认 识 新 疆

Understanding Xinjiang

    在亚欧大陆腹地，有个地方名字叫“新疆”，它的全称叫“新疆维吾尔自治区”，它位于中国西北边陲，是古丝绸之路上的重要交通枢纽。古时有一个更加充满诱惑的名字叫“西域”。历史悠久的世界文化体系有四个：中国、印度、伊斯兰和希腊罗马西欧文化体系,而四大文化体系交汇的地方只有一个,这就是中国新疆，这主要得益于新疆是丝绸之路必经之路的缘故。而今这里是联通欧亚的信息和商贸高速公路，成为多种宗教、多个民族共同生存发展之地。如果你对新疆不甚了解，那么我给你做个介绍。

    In the hinterland of Eurasia, there is a place named “Xinjiang”, its full name is “Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region”, located in northwest border of China, it is the key transport junction on ancient Silk Road. In ancient times, it has a name full of temptation called “Xi Yu”. There are four world cultural systems with long history as follows: China, India, Islam and Rome in Greek, while there is only one junction of the four cultural systems, which is Xinjiang, China, this is due to the only access to Silk Road of Xinjiang. Nowadays, it is the information and trade expressway connecting Europe and Asia, and has become the jointly living and development place of multi religions and multi-nationalities. If you don’t have much understanding of Xinjiang, let me make an introduction for you.

    新疆的地理环境Geographical Environment in Xinjiang从出土文物中可以知道，在遥远的旧石器时代，就有了人类的活动。从公元前60年西域正式归于汉朝版图。1884年中央政府在新疆设立了行省，并取故土新归之意，“新疆”正式替代了“西域”这个古老的名字。到了1949年新疆和平解放，1955年10月1日成立了新疆维吾尔自治区。现在新疆下辖有14个地、州、市，首府为乌鲁木齐市。新疆生产建设兵团也是新疆的重要组成部分。

    From the unearthed relics, it can be known that there have been human activities since the Old Stone Age. Western Region has been attributed to the territory of China’s Han Dynasty since B.C. 60. In 1884, the Central Government set administrative province in Xinjiang, and had the meaning of returning of native land, “Xinjiang” substituted the ancient name of “Xiyu” formally. Xinjiang was liberated in 1949, and Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region was established on 1 October, 1955. Currently, Xinjiang has 14 subordinate prefectures, cities, the capital is Urumqi. Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps is also the key component of Xinjiang.

    新疆位于中国的西北边陲，是世界上距离海洋最遥远的内陆腹地。面积166万多平方公里，占中国陆地总面积六分之一，地域辽阔，是中国面积最大的省级行政区，它的面积相当于中国陕西、甘肃、宁夏、青海四省区面积的总和，相当于三个法国的国土面积。从东北至西南与蒙古、俄罗斯、哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、阿富汗、巴基斯坦及印度等八个国家接壤，边境线长达5600多公里，是中国边境线最长的省区。在历史上是沟通东西方闻名于世的“丝绸之路”要冲，现在又成为第二座“亚欧大陆桥”的必经之地。

    Located in the northwest border area, Xinjiang is the inland hinterland with the furthest distance from sea in the world. With an area over 1.66 million square kilometers, Xinjiang occupies one sixth of total land area in China, vast in territory, it is the administrative region of provincial level with the largest area in China, which is equal to the total sum of Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai, and equal to three times native land area of French. It borders with eight countries from northeast to southwest including Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, the boundary line length is over 5600 kilometers, which is the province with the longest boundary line in China. It is the pass of famous “Silk Road” in the world that communicates the east and the west, now it becomes the only access to the second “Eurasia Land Bridge”.

