In
Kashgar many streets have "bazaar" as part
of their names, Although most of the
bazaars have ceased to exist except in name, there are still some
that are still in use.
The
Kashgar Sunday Market (Dabazha) (with exception of the Sunday Market)
is the busiest part of the city. The market is a kind of agricultural
market (Nongmao Shichang), that has expanded to include anything
you can think of, inlcuding clothing, knives, and more
Today's Kashgar has preserved the old traditions. On the streets one can find
markets selling various commodities, such as vegetables, fruits, food, garments,
tools and handicrafts.
Kashgar's
markets differ from markets in other places in that most of the commodities on
sale are made by the vendors themselves. Here tourists can see the handicrafts
actually being made in the workshops. Wandering along an ancient street in Kashgar,
it is as if one has traveled back in time. At the shoes and caps market, the
caps and boots on sale are made on the spot.
Going ahead, one can hear the clanging of blacksmiths' hammers. If you hear the
sound of an electric saw, then you can go and see carpenters making furniture
and kitchen utensils. If you smell the fragrance of baked cakes, you will soon
find an eating place serving nang, the staple food of the Uygur people. The nang
is broken into small pieces and dipped in soup. It is said nang can be kept for
weeks without going stale.
These markets are open every day. The famous Sunday bazaar has been operating
since ancient times, and the scale has become larger and larger, attracting merchants
from all over Xinjiang and neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Kirghizstan.
Farmers from the suburbs of Kashgar come to the bazaar early in the morning,
using various means of transportation, such as bicycles, motorcycles, tractors,
trucks and donkey-drawn carts. The highways leading to Kashgar are crowded with
these vehicles and pedestrians on Sunday mornings, as well as with flocks of
sheep.
On Sunday the whole city becomes a big market. It is hard to tell the markets
from the ordinary streets. Of the 20 markets, some are comprehensive ones, and
some are specialized markets selling local produce, arts and crafts, garments,
knives, timber, coal or animals. Among them, the animal markets are the largest.
Each day, more than 1,000 head of cattle, horses, sheep and camels are traded
here.
October is the best season to visit Kashgar, as the weather is pleasant and the
autumn harvest makes the markets more brisk. In autumn, many types of fruit are
on sale, such as grapes, watermelons, Hami melons and figs. Other local products
include Xinjiang knives and carpets, which make good souvenirs for tourists.
Uygur people make up most of Kashgar's inhabitants. On the streets, one can seldom
see people of other ethnic groups except foreign tourists and tourists from other
parts of China.
On the ancient streets of Kashgar there are men wearing Uygur skullcaps and women
wearing brown veils. The Uygur language is universally spoken by the local people.
After visiting Kashgar's Sunday bazaar, people will understand the
saying" without
visiting Kashgar, one cannot say he has visited Kashgar". If you
have a chance to visit Kashgar, don't miss the chance to visit its
Sunday Bazaar.
|
