If you’re even the slightest bit interested in Xinjiang’s history or the plight of the Uyghurs, this book is a must-read. Although many readers might be scared off by its incredibly detailed research and lengthy annotation section, Tyler’s work reads more like a novel than a history book. Warlords, concubines, explorers and…

This cemetery, located in the north western portion of Kashgar, is one of the biggest Uyghur cemeteries in Xinjiang. Up until recently people were still being buried in these mud and brick built graves beside the Abah Khojah Mausoleum. The markings on these graves are not as ornate as those on a Chinese grave but the designs are much more unique and visually pleasing.

Every once in a while there rises from within an ethnic group a particular cultural characteristic that tends to represent the group as a whole. Interestingly it has a tendency to be food: burgers in America; pasta in Italy; rice in China. For the Uyghurs, a small ethnic group situated in this large province of China, it’s their bread…