    新疆的自然地貌

    Natural landform in Xinjiang

    新疆的自然地貌很有个性，也非常精彩。自然界最个性的山峰、高原、沙漠、盆地、绿洲和内陆河不约而同地汇集在一起，像是一个别出心裁精心设计的美好组合。大约4-6亿年前，新疆南北均为汪洋大海，经过地壳的升降运动、喜马拉雅造山运动，变成了 “三山夹两盆” 地貌，北有阿尔泰山，中有天山，南有昆仑山，其间夹有两个大盆地---准噶尔盆地和塔里木盆地。重峦叠嶂、气势雄伟的天山山脉从东到西横亘在中部，把新疆分成南疆、北疆。塔里木盆地，面积约53万平方公里，是中国最大的盆地，它的中心是浩瀚的塔克拉玛干大沙漠，面积约33万平方公里，是中国最大、世界第二大流动沙漠。塔里木盆地周围群山环抱，高山上巨大的冰川雪岭是天然水库，养育了森林草原和种类繁多的动植物。中国最长的内陆河——塔里木河，长约2100公里，几乎横贯盆地，与众多的河流湖泊一起滋润着盆地四周的绿洲。新疆的伊犁、塔城和博尔塔拉，山地与盆地相间，草场丰腴，林木葱郁，有着“塞外江南”的美称。历史名城哈密成为今天由东进入新疆所必经的咽喉要道。吐鲁番盆地，最低点-154米，是中国海拔最低的地方。新疆昼夜温差达10℃以上，人们都说“早穿棉袄午穿纱，晚抱火炉吃西瓜”。 新疆属典型的温带大陆性干旱气候，年均天然降水量155毫米。绿洲总面积约占新疆面积的5%，具有典型的绿洲生态特点。说到生态，新疆区域的生态相对独立，生态环境比较脆弱。为了保护新疆的生态环境，中国政府给予了重点支持，正在实施的大规模生态环境保护与建设的工程有塔里木河综合治理、天然林保护、退耕还林和退牧还草、土壤改良、煤田灭火、节能减排等工程。

    The natural landform in Xinjiang is wonderful with many characteristics. It is a coincidence that the characteristic peak, plateau, desert, basin, oasis and inland river in nature gather together, which is like a pleasant combination that is original and well-designed. About 400-600 million years ago, the south and north side of Xinjiang were all seas, through the up-and-down movement of earth’s crust, and Himalayan orogeny, it formed the landform of “three mountains clip two basins”, which refers to Altay Mountain at north, Tianshan Mountains in the middle, and Kunlun Mountain at south, among of them there are two large basins, Junggar Basin and Tarim Basin. The overlapping and magnificent Tianshan Mountains span in the middle from east to west, divide Xinjiang into south Xinjiang and north Xinjiang. Tarim Basin is the largest basin in China with an area of 530, 000 square kilometers, in its center, there is the vast Taklimakan Desert with an area about 330,000 square kilometers, which is the mobile desert that is the largest in China and the second in the world. Tarim Basin is surrounded by mountains, the huge glaciers and snow hills on the high mountains are natural reservoir, which breed the forest grassland and many kinds of animals and plants. The longest inland river in China----Tarim River almost spans the basin with a length about 2100 kilometers, moisturizes the ambient oasis with numerous rivers and lakes. In Ili, Tacheng, Bortala, the mountains alternate with basins, with abundant grassland and forest, they have the good name of “lush southern-type fields north of the Great Wall”. The historical famous city, Hami has become the only artery to Xinjiang from east. Turpan Basin is the place at the lowest elevation with the lowest spot of -154 meter. The temperature difference between day and night is above 10℃, people always say “wear cotton-padded jacket in the morning and muslin at noon, and eat watermelon holding the stove at night.” Belonging to temperate continental arid climate, the annual natural precipitation in Xinjiang is 155 mm. The total area of oasis is about 5% of Xinjiang’s area, which is with typical oasis ecological characteristics. Regarding ecological environment, the ecological environment in Xinjiang is relatively independent and weak. In order to protect the ecological environment in Xinjiang, China government gives key support, the implementing ecological environment protection and construction engineering of large scale include comprehensive treatment of Tarim River, protection of natural forest, returning land for farming to forestry and grain for green project, soil improvement, fire-extinguishing of coal field, energy-saving and drainage.

    新疆资源非常丰富

    Xinjiang is rich in resource

    新疆具有得天独厚的水、土、光、热资源。日照时间长，昼夜温差大，无霜期长，年太阳能辐射量大，对农作物生长十分有利。现有耕地410多万公顷，而且土质好，地势平坦，集中连片，非常便于引水自流灌溉和大规模开垦。新疆是中国五大牧区之一，在三山和两盆的周围有大量的优良牧场，新疆的畜牧业历史悠久，古代的汗血马、现在的伊犁马、阿勒泰羊等都是有名的畜种。你可能想到新疆多是沙漠戈壁，你却不知新疆有570条河流，100多个湖泊，每年地表水径流量880多亿立方米，地下水量也超过250多亿立方米，冰川储量占中国的50%，水能资源理论蕴藏量居中国第四位，伊犁河、额尔齐斯河流到北冰洋。新疆风能也极为丰富。

    Xinjiang is with advantaged resource of water, soil, light and heat. The sunshine duration is long, the temperature difference is big, the frost-free period is long, and the annual solar radiation amount is much, which is good for the growth of crops. It has the arable land over 4.1 million hectares, and the soil quality is good, the terrain is flat and concentrated, which is convenient for piloting gravity irrigation and large scale reclamation. As one of five pastures in China, there are a large quantity of fine pastures surrounding the three mountains and two basins in Xinjiang, the animal husbandry in Xinjiang is with long history, the ancient blood-sweat horse, modern Ili horse, Altay sheep are all famous livestock species. You may think most area of Xinjiang are desert and Gobi, while you do not know there are 570 rivers and over 100 lakes in Xinjiang, the surface runoff is over 88 billion cubic meters every year, the underground water amount also exceeds over 25 billion cubic meters, the glacier reserve is 50% of China, the theoretical reserve amount of water resource is the fourth in China, Ili River and Erqis River flow into the Arctic Ocean. The wind energy resource is also rich in Xinjiang.

