Ningxia?

[ilunga]

Has anyone travelled to this province? A friend has invited me visit her there. All I know is that it's somewhere near Lanzhou. I'm guessing I would have to catch a train there first.

All I knw about Ningxia is it's the province that I always forget about

[Raoul Duke]

Hey Ilunga,
Ningxia is technically not a province, it an "autonomous region" set up for China's Islamic Hui minority. It's way out northwest and does indeed border Gansu, the province with Lanzhou in it. I've never been there but have known people from there. I've gotten some encouraging reports that it's not as dismal as it may sound. Ought to be an interesting place!

[con's fly is open]

Ilunga, if you're into the cultural experience, rather than the big city glamour, this is a GOLD MINE. Chinese muslims! The book deal will be signed in advance.

Wow, talk about a unique culture! I'm getting dizzy, and it ain't the pijiu.

[Seth]

All of my best friends in China were muslims. They don't seem to be as arrogant as their Han cousins, being a minority and everything. Some get treated horribly as kids, as some have lighter colored hair or skin than Han Chinese. I had a few muslim kids who were made fun of mercilessly for looking like a "foreigner."

Just don't order any pork dishes, but I think they're OK with alcohol.

[Raoul Duke]

They seem more tolerant of alcohol than Muslims in Muslim-majority areas. Huizu are at least not above selling some to you....

[con's fly is open]

Looking like foreigners, eh? I sense some green eyes, given the Han proclivity for lighter skin.

Wow, I like these folks already!

[Lotus Eater]

Ningxia is interesting. Very dry, have a look at Helan Shan - rock paintings and a special green rock from there. Interesting museums and also an interesting mausoleum. Plus the Western movie site - you will recognise many of the scenes from Chinese movies that have been made there.

Yinchuan is goodd to visit - walk along the ridge at the edge and watch the Chinese out early in the morning. When are you going? It still had snow when I visited May week 2004.

Reafforestation program great - Australia should do the same!!

[ilunga]

Thanks for the info. The friend has now said she's gonna be busy so I might have to look at alternative plans. Tough decisions in such a friggin' big country. Wish I'd done a summer camp now.






Not really.

[Nate M]

I would like to make a motion to move this back into the "City Specific Information" section. It might not be a city per se, but it's related to people looking for information about a specific area of China. Maybe it should be renamed "City and Area specific information"?

[Raoul Duke]

Fine for me. I guess we do get a few requests for province info...

[Raoul Duke]

...and here we are.

Muslims in China are an interesting group. There seem to be several different ethnicities here....

I think the Hui are a religious minority rather than a racial one. I think they are basically Han and others who converted to Islam many generations ago. They are generally indistinguishable from other Chinese by physical appearance. If my understanding is correct, Ningxia (aka "The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region") was set up as a homeland for the Hui.

The Uygurs, along with a smattering of ethnic Uzbeks, Tajiks, and others are true Central Asians of Turkic stock...people speaking Uygur and Turkish can generally still understand each other. These are most likely the ones sometimes sporting green eyes and other Caucasian features. Xinjiang (aka "The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region") is home for most of these folks.

There also seems to be a large population of Muslims in Qinghai, but I'm not certain of their ethnicity.

Salaam aleichem!