COLORFUL TRADITIONS: Women of ethnic minority hold demonstrations on traditional embroidery

During the six days of the China-Eurasia Expo, the Xinjiang International Conference and Exhibition Center was brimming with people from Urumqi to the Netherlands. Visitors perused the myriad booths set up by vendors from all over the world. Vendors sold a wide variety of goods, including rugs, jewelry, vacation packages and cars. Customers stopped at booths to try on traditional Kazakh hats or sip Turkish tea, while others marveled at the models posing in traditional costumes. Visitors even had the chance to try on virtual traditional costumes courtesy of sensor mirrors that digitally "dress" people who stand in front.

For some visitors, the Expo created opportunities to cut business deals and make profits. Qin Renzhong, a Xinjiang woman, came with her oil pipe technical support company to sign a contract with Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang that encouraged companies like Qin's to invest locally. "I came here to sign a contract with the government so my company can expand its business in Bayingolin," said Qin. Last year, domestic enterprises signed 178 contracts at the Expo.

Tuhaan, a Uygur woman from Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, also came seeking extra income. The retired school teacher came to the Expo last year and sold five pieces of her hand-embroidered artwork for 50,000 yuan ($7,936.5). Tuhaan traveled over six hours by minibus to try her luck again this year and sell her handicrafts. She said that this is by far the best venue at which to sell her work. "I went to an expo in Haxi in Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang once, but I only sold 3,000 yuan ($476) [worth of goods]," she said. "In a whole year, this was the biggest money-maker for me."

Cultural exchange

As part of the Expo, Xinjiang also hosted the Chinese and Foreign Cultures Week. Performers welcomed guests with dances and music that came from Xinjiang's many minorities. Mongolians bellowed and throat sang, Uygurs performed traditional Mukham music and Russians danced, capturing the different sides of China and in particular, Xinjiang. Xinjiang is aptly referred to as the land of dance and song, and performers made sure to keep audiences captivated, incorporating dramatic and comedic elements, vibrant traditional costumes and great talent.

At the Xinjiang First Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Art, enormous modern art installations were displayed alongside realist paintings and showed that the small city could compete with art capitals around the world; artworks ranged from edgy, esoteric pieces like a life-size tree made of human hair to the quieter, realistic paintings of Li Zijian, whose pieces were featured in a special exhibit.

While cosmopolitan visitors had come to the China-Eurasia Expo from all around the globe, locals were equally impressed and visited in big numbers. "This is great for Xinjiang," said Qin. "It's fresh, it's new and it's novel."