    新疆矿产种类齐全、资源储量丰富，从已经探明的资源情况，已证实新疆是一个矿产资源的富集区。目前发现的矿产有138种,其中9种储量居中国首位,32种居中国西北地区首位。新疆是中国有色金属、黑色金属、稀有金属矿藏的重要基地之一，可谓是“山山有宝、盆盆有油”。阿勒泰是蒙古语“出金子的地方”，俗有“阿勒泰山七十二条沟，沟沟有黄金。”非金属矿之多在中国少有，和田玉石，奇台的石墨等。新疆是中国重要的能源基地之一，新疆石油资源量占中国陆上石油资源量的30%；天然气资源量占中国陆上天然气资源量的34%。新疆油气勘探开发潜力巨大,远景十分可观。新疆煤炭预测资源量占中国的40%。新疆真是块宝地。由于地理的多样性，新疆野生动植物达4000余种，新疆的飞禽走兽，种类十分丰富，雪鸡、黄羊、野马、野骆驼等；新疆的野果、大漠的胡杨都极具特色，天然药物有:麻黄、罗布麻、甘草、贝母、雪莲等分布广泛,质量上乘,具有独特的品质和优良的特性。

    The mineral resource in Xinjiang is of great variety, the resource reserve is rich, from the proved resource situation, and it can be proven that Xinjiang is an enrichment region with mineral resource. Currently, the discovered minerals are 138 kinds, among of which 9 kinds of minerals reserve ranks the first in China, 32 kinds of minerals ranks the first in northwest region. As one of key base of nonferrous metal, ferrous metal and rare metal mineral deposit in China, Xinjiang is a place of “treasure on every mountain, oil in every basin”. Altay means “the place producing gold” in Mongolian, there is a saying of “seventy-two ditches in Altay Mountain, each ditch has gold.” Many of non-metallic minerals in Xinjiang, which is very rare in China, such as Hotan jade, graphite in Qitai. As one of important energy bases in China, the oil resource amount in Xinjiang is 30% of land oil resource amount in China; the natural gas resource amount is 34% of land natural gas resource amount in China. The exploration and development potential of oil and gas in Xinjiang is enormous, the prospect is considerable. The predicted coal resource amount in Xinjiang is 40% of China. Xinjiang is really a treasure. Due to the diversity of geography, there are over 4000 kinds of wild animals and plants in Xinjiang, the category of birds and beasts is rich, such as snow cock, dzeren, wild horse, wild camel etc.; the wild fruit in Xinjiang, the diversifolious poplar in desert are all with features greatly, the natural medicine is as follows: Chinese ephedra, apocynum, liquorice, bulb of fritillary, snow lotus are widely spread with good quality, which have unique quality and fine performance.

    新疆旅游令你留恋忘返Traveling in Xinjiang makes you enjoy yourself and forget to go home新疆神奇的自然景观、多样的民族风情和独特的历史文化，让人感叹、让人兴奋，令人激动，“不到新疆，不知中国之大；不到新疆，不知道自然之奇特”。在中国旅游资源68种基本类型中新疆至少拥有56种,居中国之冠。新疆自然景观神奇独特,冰峰与火洲共存,瀚海与绿洲为邻,自然风貌粗犷,景观组合独特。

    The miraculous natural landscape, diversified national amorous feeling and unique historical culture in Xinjiang make people excited, “You will not know how big China is until come to Xinjiang; you will not know how strange the nature is until come to Xinjiang.” Among the 68 kinds of tourist resources in China, Xinjiang has 56 kinds of resources at least, which is the first in China. The natural scenic spot in Xinjiang is miraculous and unique, the coexistence of ice peak and fire land, the neighboring of desert and oasis, the natural scene is rough, the landscape combination is unique.

