For many people, the Yengisar knife is a timeless symbol of Uyghur culture in Xinjiang. While Uyghur knives are still sold, the original town that created them has become a ghost town. Here’s the story of the Uyghur knife from Yengisar, Xinjiang in China. For centuries, the craft of making the Uyghur knife has been an important part of the culture in Xinjiang, a trade skill handed down from father to son. The steel blades of these Uyghur knives are shaped and sharpened by hand and the ornate handles are made of bone, horn, shell and other materials adorned with geometric designs.&nb ..read more

As you travel Xinjiang and meet with locals, there are a number of Uyghur customs you probably weren’t aware of. I’d love to walk you through some of the most common Uyghur customs as applies to hosting and being hosted by a Uyghur person. Enjoy! Hosting or being hosted by somebody from a different culture can always be a bit stressful, and for me the Uyghur culture with all the nuances of Uyghur customs, has been no different. That’s not to say that it’s hard – Uyghur are some of the most kind, hospitable and forgiving people I’ve ever met – I just want to make sure I respect their culture a ..read more

What is there to see around Xinjiang in winter? It used to be that Xinjiang tourism practically shut down between the months of November and March. Travelers were so few that most tourism sites shut down completely for the winter and weather often prohibited transportation to some locations. Things have changed, though, and there are now plenty of things to see and do during winter. While Xinjiang’s weather still plays an active role in what you can and cannot see, a lot has changed over the past decade in terms of winter tourism options. Not only is it possible to experience this differ ..read more

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 city of Beijing. It’s 9am in the morning. Everybody has been awake for at least an hour and they’re now headed to work. Strangely, it’s 9am in the country’s westernmost city of Kashgar. Residents here, however, are just now starting to wake up. Why bother? The sun isn’t ..read more

Are you planning to visit Kanas Lake or Keketuohai Park in northern Xinjiang? If so, you’ll want to check out the photos, tips and advice from traveler Chris Milton, a Scot who has been living in China and teaching English for a number of years. Kanas lake is simply stunning. I found myself so many times just sitting, staring at this picturesque scene in awe. I have hiked in Scotland, Canada, America, and Indonesia, but this place is special. The way the pine-covered mountains reflect off the turquoise lake is something I will remember for the rest of my life. My name is Chris, and I come fro ..read more

五彩滩. Spelled out in pinyin it’s “Wucaitan“, which has been translated as either “Rainbow Beach” or “Five-Colored Hills“. Although normally dwarfed by Kanas Lake, it’s popular neighbor further north, this scenic Xinjiang gem is worth a second glance…if not a visit. This simple guide to Wucaitan will provide you everything you need to know! Wucaitan is not your typical tourist destination in Xinjiang, China. You won’t find much written up in the major travel guides and it’s generally more popular with the Chinese than it is with foreign tourists. If you’ve seen pictures, however, you know that ..read more

What are the “must eat” foods while traveling in Xinjiang? There are plenty of things that I recommend that you try while you’re out here, but if I had to boil it down to my 5 favorite Xinjiang cuisine items, this would be it. Here are a list of the best foods and how you can order them! Of all the great Uyghur food, Hui food, Kazakh food and Russian food there is to eat out here in western China, it amazes me that I still hear of people traveling here without fully experiencing the wonderful Xinjiang cuisine. I admit that it can be quite confusing, especially because there is no “one place ..read more

Anybody who has ever spent any significant time in China’s far western region of Xinjiang knows that one of the best foods you can eat here is known as “DaPanJi” or “Big Plate Chicken”. What is 大盘鸡? Well, I’m glad you asked and I can’t wait to show you :) Local/Chinese Name:  大盘鸡 (dà pán jī) Alternate Names: “Big Plate Chicken” Description: A communal dish of chicken, potatoes, onions, and spices soaked in a tasty red sauce What is 大盘鸡 or “Da Pan Ji”? If you ask that question to anyone outside of China they might look at you weird and wonder if you’re speaking English (which you’re not ..read more

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 there are quite a few things that make Xinjiang unique. Perhaps you’ve never heard of Xinjiang before or maybe you’ve lived here at some point in your life. Either way, I think you’ll find at least a few of these facts fascinating! Take a couple minutes to watch the video be ..read more

It’s Qurban Festival in Xinjiang (aka “Corban” or “古尔邦节”) and I decided to take a walk through my local neighborhoods here in Urumqi to capture some photos and a video. You can watch the video below or scroll further down to read a more thorough description of Xinjiang’s Qurban Festival accompanied by a few photos. Hopefully you enjoy! Please Note: this video, although not graphic, may not be suitable for all audiences. If you’re squeamish about the thought of an animal dying, just scroll on down to see the photos instead. Don’t miss awesome, weekly videos…subscribe to FarWestChina on Y ..read more