By Michael WINES, Published: May 27, 2009 KASHGAR, China — A thousand years ago, the northern and southern branches of the Silk Road converged at this oasis town near the western edge of the Taklamakan Desert. Traders from Delhi and Samarkand, wearied by frigid treks through the world’s most daunting mountain ranges, unloaded their pack horses here and sold saffron and lutes along the city’s cramped streets ...

Henryk SZADZIEWSKI 22 May 2012 China's plan to transform the heart of Uyghur culture, learning and urban settlement - Kashgar old city - is well underway. The fact that the Uyghurs themselves have no voice in this process gives the experience a wider significance, says Henryk Szadziewski. Time is almost up for the old city of Kashgar. For the last three years, and over the silence of the international commu ...

Lutpulla Mutellip is one of the important figures in modern Uyghur literature. Although he died very young, at the age of 23, he had a strong influence on modern Uyghur literature, and especially on Uyghur poetry. His poems are reputed for the beauty of his language. "Response to Years" (Yillargha Jawap) is considered to be his poetic masterpiece, and "Thoughtful Blessings" (Xiyalchan Tilek) is another one ...

Abduhalik Uighur was born in Turpan 9 February 1901, his father brought young Abduhalik with him traveled to China, Russia, Finland. After observed the political systems of other nations, he try to use his poems to wake up the Uighur. He organized the Turpan Revolution Central Commitee, not long after that he was persecuted by Shing-Shi-Chey. Wake up! Abduhaliq Uyghur Hey, poor Uyghur, wake up, enough sleep ...

Abdurehim Tileshüp Ötkür (1923-5 October 1995) was a popular Uyghur author and poet. Ötkür was born in Kumul, Uyghur Autonomous Region. He graduated from Xinjiang University in 1942. He then worked as the editor of the newspaper Altay Geziti till 1949. From 1949 till 1980 he worked as an interpreter in various governmental offices—as he knew Uyghur, Chinese, Russian and English all well. From 1980 to his de ...