    著名的自然风景有天池、喀纳斯湖、博斯腾湖、赛里木湖、巴音布鲁克草原等。新疆人文旅游资源丰富,在新疆5000多公里古丝绸之路的南、北、中三条干线上留下数以百计的古城池、古墓葬、千佛洞、古屯田遗址等人文景观, 堪称“世界古城博物馆”，古城遗址沿古“丝绸之路”成群，成带分布，是世界上古城数量最多、保存最完好的地带。其中,交河故城、高昌故城、楼兰遗址、克孜尔千佛洞、香妃墓等蜚声中外。由于地理环境的不同形成了新疆独特的民族风情和特色歌舞、音乐。各具特色的旅游项目深受中外游客的喜爱。可以选择沙漠探险游、科学考察游、文化考古游、漂流、冰川探险和考察旅游、丝绸之路旅游、购物游、民族风情游、狩猎游、滑雪游等等，有什么需求都能满足，近年登山探险、山间徒步成为时尚，体验回归大自然的乐趣。当然，星级不等的宾馆也是遍及城乡各地。

    The famous natural landscape includes Heavenly Lake, Kanas Lake, Bosten Lake, Sayram Lake, Bayinbrook Grassland etc.. The humanistic tourist resource is rich, there left hundreds of humanistic landscapes including ancient cities, ancient tombs, thousand-Buddha cave, ancient Tuntian ruins, which is “world ancient city museum,” the ancient city sites were distributed in group and in belt along with ancient “Silk Road”, which is the zone with the most ancient cities and the best preservation in the world. Among of which, Jiaohe Ancient City, Gaochang Ancient City, Loulan Ruins, Kyzyr Thousand-Buddha Cave, Tomb of Fragrant Princess are all famous in China and the world. It has formed the unique national amorous feeling and characteristic dance, singing, and music in Xinjiang due to different geographical environment. The tourism items with different characteristics are the favorites of domestic and foreign tourists, such as desert adventure travel, scientific expedition travel, cultural archeology travel, national amorous feeling travel, drifting, glacier exploration and investigation travel, silk road travel, shopping, hunting and skiing etc. are all available, whatever requirements can be satisfied, mountaineering exploration and hiking in the mountain have become the vogue in recent years, which are to experience the joy of returning to the nature. Certainly, hotels of different star levels are everywhere in the cities and towns.

    新疆是一个多个民族、多种文化、多种宗教并存的地区Xinjiang is a place with coexistence of many nationalities, multi culture and religions经过历次变迁，新疆各民族逐渐形成了大杂居、小聚居的格局。居住有维吾尔、汉、哈萨克、回、柯尔克孜、蒙古、塔吉克、锡伯、满、乌兹别克、俄罗斯、达斡尔、塔塔尔等13个原住民族，是中国五个少数民族自治区之一，民族成分达到55个，使用着汉语、维吾尔语、哈萨克语、蒙古语、柯尔克孜语、塔吉克语、俄罗斯语、锡伯语等。新疆是一个宗教色彩浓厚的地方，公元10世纪伊斯兰教传入新疆，在这以前，新疆各民族信仰过多种宗教，其中以佛教为主，现在也有不少人信仰着伊斯兰教、佛教、道教、基督教、天主教、萨满教等。多种宗教共存，信仰不同宗教的人数多少不同，也有信教与不信教的自由选择。维吾尔族、哈萨克族、回族、柯尔克孜族、塔吉克族、塔塔尔族等民族，几乎是全民族信仰伊斯兰教。由于穆斯林群众很多，新疆各地都能看到清真寺的建筑。喀什的艾提尕尔清真寺最为著名，每逢重要节日，清真寺前的广场上都会聚集数十万的人群。在新疆，可以看到，各民族无论人数多少，在政治上一律平等，并逐步建立起平等、团结、互助的新型民族关系。中国政府民族区域自治制度是一个得受各民族欢迎的制度。新疆成立50多年来，在2000多万的新疆总人口中少数民族则占到总人口的60 %多，其中维吾尔族占总人口的45%多，汉族占总人口的39%多，其他少数民族约占15 %左右。维吾尔族主要集中在塔里木盆地的绿洲，哈萨克族主要分布在准噶尔盆地四周的草原，塔吉克族聚居在帕米尔高原，锡伯族生活在伊犁河边，汉族则主要分布在城市和北疆。

