Uyghurs

The Uyghurs, also spelled Uighurs, Uygurs, or Uigurs, are a Turkic ethnic group from Central Asia and East Asia. They speak a language called Uyghur, which is related to Uzbek. Today, many Uyghurs live in a part of China called the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where they are one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities.

Uyghurs have a rich history and their ancestors include many different peoples and cultures, such as the Tocharians, Uyghur Khanate, and Qocho. Over time, most Uyghurs became Muslims, and their faith remains very important in their culture and identity today.

In recent years, there have been concerns about how the Chinese government treats Uyghurs living in Xinjiang. Some people say that Uyghurs have faced unfair treatment. Many Uyghurs also live outside of China, especially in countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkey.

Ethnonym

The Uyghur people, also spelled Uighur, Uigur, or Uygur, are a Turkic ethnic group from Central Asia and East Asia. They speak the Uyghur language. The Uyghurs are the main group living in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in northwest China.

Historically, the ancestors of today’s Uyghurs did not always have a common name. In the past, they called themselves “Muslims,” “Sarts,” or used names based on where they lived, like “Kashgari” for people from Kashgar or “Hotani” for people from Hotan.

The term “Uyghur” was not used for this group until the early 1900s. In 1921, a meeting in the Soviet Union decided to call them “Uyghur.” This name comes from an ancient group called the Uyghur Khaganate. Today, “Uyghur” is the official name for this ethnic group in China and many other places.

The word “Uyghur” has different spellings and pronunciations. In the Uyghur language, it is written ئۇيغۇر. In Chinese, it is 维吾尔 (Wéiwú'ěr). In English, it is most commonly said as “WEE-goor,” but some prefer “OO-ee-GOOR.”

The history of the Uyghur name is complex. It was used by ancient groups long ago but fell out of use. It was brought back in the early 20th century by Soviet leaders and later adopted by the Chinese government. Before this, people in the region used many different names to describe themselves.

Population

The Uyghur people mainly live in the Xinjiang region of China. Some also live in other parts of the country, such as in Taoyuan County, where about 5,000 to 10,000 people live.

There is some debate about how many Uyghurs live in China. Chinese officials say there are just over 12 million Uyghurs in Xinjiang, which is about half of the region's people. Some Uyghur groups say the number is much higher, but most scholars do not support these higher numbers.

Overall provincial distribution of Uyghurs

Provincial Distribution of Uyghurs, from the 2020 Chinese census:

Genetics

Studies of Uyghur DNA show they have a mix of ancestry from both Western Eurasian (related to Europe and West Asia) and Eastern Eurasian (related to East Asia and Siberia) groups. Uyghurs show a balance between these two major ancestral groups.

One study found that Uyghurs are on average about one-third West Eurasian, one-third East Asian, one-fifth South Asian, and one-sixth Siberian in their genetic makeup. The western parts of Xinjiang tend to have more West Eurasian ancestry than the eastern parts.

History

The history of the Uyghur people is complex. Some think they have lived in Xinjiang for a very long time. Others believe they formed later when different groups came together.

Long ago, people who looked European lived in Xinjiang during the Bronze Age. Many different groups moved into the area, including people from Iran, India, and Central Asia.

In the 8th and 9th centuries, the Uyghur Khaganate was a strong state in Mongolia. It ended in 840 after some problems.

After this, Uyghur people moved to new places like Gansu and Qocho in Xinjiang. Over time, many Uyghurs changed their religion, first to Buddhism and later to Islam.

More recently, the area became part of China. This brought many changes for the Uyghur people. Today, there are discussions about their rights and treatment in China.

Uyghurs of Taoyuan, Hunan

Around 5,000 Uyghurs live in Taoyuan County and other parts of Changde in Hunan province. They come from a Uyghur leader named Hala Bashi and his soldiers. Long ago, a Chinese emperor sent them to Hunan to help during a difficult time. In 1982, about 4,000 Uyghurs were counted in Hunan. They keep old family records that are still used today. These Uyghurs were given the family name Jian by the emperor.

