Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Pastoral practices in High Asia pp 109–125Cite as

Kirghiz in Little Kara Köl: The Forces of Modernisation in Southern Xinjiang

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research ((AAHER))

Abstract

The Chinese modernisation programme has affected even the remotest high mountain pastures of Xinjiang. The dynamics of such processes are exemplified in a case study from the Chinese Pamirs and are analysed in regard to their importance for adaptation and development. Based on a diachronic examination of transformation processes related to Kirghiz nomads, special emphasis is put on four stages of transformation that might lead from mobile pastoralism to a township settlement. Developments affecting the Kirghiz nomads of Little Kara Köl may be classified as transformations in space and time, resulting in the integration of this marginal region into the permanently settled areas of Xinjiang. Externalities in the field of social structure and political administration have supported this integration and growing dependence on the commercial and service centres of the foreland oases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Abramzon SM (1963) The Kirgiz of the Chinese people’s republic. Central Asian Rev 11(2):196–207

    Google Scholar 

  • An S-Z, Dai Jian L, Zhaohui MY, Xiao-Yuan L (2011) Pastoralism in China’s Xinjiang Kizilsu Kirghiz autonomous prefecture. In: Kreutzmann H, Abdulalishoev K, Zhaohui L, Richter J (eds) Regional workshop in Khorog and Kashgar. Pastoralism and rangeland management in mountain areas in the context of climate and global change. GIZ, Bonn, pp 119–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Bezkovic AS (1969) Nomadenwirtschaft und Lebensweise der Kirgisen – 19. bis Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts. In: Földes L (ed) Viehwirtschaft und Hirtenkultur. Ethnographische Studien. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, pp 94–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Bregel Y (2003) An historical atlas of Central Asia. Brill, Leiden/Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Centlivres P, Centlivres-Demont M (1983) Frontières et phénomènes migratoires en Asie centrale: Le cas de l’Afghanistan de 1880 à nos jours. In: Centlivres-Demont M (ed) Migrations en Asie. Migrants, deplacées et réfugiés. Société suisse d’ethnologie, Bern, pp 83–114

    Google Scholar 

  • China Statistics Press (2010) Xinjiang statistical yearbook 2010. CSP, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Curzon GN (1896) The Pamirs and the source of the Oxus. Geogr J 8: 15–54, 97–119, 239–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Cosmo N (1993) Reports from the Northwest: a selection of Manchu memorials from Kashgar (1806–1807) (Papers on Inner Asia 25), Bloomington

    Google Scholar 

  • Di Cosmo N (1994) Ancient inner Asian nomads: their economic basis and its significance in Chinese history. J Asian Stud 53(4):1092–1126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dor R, Naumann CM (1978) Die Kirghisen des Afghanischen Pamir. Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, Graz

    Google Scholar 

  • Dubeux L, Valmont V (1848) L’Univers, ou histoire et description de tous les peuples, de leurs religions, moeurs, coutumes, etc.: Tartarie. In: Tartarie, Beloutchistan, Boutan et Népal, Dubeux, Louis, V. Valmont, and Xavier Raymond and in Afghanistan, Xavier Raymond. Firmin Didot, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • General Staff India (1907) Military report on Kashgaria prepared in the division of the Chief of the Staff. Intelligence Branch, Simla (IOL/MIL/17/14/74)

    Google Scholar 

  • General Staff India (1929) Military report on Sinkiang (Chinese Turkestan). Government of India Press, Calcutta

    Google Scholar 

  • Giese E, Zeng G (1993) Regionale Aspekte der Öffnungspolitik der VR China. Geographische Zeitschrift 81(3):176–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Gillett MC (1937) Report on Vice-Consul Gillett’s tour to Keria via Yarkand, Karghalik and Khotan. Kashgar (IOL/P&S/12/2336)

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann M (1908) Chinesisch-Turkestan. Geschichte, Verwaltung, Geistesleben und Wirtschaft (= Angewandte Geographie. Hefte zur Verbreitung geographischer Kenntnisse in ihrer Beziehung zum Kultur- und Wirtschaftsleben 3. Reihe, 4. Band). Gebauer-Schwetschke, Halle a. S.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedin SA (1894) Forschungen über die physische Geographie des Hochlandes von Pamir im Frühjahr 1894. Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin 29:289–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Hedin SA (1899) Durch Asiens Wüsten. Drei Jahre auf neuen Wegen in Pamir, Lop-Nor, Tibet und China, 2 vols. Brockhaus, Leipzig. English translation: (1899) Through Asia, 2 vols. Harper, New York/London

