The Uzbek Nationality

The Uzbek nationality has over 14,000 people, scattered over 85 percent of the territory of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. They have their own language, which belongs to the Turkic group of the Altaic family. They believe in Islam. Most of the people live in cities and towns. They are good at doing business and have a high educational level. The women are apt at embroidery. The rhythms of their music and dances are lively with solos and solo dances taking a leading role in their performances.



The "Silk Road", an ancient commercial road running through the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains and along the Yili River, had made enormous indelible contributions to economic and cultural exchanges between the East and West in ancient times. It had also become a channel for the migration and fusion of different nationalities since trade caravans took their wives and children with them on the long expeditions. The Uzbek nationality had gradually developed from the Central Asian traders who did business along the Road and moved slowly down south in history. They are now living in big cities and towns on the communication line, and get on very well with other nationalities in Xinjiang.

Due to their commercial needs, most Uzbeks live in towns and cities. They have a variety of housing styles, but rectangular earth houses with flat roofs are the most common. Those with a round top are called Awa. The walls are thick, in which niches of various shapes are built to keep their cups, bowls, ornaments, etc. A fireplace is also built to warm up the house. A cotton curtain usually hangs over the front door and every room in the house.

Wearing various colored small caps is an important characteristic of their traditional costumes. The caps can be embroidered or made of corduroy or black velvet. Women sometimes wear scarves over them. Quinake, a broad pleated dress which is worn without a girdle is most common among the women. Men often wear a knee-length gown opened on the left with an embroidered waistband round it. Colored embroidery laces are also added to collars, front openings and scuffs of their shirts. These ornaments make a fine display of the Uzbek women's excellent embroidery skills. In fact, small caps, laces, sheets and pillowcases they embroider are so special and delicate that these products are widely adored.

Their diet is colorful. Nang, kind of baked pastry, is their everyday staple. They make all sorts of Nangs: thin or small round ones, garlic, meat or corn flour ones, etc. Like the Uygur and other local nationalities, they also like to have "hand-eating rice" cooked with mutton, carrots, raisins and rice. Naren is a food most characteristic of the Uzbek nationality. They mix chopped cooked meat with onions, pepper, rice and broth and eat it with their hands. Naren is also considered the best food for entertaining their guests. It is very nutritious to go together with red tea, Fuling tea, millet wine, and fruit drinks. No wonder Uzbek people all appear so healthy and energetic.

The Uzbeks attach great importance to the education of their children. They hold a grand ceremony for the birth of a baby and invite the most prestigious and learned elders to name the child. On the 11th day after birth, they bless the child by giving a big banquet to the guests. On the 40th day, they carry out a baptism. They put the child in a big bath tub which contains a handful of soil taken from the Mosque and a gold ornament. They also invite 40 children from their relatives and neighbors to keep him company. They use a wooden ladle to pour water to the child's head while wishing him health, happiness and a bright future. They really place a lot of great hopes on the child.

The educational level of the Uzbek people is relatively high. Many of them work for the development of culture and education. The percentage of Uzbek people who have a high school diploma is two to three times higher than that of the national average.

The Uzbek nationality is one that likes singing and dancing. Their traditional music is pretty colorful, including folk songs, chanting music, and classic divertimentos. The tunes are often quick and melodious. They also have a variety of folk instruments such as Xegenai, Dutar. Rewap, flute, and hand drum. Playing these instruments while singing, they express themselves freely in songs and music.

Where there is singing, there is dancing. The Uzbek dances are famous for their grace, pace and changes. Having many turning movements, straightforward and unfolding, it is full of the charm of the West Lands.
The Silk Road has seen many ups and downs. Its brilliance and desolation in those thousands of years can only be perceived through the broken walls along its ancient route. Today, it has become noisy again bustling with speeding motorcades and crowding businessmen. The Uzbeks are creating a new brilliance with their sweat and wisdom. May this road linking Europe and Asia be open and smooth forever.