Some people wonder if they follow Islam. Some think they have mixed with local people and no longer follow Islamic customs, but others say they are Muslim. The Uyghurs in this area often eat pork, which some older people disapprove of. They also follow some local customs, like honoring their ancestors. These Uyghurs usually speak Mandarin and use Arabic only for religious events at the mosque.

Culture

Religion

The ancient Uyghurs believed in many local spirits. They practiced things like shamanism and Tengrism. They also followed Zoroastrianism and later Manichaeism. After moving to Qocho, some Uyghurs practiced Buddhism and others followed the Church of the East.

Over time, many Uyghurs became Muslim. Some old customs stayed even under Muslim rule. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, some Uyghurs became Christian, but this was stopped by government agents. Today, most Uyghurs are Muslim and are the second-largest Muslim group in China after the Hui. Most are Sunni Muslims.

Language

The people of the Tarim Basin once spoke languages like Tocharian, Saka, and Gandhari. When Turkic people moved in during the 9th century, they brought their languages, which replaced the older ones. By the 11th century, Uyghurs spoke a Turkic language.

Today, the Uyghur language is part of the Karluk branch of Turkic languages. It is an agglutinative language with a subject-object-verb word order and vowel harmony. It uses scripts like the Arabic script known as Chagatay alphabet, and newer versions like the Uyghur Cyrillic alphabet and Uyghur Latin alphabet.

Literature

Ancient Uyghur literature included translations of Buddhist and Manichaean texts, as well as original stories, poems, and epics. The Kara-Khanid period was important for Uyghur literature, with works like Kutadgu Bilig by Yusuf Khass Hajib and Mahmud al-Kashgari’s Dīwānu l-Luġat al-Turk. Modern Uyghur literature includes stories about local figures and novels by writers like Abdurehim Ötkür, Zordun Sabir, and Ziya Samedi.

Music

Uyghur music has folk traditions and modern influences. The 12 Muqams are important to the Uyghurs. These musical forms grew over about 1,500 years from the Arabic maqamat system. Local muqam systems are named after places like Dolan, Ili, Kumul, and Turpan. The Western Tarim region’s 12 muqams are well preserved by traditional performers.

Dance

Sanam is a popular folk dance among the Uyghur people, often done at weddings and festivals. Other dances include Sama, Dolan dances, Shadiyane, and Nazirkom. Some dances combine singing and dancing, with small hand-drums called dap used for music.

Art

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, explorers went to Xinjiang’s Silk Road and found cave temples, monastery ruins, and wall paintings. These sites have Buddha murals and other religious art.

Education

Historically, Uyghur education happened in mosques and madrasas, with schools often linked to these places. In recent times, secular education became more common, though the languages used in schools have changed. Today, many Uyghur schools teach in Chinese, which has affected the preservation of their language and culture.

Traditional medicine

Uyghur traditional medicine, known as Unani, is based on old Greek ideas. It uses pulse checks to diagnose and personalized herbal treatments. Today, traditional medicine is used along with modern medical science.

Cuisine

Uyghur cuisine includes dishes like polu (a type of pilaf), kawaplar (grilled meat), and leghmen (a noodle dish). Common foods include mutton, beef, camel, chicken, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and various dairy products and fruits. Breakfast often has tea with bread, hardened yogurt, olives, honey, raisins, and almonds.

Clothing

Traditional Uyghur clothing includes the chapan (a coat) and doppa (a hat for men). In the early 1900s, some women wore veils in public, though this depended on their social status and location.

Traditional handicrafts

Yengisar is known for its Uyghur knife making. These knives are part of Uyghur culture, though their sale has been limited for safety reasons.

Livelihood

Most Uyghurs work in farming, using irrigation methods like the karez system. They also work in mining, manufacturing, cotton, and petrochemical industries. Handicrafts like rug-weaving and jade-carving are important. Some Uyghurs face challenges finding jobs because of language barriers and other reasons.

Names

Many Uyghurs use names from Arabic since Islam arrived, though some still use traditional Uyghur names. After the Soviet Union formed, some Uyghurs added Russian endings to their names. The government has limited the use of some Islamic names.