    Through the previous changes, it has formed the structure of large mixed community and compact community of various nationalities in Xinjiang. There are 13 original nationalities including Uighur, Han, Kazak, Hui, Kyrgyz, Mongol, Xibe, Manchu, Uzbek, Russian, Tahur, and Tartar, Xinjiang is one of the five minority nationalities autonomous regions in China, the nationality component reaches 55, they use Chinese, Uighur, Kazak, Mongolian, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Russian, and Xibe language etc.. Xinjiang is a place with thick religion color, Islam was introduced into Xinjiang in the tenth century, before this, various nationalities in Xinjiang had believed in many kinds of religions, among of which Buddhism is predominant, nowadays many people believe in Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Catholicism, Shamanism etc.. Many kinds of religions coexist, the number of people that believe in different religions is different, and it is free to select belief and paganism. The nationalities including Uighur, Kazak, Hui, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Tartar all believe in Islam almost. Due to a large quantity of Muslim mass, the buildings of mosques can be seen everywhere in Xinjiang. Aitgar Mosque in Kashi is the most famous, whenever at the important festival, hundreds of thousands of people gather on the square in front of the mosque. In Xinjiang, it can be seen that no matter how many the people number of various nationalities, they are all equal in politics, and establish the new nationality relationship of equality, unity, and mutual help. The regional autonomy for ethnic minorities system of China government is very popular. Over 50 years of the establishment of Xinjiang, among the total population over 20 million, the ethnic minorities is 60%, among of which Uighur people is 45%, Han people is 39%, other ethnic minorities is about 15%. Uighur people mainly concentrates on the oasis of Tarim Basin, Tajik people concentrates on Pamir Plateau, Xibe people lives by Ili River, Han people mainly distributes in cities and north Xinjiang.

    随着中国改革开放和市场经济的发展，人流、物流、资金流大幅增加。在新疆你可以看到有中国各地的人，有河南人、四川人、甘肃人、陕西人、山东人、湖南人等，当然街头也时常见到俄罗斯、哈萨克斯坦、巴基斯坦、日本和欧美等地的外国人。站在乌鲁木齐的街头，耳朵里听到的，除了汉族人的各地方言，还有少数民族的不同话语以及世界不同国家的语言；眼睛里看到的，除了黑头发黑眼睛的黄种人，还有金发碧眼的白种人，在这里，就像是一个活生生的民族、种族的展示地。虽然出自不同民族，来自不同地方，但新疆人普遍性格开朗、豪爽大方、朴实热情。在这里，北方人的粗犷和南方人的细腻找到了最佳的结合点。

    Along with the reform and opening-up and development of market economy in China, personnel transferring, material transferring, fund transferring are increased immensely. You can see people from various places of China, including people from Henan, Sichuan, Gansu, Shanxi, Shandong, Hunan etc., certainly, foreigners from Russia, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Japan and Europe can be seen on streets. Standing on the streets in Urumqi, what you can hear is not only the dialects of Han people from different places, but also different languages of minorities and languages of different countries all over the world; what you can see is not only the yellow race with black hair and black eyes, but also the white race with blue eyes and golden hair, it is a live exhibition place of nationalities and races. Although from different nationalities and different places, Xinjiang people are all with pleasant personality, straightforward and generous, artless and enthusiastic generally. Straightforward of the northern and subtle sensibility of the south have found the optimum combining site here.

    新疆饮食绝对称得上是中国的一大菜系。清真食品是新疆餐饮的主流，牛肉、羊肉是新疆人的主要肉食，面粉是新疆人的传统主食，烧烤是新疆的一绝，奶和奶制品，是新疆人的饮料和点心。说到美味的东西，提醒你不要忘记品尝新疆的瓜果，新疆有“瓜果之乡”的美誉，吐鲁番的葡萄，哈密的瓜，阿克苏的苹果，库尔勒香梨等等，不同的季节、不同的地方都有。当然，在新疆的城市、农村、大街小巷，川菜、粤菜、湘菜、鲁菜、江浙菜和东北菜，都有专营店；广东的海鲜，重庆的火锅，北京的涮肉，成都的小吃，云南的米线，扬州的炒饭，兰州的牛肉面，内蒙的小肥羊，西安的泡馍，以及朝鲜小菜、南韩烧烤、日本生鱼、印度飞饼、肯德基快餐和正宗的国外西餐，都可以很容易地找到。

    Xinjiang food can be called as one main style of cooking absolutely. Muslim food is the main stream of Xinjiang food, beef and mutton is the main meat of Xinjiang people, flour is the traditional staple food of Xinjiang people, barbecue is a unique in Xinjiang, milk and dairy products are the beverage and pastry. While talking about delicacy, please don’t forget to taste the melons and fruits, Xinjiang has the reputation of “Home of Melons and Fruits,” such as grapes of Turpan, melons of Hami, apples of Aksu, bergamot pear of Korla etc., which are available in different seasons at different places. Certainly, on streets and lanes of cities, in villages of Xinjiang, there are exclusive sales restaurants of Sichuan cuisine, Cantonese cuisine, Hunan cuisine, Shandong cuisine, Jiangsu & Zhejiang cuisine, and northeast cuisine; seafood of Guangdong, hotpot of Chongqing, instant-boiled meat of Beijing, snacks of Chengdu, rice noodle of Yunnan, fried rice of Yangzhou, beef noodles of Lanzhou, little lamp of Inner Mongolia, mutton soup with bread of Xi’an, and Korean snack, barbecue of South Korea, sashimi of Japan, flying pancake of India, KFC fast food and authentic foreign western food are everywhere to be found easily.

