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Karamay Fire 1994 | The Real Story Behind China’s Worst Fire Disaster

December 3 | No Comments

On December 8th, 1994, the small city of Karamay in China’s northwest Xinjiang province was home to one of the worst fire disasters in the country’s history. Dubbed the “Karamay Theater Fire” (克拉玛依大火), it’s notable not only for the unfortunate number of children that died (288) but also for the ensuing controversy and attempted coverup. […]

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Traditional Chinese Cupping Therapy | My Experience

November 26 | No Comments

Chinese suction cup therapy has a history of over 2,000 years and is reported to cure back pain and the common cold. True or false? Here’s my experience…

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Your Ketchup Probably Came from Xinjiang

November 20 | No Comments

Next time you squeeze that little packet of ketchup onto your greasy french fry for lunch, think of Xinjiang. There’s a high probability that the tomato used to produce that ketchup came from China’s largest, western province.

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20 Best Xinjiang Books | Travel, History & Uyghur Culture

November 6 | No Comments

What are the best Xinjiang books to read? Whether you’re looking to travel to Xinjiang or you just want to understand the situation in Xinjiang better, I’d like to point you toward the best resources currently available to read about Xinjiang and the Uyghur people. Over the years, I’ve read and even reviewed a number […]

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Learn Uyghur | Ultimate Guide to Available Resources

July 24 | No Comments

Do you have an interested to learn Uyghur? While the resources are sparse, they do exist. In this comprehensive guide to learning Uyghur, I’d like to share with you the type of resources available and the best ways to learn the Uyghur language both inside and outside of China. Before I lay out the types […]

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What is the Largest Province in China?

July 3 | No Comments

When I asked this question yesterday my research opened a whole can of worms I didn’t know about, and I found that to be fair, this is a trick question. The answer lies in your understanding that not all parts of China are created equally. I just finished taking a crash course in Chinese Political Geography 101, and I’m lending you my notes to copy.

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Understanding “Xinjiang Time” and China’s Two Time Zones

November 26 | No Comments

Does Xinjiang have two time zones? While traveling around Xinjiang, at some point you’ll likely here the terms “Xinjiang time” and “Beijing time” thrown around. I’d like to take a few minutes to help you understand China’s time zones and which time zone is used in Xinjiang specifically. Imagine a traffic jam in China’s capital […]

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How I Got a China Driver’s License in Xinjiang

August 20 | No Comments

Are you looking to get a Chinese driver’s license? The truth is that China is one of those places where a “definitive guide” is impossible – your experience is always going to be slightly different than mine. That said, perhaps hearing about how I obtained a Chinese driver’s license will help you understand what to expect […]

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10 Crazy, Little-Known Facts about Xinjiang

August 14 | No Comments

For most people around the world – including Chinese people in China – Xinjiang is a mysterious and generally misunderstood region. What makes Xinjiang so special? And how can one place cause fear for some people and inspiration from another? As a foreigner who has lived in the Xinjiang region since 2006, I’ve learned that […]

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Living in Xinjiang | One Foreigner’s Perspective

February 16 | No Comments

For most people who want to study in China, moving and living in Xinjiang is not one of the first things that comes to mind. Why is that? For one, it’s a place that is associated with a number of stereotypes, including stereotypes people have about China as well as prejudice directed toward Xinjiang, which can even […]

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