By Xuefei Chen Axelsson
Urumqi, Aug. 25(Greenpost) – On the evening of the 24th of August, the reporter visited the Grand Bazaar with a friend to see how the night scene of the Grand Bazaar looks. The Grand Bazaar is located in the center of Urumqi. The prominent tower was very beautiful during the night with the beautiful light. Going inside, it’s so lively, it’s already so full. People from all over the city or country come here to have a Xinjiang snacks type of dinner. In other words, typical local food.
It was really very crowded. It happened to be Curban Festival. And people are gathering here to enjoy the Grand Bazar Atmosphere. I think it was too busy and suggest more such Barzar should be built!
The next day on Aug. 25, during day time, a sunny afternoon, over 30 Chinese and foreign journalists came here again. There was a Ugyor dance on stage performing and it was still very crowded.
Wushiku.Yunus,executive general manager of Xinjiang International Grand Barzar Culture and Tourism Industry Co. Ltd told journalists that now it is the most prosperous time since its establishment in 2003. Everyday, there are 100 thousand tourists visiting here. Sometimes, it can reach 150 to 200 thousand tourist. Currently there are 3300 sellors providing jobs for 10 thousand people. Both the economic and social efficiency have been achieved, said Wushiku.Yunus.
Journalists went through the stands of the sellors which are such a beautiful scene. They are selling instruments, Chinese medicine herbs, silk and almost everything. Some products are produced in China and some are imported. It looks as if an international fair.
The Bazar was completed on June 26, 2003, with a total construction area of 100 thousand square meters and an area of 40 thousand square meters. It is a landmark construction conglomeration with important cultural characteristics.
Its rich tourism and cultural industry ranges from singing and dancing city, food city, ethnic group arts crafts city, silk road castle construction and all kinds of folklore customs and cultures, forming the beautiful capital. It enjoys the fame that one can see the whole Xinjiang’s history, humanistic and cultural, commercial and trade industrial park through just this one city. It is also called the meeting room for Urumqi, Xinjiang’s capital.
This young Uygor whose name is Zikereya began to sell musical instrument right after he graduated from middle school. He is 23 years old and has been a seller for six years. He loves playing this hand drum and he likes to work here because he can meet people from all over China. He works together with his brother in law. He said his could earn 20 thousand yuan per year.
This is actually an animation.
This man loves to play so much, so he plays for the tourists while his friend is selling the instruments.
Aimaierjiang.Tuohuti said he began to open his business here since 2003 when the Barzar first opened. Now it is more beautiful than ever, more and more tourists come here now thanks to the construction of the Grand Bazar built by Xinjiang government. Their income also increases along with the increase of the number of tourists. He is very satisfied with the work and life and he is very happy. There were violence before, it was not very good. Some people were brainwashed. This is what the Xinjiang people don’t like. He said the felt the life now is very good and very safe and stable. People can happily live and work.
This is on the sixth floor and a cafée with obvious Xinjiang Ugyor’s characteristics.
Maimaiti has been working here since 2004. He has two children and one is reading for master degree. The other is singing and dancing. He is one of the best sellers in the Bazar.
“The environment here is very good, the leaders are good and the business is very good because more and more tourists come here after the renovation of the walking street. ”
He said his business is getting better and better. With the development of tourism, there are more and more tourists here and his income also increased. He thinks Xinjiang is a good place with many different ethnic groups living together.
This young man is called Jiawulan. He said he used to work in Beijing. Later he found copper ware from an expo produced in Iran which is also similar to Beijing’s cloisonne. He felt he could sell it in Xinjiang. So he came back to Xinjiang and rent a place in the Grand Bazar to do business. He also said his goods are all produced along the silk road countries.
Grand Bazar is like a big family hosting many different ethnic groups including Han Chinese, Ugyors and Khazaks living together in the same area. They are enjoying a new round of increasing income as the government has proposed the policy of strengthening tourism industry. Xinjiang Ugyor Autonomous Region has prioritized tourism and hopes to utilize the local resources and increase the local people’s income. Grand Bazar is a good example.
This has been the first day when the over 30 Chinese and foreign journalists visited Xinjiang. Please stay tuned for Greenpost’s report.
Photo and text, Xuefei Chen Axelsson