    新疆生产建设兵团

    Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps

    在新疆，还有一个特殊的群体，它叫“新疆生产建设兵团”。兵团不是扛枪打仗的士兵，兵团承担着国家赋予的屯垦戍边职责，是新疆经济建设的生力军。兵团以不到新疆七分之一的人口，创造了新疆五分之一的农业产值，为出口提供了近一半的货源，棉花、番茄酱都是出口的产品，还有7家上市公司。四五十年前，当兵团的农垦战士和家属职工到新疆时，到处是荒地、杂草。他们住在“地窝子”或帐篷里，硬是靠着人拉肩扛，修建了水库，开挖了水渠，平整了农田，种植了林带，盖起了房屋，修通了公路，建成了大片大片优良的农场，诞生了一个一个崭新的城市。今天，穿行在阿拉尔垦区、小海子垦区、铁干里克垦区、石河子垦区、五家渠垦区、北屯垦区、塔城垦区、科克达拉垦区等中国新疆兵团农场，很难相信几十年前，这些地方都是少有人烟的不毛之地。漫步在石河子市、奎屯市、五家渠市、阿拉尔市、图木舒克市的街头，很难相信这些兵团城市是如此年轻。

    There is a special group in Xinjiang, which is called “Xinjiang Production & Construction Corps”. The corps is not soldiers for war, it bears the responsibility of reclamation and guarding the frontier endowed by the state, is the major force of economic construction in Xinjiang. With one seventh population of Xinjiang, the Corps created the one fifth agricultural output value of Xinjiang, provided almost half goods source for export, cotton and ketchup are all products for export, and seven listed companies. Forty or fifty years ago, while the agricultural reclamation soldiers of the Corps and their family staff came to Xinjiang, wasteland and weeds were everywhere. Lived in the cave or tent, through dragging and transporting piggyback, they constructed reservoir, digged canals, leveled fields, planted forest belt, built houses, constructed roads, established a huge area of fine farms, produced brand new cities one by one. Today, while walked by Agricultural Reclamation Areas of the Corps of Xinjiang, China including Alar Agricultural Reclamation Area, Xiaohaizi Agricultural Reclamation Area, Tieganlik Agricultural Reclamation Area, Shihezi Agricultural Reclamation Area, Wujiaqu Agricultural Reclamation Area, Beitun Agricultural Reclamation Area, Tacheng Agricultural Reclamation Area and Kekdala Agricultural Reclamation Area, it is very hard to believe that these places are barren land and desolate several decades ago. While wandering on streets of Shihezi City, Kuytun City, Wujiaqu City, Alar City, Tumushuke City, it is very hard to believe these cities of the Corps are so young.

    新疆人生活得很自在

    Xinjiang natives are carefree

    各族人民的生活水平在逐年提高，并开始进入小康生活。而毡房已成为旅游，骑马成为一种体验。民族文化的传承和保护得到足够的重视，青少年受教育程度较好。在新疆各层次教育中用多种民族语言教学，从2000年开始，中国政府投巨资在全国14个发达城市举办新疆高中班，同时，在新疆内招收边远贫穷地区农牧民子女上初中。在新疆，广播电视、报纸、网络等媒体也是多种语言文字开办节目、频道。县、乡、村三级医疗预防保健网进一步巩固,新型合作医疗逐步建立，县县有医院、卫生防疫站和妇幼保健院,乡乡有卫生院,村村有医疗点。新中国成立后,中国的民族区域自治制度,在新疆得到很好实施，保障了各族人民真正当家作主的权利。同时，非常重视新疆少数民族干部的培养、选拔和使用,一大批优秀的少数民族干部、管理人才和各类专业技术人才活跃在中国新疆政府机构。各级行政一把手都有不同少数民族干部担任。少数民族古代文学巨著《福乐智慧》、《突厥语大词典》和少数民族历史史诗《江格尔》、《玛纳斯》以及维吾尔族大型古典音乐套曲“十二木卡姆”等一批少数民族的历史文化遗产得到了有效保护,并得以发扬光大。2005年维吾尔族大型古典音乐套曲“十二木卡姆”被联合国教科文组织批准为“人类口头和非物质遗产代表作”。 但是国际敌对势力利用民族宗教问题对新疆进行破坏活动，中国政府严厉打击民族分裂主义骨干分子、暴力恐怖犯罪分子和宗教极端势力为首分子,依法加强对宗教事务的管理,保持了新疆的社会稳定。以新疆的稳定来维护世界和平、稳定。无论你走到哪里，微笑是最好的语言，在与新疆人交谈中，你可以感受到他们的快乐感、幸福感、自豪感。正如歌里唱的“我走过许多地方，最美的还是我们新疆。”

