The Uyghur people who live in Xinjiang are at a critical point as they try to deal with the problems that Han Chinese rule has caused. This is still going on, and few people know about it.
This article talks about how Uyghur cultural identity is being erased on a large scale. It does this by looking at the historical background, the political sensitivity of Xinjiang, and the terrible effects on these people.
Historical context: Uyghur-Han relations
Look at the past to understand the present. Han Chinese and Uyghurs have talked to each other before, but the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s left deep wounds. There was anger because mosques were shut down, and religious leaders had to raise pigs. The Uyghurs thought that Chinese policies threatened their culture and made them feel disconnected.
Before the terrible events of the Cultural Revolution, Uyghurs and Han Chinese lived together peacefully. Trade lines and cultural exchanges helped them understand each other better. But the harsh actions that followed broke up this peace, which caused Uyghur and Han ties to become less stable.
The political sensitivity of Xinjiang
Xinjiang holds strategic importance for China, boasting oil reserves and bordering eight Central Asian countries. The Chinese government, aiming for national unity, adopted assimilative policies to submerge distinctive identities into a singular Chinese identity. This drive for assimilation stems from an ethnocentric ideology and has far-reaching implications for Uyghur culture.
Beyond its economic value, Xinjiang’s geopolitical significance lies in its strategic location bordering countries like Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. This geographical importance intensifies China’s determination to control and minimize ethnic and cultural diversity.
Cultural landscape destruction
The methodical devastation of Xinjiang’s culture goes beyond physical structures. The Uyghur community, already bruised by history, confronts a further cultural attack.
Satellite imagery estimates reveal that approximately 65 percent of mosques in Xinjiang, around 16,000, have been destroyed or damaged since 2017. A notable case is the Ordam Mazar, a shrine flattened monthly, symbolizing the deliberate curtailing of religious freedoms. The disappearance of folklorist Rahila Dawut during this demolition exemplifies the targeted outlawing of Uyghur faith and identity.
Chinese symbols and festivals are imposed on Uyghur neighborhoods, eroding their cultural distinctiveness. Their medium nurseries and schools vanished, replaced by a homogenous Chinese experience. Once a seventeenth-century complex, the revered Apak Hoja Mausoleum is transformed into a theme park commemorating a Uighur concubine, distorting its religious significance.
The term “Guo yu” replaces “Han yu,” reflecting a shift in language policy. Uighur, Kazakh, and Kirghiz medium education cease, compelling all children to be taught in Mandarin. This linguistic shift is calculated to influence the younger generation and undermine the Uyghur identity.
Consequences on Uyghur cultural identity
The suppression of cultural identity manifests through political and educational measures, leading to severe consequences for the population.
Suspended death sentences for directors highlight the severity of government actions. Changes in primary school Uighur textbooks reflect a gradual alteration of Uighur culture through visual portrayals. The state intends to invisibilize Xinjiang as a separate homeland with unique characteristics.
Uighur monuments are replaced by Chinese heroes, and folklore, poetry, and literature disappear. Chinese emperors and national heroes dominate textbooks, erasing Uighur cultural elements. This calculated assault on culture aims to assimilate Uyghurs into the Han-majoritarian Chinese state.
As China intensifies its economic presence in Xinjiang, the Uyghur population experiences economic marginalization. The surge of Han Chinese workers to get resources makes their unemployment and poverty worse, fostering resentment and dissatisfaction.
Reaction of the Uyghur population
The impact of erasing culture is broad, affecting not only identity but also simple ways of living.
The repercussions of cultural erasure extend to living standards, employment, and poverty. Discrimination and stereotypes perpetuated by Han Chinese hinder Uyghurs from securing better job opportunities. Restrictions on freedom of association and expression further contribute to discontent among the population.
Their populations, unable to partake in significant decisions regarding their future, face economic segmentation due to Han workforce dominance in resource extraction. The migration of Chinese Han to Xinjiang poses an economic threat to them, intensifying their dissatisfaction.
Rising voices against government policies, both domestically and internationally, signal a growing resistance to cultural assimilation.
Preserving Uyghur heritage: A global call
The Uyghur cultural identity stands at a dangerous crossroads. Widespread effects come from China’s constant attempts to erase their culture. Eliminating their culture has consequences in Xinjiang and worldwide, showing what happens when people mix their cultures. The international community must start acting to protect these people’s distinctive identity.
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