Uyghurlar
Encyclopedia
Uyghurlar is a book by poet Turghun Almas
on the history of the "6,000 year history" of the Uyghur
ethnic group of the Xinjiang
region of China. It was published in the 1989 in the People's Republic of China
, at a high point of liberalization of academic freedom and ethnic minority policy in China. The book uses a stylized wolf on its cover that is a widely recognized symbol of Pan-Turkism
. It was one of the books of the period that presented an "alternative
Uyghur history", based on Soviet historiography
during the Sino-Soviet split
, that advanced the thesis that the Uyghurs were "indigenous" to Xinjiang and should have an independent state. It was also one of the first books to publicize the term East Turkestan
, which suggests a kinship to a "West Turkestan" in the independent Central Asia
n states. In contrast to the official Chinese history of Xinjiang
, which states that the region was an integral part of China since the Han Dynasty
, the book takes a nationalist view, saying that many "Uyghur" states throughout history were independent of, or even dominant over, China.
The book makes a number of non-orthodox theories about history, including that the Tarim mummies
indicate that the Uyghurs were "older than Chinese civilization
itself", and that the Uyghurs invented the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing
. It concluded, "If the Jews could reclaim their homeland after 3,000 years, the Uyghurs should be able to reclaim their homeland after 3,000 to 6,000 years". In response to the book's growing popularity among Uyghurs, in February 1991, the Xinjiang CPC
Propaganda Department and the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences jointly organized an academic conference
to discuss the historical claims in Uyghurlar, as well as those in two of Almas's other books. More than 140 historians, ethnographers
, archaeologists, and literature specialists from different ethnic groups in Xinjiang and Beijing scrutinized the research of the book, concluding that it "distorted and falsified history". The government soon publicized a pamphlet called "One Hundred Mistakes of Turghun Almas's Uyghurlar" to publicize the book's historical flaws, which had the opposite effect of increasing interest in the book. The book was banned and Almas was said to be placed under "virtual house arrest
" in Urumqi
.
Turghun Almas
Turghun Almas was an Uyghur historian and poet born in Kashgar. He was criticized for his "support for ethnic nationalist separatists" by Wang Lequen. He was jailed from 1943 to 1946 and again from July 1947 to April 1949 for his political activities...
on the history of the "6,000 year history" of the Uyghur
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
ethnic group of the Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
region of China. It was published in the 1989 in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, at a high point of liberalization of academic freedom and ethnic minority policy in China. The book uses a stylized wolf on its cover that is a widely recognized symbol of Pan-Turkism
Pan-Turkism
Pan-Turkism is a nationalist movement that emerged in 1880s among the Turkic intellectuals of the Russian Empire, with the aim of cultural and political unification of all Turkic peoples.-Name:...
. It was one of the books of the period that presented an "alternative
Historical revisionism
In historiography, historical revisionism is the reinterpretation of orthodox views on evidence, motivations, and decision-making processes surrounding a historical event...
Uyghur history", based on Soviet historiography
Soviet historiography
Soviet historiography is the methodology of history studies by historians in the Soviet Union . In the USSR, the study of history was marked by alternating periods of freedom allowed and restrictions imposed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , and also by the struggle of historians to...
during the Sino-Soviet split
Sino-Soviet split
In political science, the term Sino–Soviet split denotes the worsening of political and ideologic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the Cold War...
, that advanced the thesis that the Uyghurs were "indigenous" to Xinjiang and should have an independent state. It was also one of the first books to publicize the term East Turkestan
East Turkestan
East Turkestan is a controversial political term with multiple meanings depending on context and usage...
, which suggests a kinship to a "West Turkestan" in the independent Central Asia
Central Asia
Central Asia is a core region of the Asian continent from the Caspian Sea in the west, China in the east, Afghanistan in the south, and Russia in the north...
n states. In contrast to the official Chinese history of Xinjiang
History of Xinjiang
The recorded history of Xinjiang dates to the 2nd millennium BC. There have been many empires, primarily Han, Turkic, and Mongolic, that have ruled over the region, including the Yuezhi, Xiongnu Empire, Han Dynasty, Sixteen Kingdoms of the Jin Dynasty , Tang Dynasty, Uyghur Khaganate, Kara-Khanid...
, which states that the region was an integral part of China since the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
, the book takes a nationalist view, saying that many "Uyghur" states throughout history were independent of, or even dominant over, China.
The book makes a number of non-orthodox theories about history, including that the Tarim mummies
Tarim mummies
The Tarim mummies are a series of mummies discovered in the Tarim Basin in present-day Xinjiang, China, which date from 1900 BC to 200 AD. Some of the mummies are frequently associated with the presence of the Indo-European Tocharian languages in the Tarim Basin, although the evidence is not...
indicate that the Uyghurs were "older than Chinese civilization
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
itself", and that the Uyghurs invented the compass, gunpowder, papermaking, and printing
Four Great Inventions of ancient China
The Four Great Inventions are the inventions that are celebrated in Chinese culture for their historical significance and serve as symbols of China's advanced science and technology.The Four Great Inventions are:* Compass * Gunpowder...
. It concluded, "If the Jews could reclaim their homeland after 3,000 years, the Uyghurs should be able to reclaim their homeland after 3,000 to 6,000 years". In response to the book's growing popularity among Uyghurs, in February 1991, the Xinjiang CPC
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
Propaganda Department and the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences jointly organized an academic conference
Academic conference
An academic conference or symposium is a conference for researchers to present and discuss their work. Together with academic or scientific journals, conferences provide an important channel for exchange of information between researchers.-Overview:Conferences are usually composed of various...
to discuss the historical claims in Uyghurlar, as well as those in two of Almas's other books. More than 140 historians, ethnographers
Ethnography
Ethnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
, archaeologists, and literature specialists from different ethnic groups in Xinjiang and Beijing scrutinized the research of the book, concluding that it "distorted and falsified history". The government soon publicized a pamphlet called "One Hundred Mistakes of Turghun Almas's Uyghurlar" to publicize the book's historical flaws, which had the opposite effect of increasing interest in the book. The book was banned and Almas was said to be placed under "virtual house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
" in Urumqi
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
.