Learn Chinese - Faces you won't forget

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CITYLIFE / Travel






Faces you won't forget


(China Daily)
Updated: 2007-08-16 09:40







As the first rays of sunlight reach the maze of old houses in Kashgar,
Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the city gradually
wakes up as the chanting of the Quran is heard from the mosque. Small
alleys begin to pulse with merriment - vendors shouting, housewives
chatting and children laughing. Local Muslim Uygurs who have lived in the
city for generations start a new day as usual.

A major hub on the old Silk Road over 1,000 years ago, the oasis has
become a magnet for tourists from home and abroad. But those who want to
catch a closer look at the local people and their lives should take a
stroll around the old town, Shule, located atop the northeastern mountain
in Kashgar.

Shule, now home to 600 households, is a jumble of narrow stone streets
and a dense web of multi-story earthen houses. Visitors could easily lose
their way because it is riddled with twisting, turning streets that all
look the same.

According to historic records, rulers of the Kalahan Kingdom began to
build their palaces and fortresses in Kashgar during the Song Dynasty
(960-1279). But most of the relics of the kingdom were devastated by a
flood a few centuries ago. Only a small part of the relics, located atop
the mountain, survived and it's now called Shule by locals.

Shule means "clay on the cliff" in the Uygur language and clay is the
soul of the town. The houses are built with mud and wood and have
withstood the test of time in spite of their fragile and shabby
appearance. Some of them are about 600 years old.

Like many other cities in the country, Kashgar has witnessed rapid
development over the past decade, as a large section of the city has been
torn down and replaced by high-rise residential blocks and wide roads.
But time seems to stand still in Shule with the old houses intact and the
locals sticking to their traditional lifestyle.

Some of the houses were built by three generations: The father built the
first floor, the son expanded it to a two-story house and then the
grandson built another floor in the house.

Every house has a story and the owner is willing to share it with
visitors. The residents have lived in the town for generations and few of
them like to move into new apartment buildings.

Many of them still make a living with pottery and other handicrafts, a
tradition they have carried on for many generations. Music and dance
remain important in their lives and Uygurs seem to always have a song in
their hearts and on their lips.























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