Though many are familiar with, or at the very least, have heard about the Uyghur crisis in the Xinjiang province of northwest China, few are well-versed in the history of this Central Asian Indigenous group- their culture, linguistic, and regional background. Being aware of and understanding these elements is the first step to preserving the very history that the Chinese government seeks to erase.
The word “Uyghur” can be translated to mean “coalition”, “federation”, and “unite.” Linguistically, the ethnic group can be traced back to before the 6th century. It was during this time that the language was recorded in the form of prehistoric Uyghur folktales, mythology, and oral literature. Up until the 10th century, the language was used to write pre-Islamic literature. It was also during this time that non-Altaic languages played an influential role in the transformation of the language, after which Arabic and Persian influences became apparent. Today, the Standard Uyghur Language belongs to the Ural-Altaic language family, a Turkic language group, and has been the official language of the Uyghur Autonomous Regional government since 1955.
Artistically, the creative identity of the Uyghur community is described to be one that overcomes hardship, and “promotes love, joy, and hope for their community” (source 6). It’s one that is rooted in hard work, selflessness, and the preservation of their culture (source 6). Prior to their adoption of Islam in 960 C.E under the rule of Sultan Sutuq Baghra Khan, Uyghur art took the form of wall designs and paintings in Buddhist and Manichaean temples, both of which are viewable today (source 1).
Present-day Uyghur land is known as “Three mountain grip three basins”, and is divided into two distinctly different geographical areas- the Yarish Basin and the Tarim Basin- by the Tangri mountains. Historical documentation and excavations of the land reveal that it is, “the most important repository of Uyghur and Central Asian treasures” (source 1), and the number of locations across the globe that can come close to such diverse language, art, and culture as the Uyghur people, is exceedingly small.
Historically, the first record of the ancient Turkic-speaking group dates back to the first millennium B.C.E. The Uyghur territory, located in Central Asia, soon came to be known as the Uyghur Empire. Similar to many societies at the time, the empire contributed to and benefited greatly from the ancient Silk Road. Their resources and might allowed them to assist the Tang dynasty- in exchange for large amounts of silk- in defeating a military uprising by Shi Simin in 762 A.D. The debts owed by the dynasty were so great that much still remained during the Uyghur Empire’s decline and eventual collapse in the 840s. It was during this time that the Tang court took advantage of the Empire’s weakness and forcefully cleared their debts. When the Uyghur empire faced local conflict with the Kyrgyz, the Tang Dynasty prevented the Uyghurs from seeking refuge elsewhere. Then, in 843, Uyghur Manichaean books and paintings were burned. Following this, the Uyghur people were forced to assimilate with Chinese dress and culture, though their intelligentsia and civilization remained intact. (source 1)
The Uyghur people then shifted south, establishing the Guangzhou Uyghur and Qocho Kingdoms in modern-day Gansu and Eastern Xinjiang (present-day Uyghur land) respectively. It was in those regions that their society grew and developed, maintaining an agriculture-based economy, despite being subject to the influence of various other figures of authority at the time. In spite of the eventual invasion by the Mongol Empire during the 13th century, the Uyghurs persisted as a distinct society and culture (source 1).
The unity and successful preservation of their identity as an ethnic group led the Uyghurs to successfully establish their independence twice, first in 1933 and then in 1944. The former was named the East Turkestan Islamic Republic- emphasizing their regard for Islam as critical to their identity- while the latter was simply called the East Turkestan Republic. The faith formed the very foundation of their education system, as students were educated at madrasas, or religious schools, up until the early 20th century (source 3).
The influence of Russian imperialism in Central Asia during the mid-20th century then inspired local academics of Xinjiang to form a new education system that effectively balanced both Islamic and secular teachings. These institutions flourished all across the region up until the People’s Republic of China was established in 1949, and were essential to the shaping of present-day Uyghur identity (source 3).
With the founding of the Republic came the incrimination and reconstruction of Uyghur culture. The Red Army pushed for the transformation of Uyghur traditional dress and then for the shift of the Uyghur alphabet to Cyrillic to Sinicized Latin scripture, and then integrated Mandarin revolutionary vocabulary. The Uyghur language evidently became the clear target of the Red Army, as those that opposed these “reformations” were consequentially imprisoned, leading thousands of Uyghurs to become illiterate. The cultural revolution from 1966 to 1976 only aimed to alienate the Uyghur culture further- key aspects were classified into categories of revolutionary and anti-revolutionary, Uyghur Arabic literature falling into the latter. As a result, these books were collected and burned. (source 7)
The events of the early 21st century provided the Chinese government with an opening to further crackdown on Uyghur culture. They used the attacks on September 11th and the eventual War on Terrorism to push the narrative that there existed the eminent threat of extremism in the Xinjiang region, painting themselves as victims of this terrorism at the hands of the Uyghurs. This allowed them to redefine their policies on Uyghur cultural practices and ultimately formally remove the Uyghur language from the education system as a whole. (source 7)
Among these changes was the creation of the Strike Hard policy, a policy that amplified discrimination and led to the arrest and imprisonment of Uyghurs based on unfounded accusations of terrorism. The implementation of this policy was the start of the Chinese government’s efforts to further restrict and control the daily lives of the Uyghur population through heavy surveillance. Worship during the holy month of Ramadan was closely monitored, entire mosques were shut down and Imams arrested, as they were deemed a “source of radicalism” (source 4, page 59). The persistent oppression of the population sparked riots- still occurring to this day- in several cities throughout Xinjiang. The Urumqi riots of 2009, in particular, marked a turning point in the relationship between the Uyghurs and the Chinese government, adding permanent tension that led to the enactment of hijab, fasting, and travel bans in the years that followed (source 4).
The worst of modern-day persecution of Uyghurs, however, can be seen in the Political Education camps first established by the Chinese Government in Turpan, in 2013. The camps have now spread to several other cities in Xinjiang and have drawn international backlash for the atrocious human rights violations that take place within their walls. In staggering numbers- an estimated 800,000-2M (2)- members of Uyghur society have been and continue to be arbitrarily imprisoned, forced to commit acts against their faith, tortured, sterilized, sexually abused, and killed amongst countless other brutalities (1).
- (https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/04/19/break-their-lineage-break-their-roots/chinas-crimes-against-humanity-targeting)
- https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-xinjiang-uyghurs-muslims-repression-genocide-human-rights
Despite their relentless efforts to silence the population through violence and propaganda, the Chinese government has failed to erase Uyghur culture and faith. Now, Muslims worldwide draw attention to and protest against the genocide taking place. The propaganda persists but can be combatted by an active effort to stay informed while encouraging others to take a stand against the cruelties taking place. This is a crucial step toward dismantling the lies put forth by the Chinese government, preserving the culture of the Uyghur people, and ensuring their voices are not silenced.
