 12 days the child is given a name. The husband's relatives and the mullah are invited. Women come to the woman’s house for up to 40 days with gifts and prepared dishes as a sign of help to the young mother.
On the 40th day, a ritual of bathing the baby is performed. All women who take part must express their wishes to the child. After bathing, the baby's nails and hair are cut for the first time. The woman's next children must be born in her husband's house.
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