Liu Yan - The Tastes of Xinjiang (味道新疆)

Foreword

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as Xinjiang) is located in the Northwest of China with a borderline of more than 5,600 kilometers and an area of 1.6649 million square kilometers, which accounts for 1/6 of China's land area. Neighboring eight countries, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kirghizstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, it is an important passage on ancient Silk Road.

With thousands of years of history, Xinjiang has been a multi-ethnic and multi-religious region since ancient times. Since the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC to 25 AD), Xinjiang has been an inseparable part of this unitary multi-ethnic country of China.

As one of the five autonomous regions in China, Xinjiang now has 55 ethnic compositions, including Uygur, Han, Kazak, Hui, Kirgiz, Mongolia, Tajik, Xibe, Manchu, Uzbek, Russian, Daur, Tatar, etc. By the end of 2013, the total population of Xinjiang was about 22.643 million, among which the ethnic minority population accounts for about 61%.

Xinjiang, a charming place! Here are numerous scenic spots and historical sites, legendary history stories, splendid ethnic culture, impressive ethnic customs as well as diverse religious affiliation. Xinjiang, the heart of Eurasia! Here are unique natural conditions, a wide variety of terrain as well as majestic natural scenery. Xinjiang, an abundant place! Here are rich mineral resources, herds of cattle and sheep, grain and cotton all over fields as well as seasonal fragrance of melon and fruit...

We publish the "Charming Xinjiang" Series to make this ancient, vibrant and modern place known by more readers at home and abroad. The Series include ten volumes and introduce Xinjiang in terms of ten aspects respectively. We hope this series can take you on a tour of "Charming Xinjiang".

August 2014

Xinjiang has a good many "firsts" in China, or even in the world! But how many "firsts" on earth are there? Different people may have different answers.

However, nobody will deny that the delicious cuisine of Xinjiang is the most inviting thing in Xinjiang!

For people who like traveling, Xinjiang is the rarest place, as well as the best place to visit, because of its uniqueness in geography, scenery and cuisine!

In terms of geography, Xinjiang is the largest province in China. It is an inland province bordering the most countries and being the farthest one from the sea.

Scenery of magnificent Xinjiang

In terms of scenery, Xinjiang whose natural tourism resources are known as their "highness, newness, novelty, distinction and uniqueness" boasts for magnificent mountains and rivers, elegant sceneries, peculiar topography and its primitiveness and boldness. Special tectonic structure and geographic environment have formed many peculiar types of scenery that are rare in the world or unique in China. Peak of the ice coexists with the land of fire while desert neighbors oasis. Here not only is the scenery charming and gentle but is also rich in local resources. Among the mountains, hills, oases and deserts, there are numerous "granaries", "meat warehouses", "oil basins" and "coal seas". Here is the only junction place in the world of the four great ancient civilizations, the birthplace of TwelveMuqam played in outer space and Happiness and Wisdom of classic heritage of the Uygur People. The world-famous "Silk Road" promoted the exchange between the East and the West, and meanwhile, it left everywhere in Xinjiang with a great number of historical relics full of cultural appeal, becoming the most precious cultural resources of the Chinese People. Unique natural sceneries, historical relics and various folk customs of all ethnic groups add radiance and beauty to each other and become the magical and enchanting charm of Xinjiang. Here the land is fertile and beautiful, vast and magical. The people here are enthusiastic, forthright, friendly and courteous. Here is the poets' kingdom, painters' treasure-house, historians' paradise and tourists' fairyland!

Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountain

What cuisines are there to talk about? Speaking of Xinjiang, perhaps everybody can think of several or even over ten famous cuisines, but can you bring out more than 50 with one breath? There is one song pleasant to hear, spreading to every corner of Xinjiang at an amazing speed. In its lyric, it contains over 50 cuisines of Xinjiang: spicy chicken, saut spicy chicken, shish kebab, black pilaf, lungs filled with flour, intestine filled with rice, ground meat spicy pasta, naan pit meat, cold clear noodle, Pilahong... Each kind is very familiar to the people of Xinjiang. The song not only sings out the names of cuisines in Xinjiang, but also sings out the names of the street of the most authentic cuisine, singing out an exciting Xinjiang of delicious cuisine. Have you ever listened to such a miraculous song? Come and listen to this song, and let it bring you into the paradise of cuisine. I think that you can immediately know the best of Xinjiang is the delicious cuisine!

Listen to the Cuisine of Xinjiang:

Black pilaf

This Urumqi has changed a lot. What do you want to know about it? When you finish a day's work and get home, what do you want to eat?

Have you ever been to Erdaoqiao Market and Shanxi Lane? Have you ever been to the Grand Bazaar and Hongshan?

Come and tour in Xinjiang, and let me tell you something:

Watermelon of Turpan, grape of Shanshan and red dates of Kumul, they are hard to forget after eating.

As well as pear of Korla and pomegranate in Hotan

If you come here for a tour, you'd better leave your girlfriend at home, because the girls in the street are so hot.

Do you know the tale of lamb kidney which can make you sleepless at night if you eat it?

You must try the pilaf of Hotan Street: black pilaf, white pilaf, pilaf of rear leg and vegetarian pilaf

Want to eat chicken, and then you take a taxi. Ask the driver, out of question.

Spicy chicken

The spicy chicken of Chaiwopu, saut spicy chicken of Blood Station.

One unique cuisine of all timesauted chicken, as well as spicy stewed tofu chicken.

Don't leave in a hurry after eating chicken. After eating belt noodles mixed with the chicken, you have really eaten chicken then.

Want to eat chicken, and then you can go to Changji. There is pepper chicken in Changji, and you will be satisfied after eating it.

And then come to a street of snacks, you will really enjoy yourself!