    Google Scholar 

  • Lo JP (1961) Five years of the Sinkiang-Uigur autonomous region, 1955–1960. China Q 8:92–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMillen DH (1979) Chinese communist power and policy in Xinjiang, 1949–1977. Westview Press, Boulder/Folkestone

    Google Scholar 

  • Millward JA (1998) Beyond the pass. Economy, ethnicity, and empire in Qing Central Asia, 1759–1864. Stanford University Press, Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • Millward JA (2007) Eurasian crossroads. A history of Xinjiang. Columbia University Press, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Mydral J (1979) The silk road: a journey from the High Pamirs and Ili through Sinkiang and Kansu. Pantheon, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Olufsen O (1904) Through the unknown Pamirs. The second Danish Pamir expedition 1898–1899. William Heinemann, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahrani MN (1979) The Kirghiz and Wakhi of Afghanistan. Adaptation to closed frontiers. University of Washington Press, Seattle/London

    Google Scholar 

  • von Schultz A (1910) Volks- und wirtschaftliche Studien im Pamir. Petermanns Geographische Mitteilungen 5:250–254

    Google Scholar 

  • von Schultz A (1921) Kaschgar (Chinesisch-Turkestan), Stadt und Landschaft. Mitteilungen aus dem Seminar für Geographie der Hamburger Universität, Hamburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Xinchun Z (2011) Pastoralism in Xinjiang: implementing the pastoralist settlement programme to promote sustainable development of pastoralism in Xinjiang. In: Kreutzmann H, Abdulalishoev K, Zhaohui L, Richter J (eds) Regional workshop in Khorog and Kashgar. Pastoralism and rangeland management in mountain areas in the context of climate and global change. GIZ, Bonn, pp 182–188

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin M et al (eds) (1990) Die nationalen Minderheiten in China. Verlag für Fremdsprachige Literatur, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Archival and empirical evidence presented in this chapter was collected during the last 20 years, with generous funding provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Volkswagen Foundation which is gratefully acknowledged.

Notes

1. The current state of affairs is described by An et al. (2011, 123): ‘At present, the prefecture has contracted out approximately 80.5% of the pastures’.

2. The name of Bulunkul dadui (production brigade) was changed into Fanxiu dadui in 1967. In 1984, it was renamed as Bulunkul xiang (autonomous village). The settlement covers an area of 4,585 km2 of which 31,290 ha are identified as pastures and 665 ha as forage grassland for fodder production.

3. Economic and livestock data for 2009 were kindly provided by Ms. Zhao Lixin, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumchi.

4. Compared to the distribution in Akto County – 26.5% in the livestock sector and two-thirds in remaining agricultural activities – the importance of pastoralism in Bulunkul is obvious. Areawise, only 3.6% are utilised for agriculture, whilst 96.4% are classified as mountain pastures (China Statistics Press 2010).

5. The government’s expenditure per house was estimated at 160,000 yuan (app. 24,000 USD).

6.Akto County’s Poverty Alleviation Programme (fu min an ju), Reservoir Resettlement Programme (ku qu yi min ban qian), Nomads Settlement Programme (you mu min ding ju) and the Jiangxi Affordable Housing Dwelling Ceremony (Jiang xi bao zhang xing zhu fang mu min ru zhu yi shi) are applied in Bulunkul xiang. The Reservoir Resettlement Programme has facilitated the resettlement of 451 households (1,643 persons) from the Gez Gorge within Kizil Su due to the implementation of the Bulunkou-Gonggeer Hydropower Project.

7. Whilst the increase in Bulunkul was significant, during the same period, the livestock numbers in the prefecture grew only by a factor of 2.8 (An et al. 2011, 126).

8. Cf. for the proceedings of the conference Xinchun (2011).

9. The quotations are taken from the English simultaneous translation of the presentation by Zhao Xinchun, deputy director and chief scientist of Animal Husbandry, during the regional workshop in Kashgar on July 20, 2010; cf. Zhao Xinchun (2011).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Geography, Department of Earth Sciences, Centre for Development Studies (ZELF) and Institute of Geographical Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstrasse 74-100, D-12249, Berlin, Germany

    Hermann Kreutzmann

Authors
  1. Hermann Kreutzmann
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hermann Kreutzmann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Centre for Development Studies -, Freie Universität Berlin, Malteserstrasse 74-100, Berlin, 12249, Germany

    Hermann Kreutzmann

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kreutzmann, H. (2012). Kirghiz in Little Kara Köl: The Forces of Modernisation in Southern Xinjiang. In: Kreutzmann, H. (eds) Pastoral practices in High Asia. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-3846-1_6

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation