Xibo Folk Custom Park

Xibo Folk Custom Park

The Xibo Folk Custom Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction.

The Xibo Folk Custom Park is located in Qapqal Xibo Autonomous County and is a folk custom park that gathers and showcases the history, culture, and folk customs of the Xibo ethnic group. The Xibo Folk Custom Park presents to you the unique charm of the "world's only, uniquely ours" Xibo-style folk culture.

The Xibo ethnic group (English: Sibe people) is one of China’s ethnic minorities with a long and ancient history. Originally inhabiting the northeastern region, during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Qing court relocated some Xibo people westward to Xinjiang to bolster the local population. Today, most Xibo people reside in Liaoning Province (70.2%), as well as in Qapqal Xibo Autonomous County, Huocheng County, Gongliu County, and other areas in Xinjiang. Smaller communities are scattered across Shenyang, Donggang, Kaiyuan, Yixian, Beizhen, Xinmin, Fengcheng, Fuyu in the northeast, eastern Inner Mongolia, and along the Nenjiang River in Heilongjiang Province.

The Xibo language belongs to the Manchu-Tungusic branch of the Altaic language family. It evolved from the Manchu language and is very similar to it. The Xibo script was developed in 1947 based on the Manchu script with slight modifications. Xibo people in Xinjiang maintain their own language and script while also using Chinese, Uyghur, and Kazakh. Xibo people in the northeast share language, clothing, diet, and housing customs with the Han Chinese.

After the Qing Dynasty entered the Pass, due to the majority of the Eight Banners troops following into the interior, military strength in the northeastern region significantly weakened compared to before, allowing Tsarist Russian forces to increasingly encroach upon China’s northeast. During the Kangxi era, after two battles at Yaksa, the invading Russian forces were finally defeated, leading to the signing of the Treaty of Nerchinsk in the 28th year of Kangxi’s reign (1689).

Although the threat from Tsarist Russia had been repelled, Emperor Kangxi still believed it necessary to strengthen the defenses of the northeast, especially along the Heilongjiang River. As a result, he ordered the then General of Heilongjiang, Sarhūsai, to devise a new defense plan. After conducting an on-site survey, Sarhūsai concluded that the distance between the General’s headquarters in Mergen City and the Ningguta General’s base in Jilin Wula City was about 1,400 li. To enhance defenses, it was essential to establish additional Eight Banners garrisons in Qiqihar and Baidunie, situated midway between the two.

Image above: Sarhūsai (1629–1701), of the Fuca clan, from the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner

After submitting the troop reinforcement proposal to the imperial court, the Ministry of War deemed it feasible. The ministry also informed Emperor Kangxi that the Xibo people lived in that region and suggested the court send a directive to the “Khorchin princes, beiles, beises, dukes, and taijis,” requesting them to “list in detail those Xibo people willing to enlist and be stationed, report the numbers, and await imperial decree for deployment.” Kangxi approved the plan and issued an edict to the Khorchin Mongol tribes. Understanding the emperor’s intent, the Khorchin nobles willingly “offered 14,458 able-bodied men of Xibo, Guwalca, and Dahuer descent, among whom over 11,850 were fit for military service and assigned to the Upper Three Banners.”

This meant that the Xibo people, no longer vassals of the Khorchin, were formally incorporated by the Qing into the Plain Yellow, Plain White, and Bordered Yellow Banners of the Eight Banners, embarking on the path of “enlisting for military duty.”

Image above: The Eight Banners of the Qing

Although now part of the Eight Banners, Emperor Kangxi remained wary of the sizable and potentially hard-to-control Xibo population, thus initiating their first relocation to dilute their influence. In this move, apart from a small number of Xibo soldiers directly transferred to Beijing, most were dispersed to garrison in Huining and Shengjing. Throughout the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns, the Qing Dynasty continuously waged campaigns in the northwest. By the Qianlong era, the court had successively defeated the Dzungar Khanate and suppressed the rebellions of Amursana and the Big and Little Hui revolts.