    The living standard of various nationalities is improving year by year, and they begin to live a well-off life. While yurt has become travel, horse riding has become a kind of experience. Passing and protection of ethnic culture has been valued sufficiently, the education level of adolescent is good. Multi nationalities language is used for teaching among various level education in Xinjiang, since 2000, China government has invested a huge sum of money to hold senior middle school class of Xinjiang in 14 developed cities all over China, meanwhile, to admit the children of peasants and herdsmen of remote and poor regions to study at junior middle school. In Xinjiang, the media including radio and television, newspaper, network set up programmes and channels using multi languages and characters. The network of third-class medical and health care of village, township and county consolidated furtherly, new-type cooperative medical station was established gradually, there are hospitals, sanitation and antiepidemic station, and maternal and child care service centre in every county, health centers in every township, and medical stations in every village. After the foundation of new China, the system of regional autonomy of ethnic minorities in China has been implemented very well in Xinjiang, which ensured the right of being real master of various minorities. Meanwhile, it is valued to train, select and use the cadres of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, a great batch of excellent cadres of ethnic minorities, managerial talent and various professional technicians flourish in the government agency of Xinjiang, China. Administrative leaders of various levels are all from different ethnic minorities. The historical culture heritage including ancient great literature work of ethnic minority such as “Fule Wisdom”, “Turki Dictionary” and historical epic such as “Jangar”, “Manas” and large scale classical set music of Uighur called “Twelve Mukam” have been protected efficiently, and developed. In 2005, large scale classical set music of Uighur “Twelve Mukam” was approved as “Representative Work of Human Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage” by UNESCO. While international hostile forces pursued sabotage in Xinjiang using religion, China government cracks down the key member of nationality separatism, plug-ugly, terrorists and criminals, and head of religion extreme force strictly, strengthens the management of religion matter in accordance with law, has kept the social stability of Xinjiang. It is going to keep world peace and stability with the stability of Xinjiang. Wherever you go, smile is the best language, while communicate with Xinjiang people, you can experience the happiness, pleasure, pride of them. Just like the lyrics of “I passed by many places, the most beautiful place is still Xinjiang.”

    新疆是一个新的经济高地

    Xinjiang is a new economic highland

    新疆特色农业优势显著，正加快农业产业化步伐，棉花、粮食、林果、畜牧四大基地建设得到加强，并成为主导产业和生产基地。啤酒花占中国总产量的70%,枸杞占50%以上,红花占60%以上，棉花总产量占到中国产量的三分之一，占全球产量8%，新疆的番茄产品独步国际市场，产量占欧洲市场的70%，位居中国第一。新疆屯河、新农开发、新疆天业、香梨股份、新中基、啤酒花、伊力特等一大批有实力的企业和上市公司大手笔参与优质农产品的生产、加工、贸易和技术服务。

    The advantage of Xinjiang Characteristic agriculture is remarkable, it is accelerating the step of industrialization of agriculture, and the construction of cotton base, grain base, forest and fruit base, and animal husbandry base has been strengthened, and has become the leading industry and production base. Hop is 70% of total output in China, medlar is over 50%, safflower is over 60%, total output of cotton is one third of output in China, and 8% of global output, and the tomato products in Xinjiang are unique in international market, the output is 70% in Europe market, which ranks the first in China. Large quantities of strong enterprises and listed company undertake production, processing, trade and technology service of quality farm products, including Xinjiang Tunhe, Xinnong Development, Xinjiang Tianye, bergamot pear stock, Xinzhongji, Hop, Yilite.

    新疆新型工业化增长加速，中国宝钢、神华、中粮、国投等20多家大企业大集团都参与了新疆企业的重组和资源开发。现已形成以农副产品深加工为主导力量，具有一定规模的现代工业体系。能源工业成为新疆国民经济的重要支柱产业。20多家上市公司，在上海、深圳两个股票市场表现良好。一年一度的乌鲁木齐经济贸易洽谈会，吸引着国内外众多客商。已同100多个国家和地区建立了经贸关系。具有发展边境贸易和国际经济贸易合作的巨大优势。

    The increasement of new-type industrialization of Xinjiang is speeding up, over 20 large enterprises and groups participated the reorganization and resource development of enterprises in Xinjiang, including Baogang Group, Shenhua Group, Zhongliang Group, International Trust & Investment Corp. Ltd.. Now it has formed modern industrial system with a certain scale taking deep processing of farm and sideline products as leading strength. Energy industry has become the important pillar industry of national economy in Xinjiang. Over 20 listed companies in Xinjiang perform very well on Shanghai Stock Market and Shenzhen Stock Market. The annual Urumqi Economy & Trade Fair attracted many domestic and foreign traders. Xinjiang has established economic trade relationship with over 100 countries and regions, which has immense advantage of frontier trade development and international economic trade and cooperation.

