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The Tree That Bleeds Book Review

March 28 | No Comments

In February of 1997, a deadly protest known as the “Ghulja Incident” shook the core of a small city in China’s western province of Xinjiang. Depending on who you ask, this incident has been described as a peaceful demonstration, an act of terrorism, or a massacre. To this day, the truth behind these mysterious events remains largely unknown.

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Xinjiang Suffers from “Minority Complex”

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Some people might call it an “inferiority complex”, but when you’re dealing with the sensitive ethnic issues that Xinjiang faces, it’s best to call it what it really is. Xinjiang suffer from a “minority complex”.

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The Horse that Leaps Through Clouds Book Review

March 27 | No Comments

Two Finnish travelers. Two epic journeys. One, same-old China. The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds is a beautiful account of China’s past, present and future. By Eric Enno Tamm.

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Gobi March 2010 | The Story of the Race Across Xinjiang’s Desert

March 26 | No Comments

For those who are sweating out the summer even with the air conditioning on full-blast, imagine yourself running 250 kilometers across one of the hottest deserts in the world right now…voluntarily.

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The Uyghur Shaoguan Incident (June 25, 2009)

March 25 | No Comments

On this day one year ago riot police were called into a toy factory in Guangdong to break up a brawl between Han and Uyghur workers. By the time calm had been restored 2 Uyghur had died and over 100 other people were injured.

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Eurasian Crossroads Review | Xinjiang History

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There are quite a number of people, especially those with political agendas, who claim an intimate understanding of the region’s history, but very few would be qualified to compile it into a book. Thankfully the author of Eurasian Crossroads is not only qualified, he also brings to the table a very objective and apolitical view of Xinjiang.

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Why a Uyghur Journalist Was Sentenced 15 Years

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On July 23rd, 2010, a Uyghur journalist, activist and blogger named Gheyret Niyaz was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Mainstream media has focused its stories on the harsh sentence handed down by the Chinese court, but what exactly was he accused of doing?

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Etimology of the Name “Xinjiang”?

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What would you think if I told you that parts of Yunan and Sichuan used to be called “Xinjiang”? According to the Chinese history article I’ve translated below, the Xinjiang region is one of 5 regions that have used the name “New Frontier”. This short article was written as a propaganda piece following the Urumqi riots, which make it an even more interesting read:

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Under the Heel of the Dragon | Book Review

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More than four years before the deadly riots in Urumqi, an American named Blaine Kaltman working on his PhD thesis, traveled all over China interviewing Uyghur and Han alike to find out the answer to one simple question: are you guys ever going to get along?

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Discussion: Language in Xinjiang Education, Uyghur or Mandarin?

March 24 | No Comments

Ever since reading Blaine Kaltman’s Under the Heel of the Dragon, my views about language in education have been challenged. At this moment in the Xinjiang city of Karamay, there is only one Uyghur-language high school and judging from the rumors I’ve heard recently they may soon switch to Mandarin. Why is that?  Or rather, […]

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