A Survey of Xinjiang Websites on the Internet
As much as I would like for you to think that this website is the only place you can find information about Xinjiang, it’s not. As a matter of fact, over the years there have been multiple websites created about the region by foreigners who have lived here, a phenomenon that I believe is unequaled among all of China’s other provinces.
Search engines haven’t done a good job of finding all of these blogs so I have taken it upon myself to introduce them to you. If you don’t want to keep up with this long list of blogs you should subscribe to FarWestChina or follow me on Twitter where I’ll keep you up-to-date on the best and most interesting Xinjiang articles posted on the web.
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The New Dominion (now defunct)
From the Site: “Our hope is that over time, The New Dominion will serve as a resource for Xinjiang scholars and enthusiasts that can provide both a snapshot of the latest happenings in the region and a database that can better illustrate historical, economic, and cultural trends and patterns over extended periods of time.”
Frequency: Currently they are on hiatus because they are too busy to post, but according to the author they will relaunch soon.
My Thoughts: This blog is very current-event focused and often political. Porfiriy, one of the authors, is very knowledgeable and willing to engage in great dialogue.
This is Xinjiang
From the Site: “I am not an expert on Xinjiang, nor on China, though I hope my blog can address some of the misrepresentations and realities of this supposedly restive region.”
Frequency: The blog isn’t dead from what the author has told me, but the last post was in November of last year.
My Thoughts: Although I enjoyed the postings on this blog I think the pictures are the greatest contribution. Check out their Flickr page.
Thoughts on the History of Xinjiang
From the Site: “The intention of keeping this blog is to offer resources, insights, and a place for discussion on the modern history of Xinjiang, with a particular emphasis on the early period of the PRC.”
Frequency: Approx. 2-3 posts per week
My Thoughts: This is one of the best new blogs on Xinjiang, but be warned: it’s not light reading. The articles are well-researched and academic in nature. Also, I have respect for bloggers who put their name and reputation on their work (a rarity in Xinjiang blogging…for good reasons). Good work, Chuck.
The Opposite End of China
Frequency: This blog is now defunct although the archives are still available.
My Thoughts: In its heyday this blog was much more popular than mine is now. Still, Michael Manning (the author) focused on very sensitive political topics which I try to shy away from. Searching through his archives can be quite the adventure, I guarantee.
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Autonomous Region
From the Site: “This is a personal weblog on music, images, travel, and translation of the Uyghur people in Central Asia.”
Frequency: 1-2 posts per week
My Thoughts: This is a pretty obscure site that isn’t always very relevant but I’m including it here because of the absence of a political slant despite its Uyghur focus.
Uyghur Blog
From the Site: “This site is the result of years of academic research, which has culminated in frustration, hope, and the desire to do more…The goal is not to be political or progressive. The only side that we will take is the side of human rights and democracy.”
Frequency: Average of 1 post per week
My Thoughts: The goal for this blog may be “apolitical” but I doubt many officials in Beijing or Urumqi would be excited about the content in this blog. Articles tend to focus on current events that relate to or affect Uyghur in Xinjiang.
True Xinjiang
From the Site: “The site is the largest portal on Xinjiang in English language and aims to present everyone a true picture of this autonomous region in Northwest China.”
Frequency: News is constantly updated although no RSS feed is available.
My Thoughts: This site is maintained by the Global Times and presents a government-approved version of life in Xinjiang. Needless to say, everything is happy and there’s very little compelling information here.
Update: This site in no longer active.
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CentralAsiaTraveler
Frequency: Never updated
My Thoughts: This is the only website on this list that is a static site (meaning it is never updated). Considering how very little that has been written about the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, though, I think this is a valuable resource for any person who thinks of traveling there. Includes information on Hotan, Yutian, Ruoqiang, Qiemo, and Minfeng.
**Note: If you think I am missing a site on this list PLEASE leave a comment below with the URL and name of the site/blog. Thanks!
Josh,
As a member of the "blogging community," I want to thank YOU for the tremendous job that you do with the FWC blog. I don’t think anyone is under the allusion that blogging is our day job, and with having other obligations, many cannot keep up with frequent, informative posts. Yet, you do it day in and day out.
Xinjiang is so unique, in the people, the region, the politics, and the possibility of being a major player in domestic change throughout the largest country in the world. Our goal as bloggers is to share our thoughts and frustrations, but we are doing more than that, we are bringing awareness to a relatively obscure, yet important, region of the world.
Please keep doing what you do.
-Erland
http://uyghurblog.com
[Reply]
Josh,
Thank you for your kind inclusion of my web site in your collection. As I have expressed before privately, I very much respect and enjoy and appreciate your wonderful blog.
Your readers may also want to make note of my companion Flickr site, http://www.flickr.com/photos/centralasiatraveler/, which includes all the pictures and maps from the website — and more — and at much higher resolution.
Sure wish I had the time to update the information at my site — and to travel to Xinjiang again in order to do so! If only…
However, the more-than-one-hundred pages of text and several hundred photos at my site were not meant to be a blog but rather more of a book. I specifically focused on a part of Xinjiang then barely mentioned in guidebooks, the southern Silk Road in Xinjiang and northwestern Qinghai. In the past couple of years, I have been pleased to see, this area now has coverage in many guidebooks as well as blogs.
– Cat
[Reply]
Josh on April 7th, 2010 at 9:12 am
Thanks Cat! Your site provides some of the most in-depth information on that part of Xinjiang available anywhere – in print or electronic form.
For anybody who enjoys looking at photos, I recommend the CAT Flickr account, which I absent-mindedly left out of this post. I’ve used one of these photos for the “Picture of the Week” series before and I’ll probably do so again. Good stuff.
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What about the websites of Uyghur activists in West such as World Uyghur Congress!
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Josh on October 20th, 2011 at 9:13 pm
You’re absolutely right. I need to update this list. The primary reason they were left off in the first place is because at the time I didn’t want the government to block my website in China – and there’s no faster way to get on the naughty list than to link to sites like that.
Now that I’ve been blocked in China for years now, there’s no need to worry about that anymore!
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Hi Josh,
Any news of when the New Dominion will be back online? I have referenced something from it in a chapter and now his whole blog has gone under repair!!
Thanks.
P.S You’re site is mentioned as well so don’t you dare remove anything…just kidding!
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Josh on February 29th, 2012 at 8:15 pm
Thanks! I’m not quite sure what’s happening with the New Dominion, but like you I hope that it gets resolved soon. They unfortunately don’t publish as often as they used to, but their insight is still valuable.
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