    在乌鲁木齐的边疆宾馆和华凌市场，每天都有很多来自中亚、南亚的人在那里采购各种货物。民族风情浓郁的国际大巴扎吸引着众多的商家和游客，每天的人流量超过十万。石河子也被联合国列入最适合人类居住的城市，库尔勒也成为中国的魅力城市。

    In Frontier Hotel and Hualing Market of Urumqi, many foreigners from Central Asia, South Asia purchase various kinds of goods there everyday. International Grand Bazaar with thick ethnic minorities feeling are attracting many traders and travelers, the stream of people exceeds 100,000 every day. Shihezi has been listed as the most suitable city for people to live in by the United Nations, Korla has been the charming city in China.

    随着国际经济格局的变化，丝绸之路在沉睡一千年之后，又在现代国际贸易的舞台上复活了。再次推动着新疆经济加速上升，将使新疆成为中亚的经济高地。

    Along with the change of international economic structure, Silk Road revived again on the stage of modern international trade again after sound sleep of one thousand years. It is pushing forward the promoting of economy in Xinjiang again, will make Xinjiang become economic highland in Central Asia.

    新疆并不遥远

    Xinjiang is not far away

    新疆很大，从乌鲁木齐到和田有2000多公里，新疆距离北京3000多公里，但只需2--3个多小时就可到达；从乌鲁木齐飞到哈萨克斯坦2个小时，去巴基斯坦也只需1个多小时，新疆不再遥远，来往新疆十分方便，在新疆内有18条航线，在中国国内有82条航线，还有45条国际航线，20个国家的86个城市与新疆通航。新疆铁路位于中国铁路网的最西端，是连接新亚欧大陆桥的通道，兰新铁路全程复线，南北疆也有铁路直达，新疆还与哈萨克斯坦开通了乌鲁木齐至阿拉木图的国际旅客列车。公路以乌鲁木齐为中心，有国道、省道。穿越塔克拉玛干大沙漠的沙漠公路，是世界上首次在流动大沙漠上修筑的长距离公路，新疆已成为中国对外开通国际客货运输线路最多、营运里程最长、车次最多的省区。新疆管道运输量大，是中国管道运输里程最长的省区，中哈石油管道的东端就在新疆阿拉山口口岸，是我国第一条国际原油长输管线。数据通信网、多媒体通信发展迅速，与世界各地的联系方便快捷。坐在乌鲁木齐的电脑前，通过宽带网，可以方便地与外地朋友下棋或聊天。

    Xinjiang is large, it is over 2000 km from Urumqi to Hotan, over 3000 km from Xinjiang to Beijing, but it only takes 2-3 hours to arrive; 2 hours from Urumqi to Kazakhstan, and over 1 hour to Pakistan, Xinjiang is not far away, it is very convenient to visit Xinjiang, there are 18 airlines in Xinjiang, 82 domestic airlines in China, and 45 international airlines, 86 cities in 20 countries navigate Xinjiang. Located in the westmost of railway network in China, Xinjiang railway is the passage connecting new Eurasia Land Bridge, Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway is parallel line all the way, there are also direct railway from south Xinjiang to north Xinjiang, the international passenger train from Urumqi to Almaty has been opened between Xinjiang and Kazakhstan. Taking Urumqi as the center, there are national highway and provincial highway in Xinjiang. The desert highway crossing Taklimakan Desert is the first long-distance highway on mobile desert in the world; Xinjiang has become the provincial region with the most lines, the longest mileage and the most vehicles of international passengers and goods transportation in China. The pipeline transportation in Xinjiang is large, which is provincial region with the longest mileage of pipeline transport in China, the east end of Sino-Kazak Pipeline locates at Alashankou Port of Xinjiang, which is the first international long-distance pipeline of crude oil in China. Data communication network, multimedia communications are developing rapidly, which make it convenient and fast to contact with various places all over the world. As sitting before the computer in Urumqi, you can play chess or chat with foreign friends conveniently through broadband network.

    “我们新疆好地方”，在歌里、电视里都是这么展现的，是否真的是这样呢？想要近距离接触新疆、了解新疆，还需你亲自到新疆走走，亲身体验一下真实的新疆！

    “The Wonderful Xinjiang”, which is showed in song and TV, is it really like this? If you want to touch and understand Xinjiang at close quarters, you must walk around Xinjiang by yourself, and experience the real Xinjiang by yourself.