To strengthen governance in Xinjiang, the Qing established the Ili General in the 27th year of Qianlong’s reign (1762), deploying troops for garrison and farming in the region. The Ili area was described as “a strategic stronghold controlling vast lands and commanding distant frontiers, the premier stronghold in all of the Western Regions.” The first Ili General stationed troops in Huiyuan City of Ili, overseeing military and political affairs across both northern and southern Tianshan. Mingrui commanded over 18,000 troops including Manchu soldiers, Solon soldiers, Green Standard troops, and Mongolian troops, along with their families, but still found manpower insufficient.

Image above: Fucha Mingrui (died 1768), courtesy name Yunting, of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner, son of Fucha Wen

Therefore, in the 28th year of Qianlong’s reign (1763), Mingrui—somehow having heard a report—submitted a memorial to Qianlong stating: “It is heard that there are 16,000–17,000 troops stationed in Shengjing, among them 4,000–5,000 Xibo soldiers who have not entirely abandoned their old ways of hunting for a living and possess commendable skills. Selecting the best among these Xibo soldiers and dispatching them could match the capabilities of Heilongjiang troops.” In other words, Mingrui believed the Xibo troops long stationed in Shengjing since Kangxi’s time, being numerous and battle-hardened, could be deployed to Xinjiang. Qianlong approved the proposal and instructed Shengjing General She Tuoken to select suitable soldiers from the stationed Xibo troops. After careful selection, Shengjing General chose 10 defenders, 10 junior officers, 1,000 soldiers, and additionally 3,275 family members. Due to the large number, the Xibo troops and their families were divided into two groups for successive departure from the northeast to Xinjiang.

On the tenth day of the fourth month in the 29th year of Qianlong’s reign (1764), the first group of Xibo soldiers and their families set off, followed by the second group on the nineteenth. They traveled with the elderly and children, driving cattle, sheep, and horses, overcoming various hardships along the way, and finally arrived in Ili by mid-July of the 30th year of Qianlong (1765). Ili General Mingrui resettled the Xibo officers and soldiers who had come from afar on the southern bank of the Ili River, assigning them to construct barracks, tend livestock, and farm, taking on garrison duties. From then on, the Xibo people gradually put down roots in Xinjiang.

Image above: Historical illustration of the Xibo westward migration

Why did the Xibo people preserve the Manchu script so well?

The Xibo language, belonging to the Manchu branch of the Altaic language family, is very close to Manchu itself. After being incorporated into the Eight Banners under Emperor Kangxi, the Xibo people were influenced by the Qing policy of “national language (Manchu) and archery,” quickly mastering Manchu and its script—a starting point for preserving their linguistic heritage. A promising start didn’t guarantee its longevity, as in early Qing times, many Bannermen in Beijing and Shengjing were proficient in Manchu. However, due to the later living environment in those regions, they rapidly assimilated into Han culture, causing Manchu to decline swiftly by the mid-Qing period.

The relatively small Xibo population, however, managed to preserve Manchu over the long term for two main reasons:

Image above: The Xibo westward migration

First, the garrison system ensured stability

Ili General Mingrui once petitioned the court, asserting that “Ili is an extreme frontier, unlike inland areas, and should retain military camp structure.” Thus, upon arriving in Xinjiang, the Xibo people, along with previously settled Manchu, Solon, Green Standard troops and their families, were governed under the Eight Banners military camp system. Under this system, each unit had designated garrison locations with minimal interaction among themselves and complete isolation from local residents.

For example, key officials led by the Ili General were concentrated in Huiyuan City of Ili. The city was garrisoned by the Manchu Camp in the south, Solon Camp to the northwest, Green Standard troops to the north, Chahar Camp to the northeast, another Manchu Camp to the east, and the Olot Camp to the southeast, while the Xibo Camp was responsible for the area south of the city along the Ili River. The Qing court further stipulated that “leaving the camp without permission would be treated as desertion under strict ‘Banner escape’ laws.” Under such stringent camp regulations, the Xibo people lived in a relatively closed environment throughout the Qing Dynasty, limiting interactions with other ethnic groups and inadvertently helping preserve the Manchu language and script.

The Xibo Folk Custom Park is located in Qapqal Xibo Autonomous County, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and is a park that showcases the history and culture of the Xibo ethnic group. The gate of the Xibo Folk Custom Park

is a place that gathers and displays the historical culture and folk customs of the Xibo people. The Xibo people place great emphasis on their own cultural heritage and traditions.

The Xibo Folk Custom Park is situated in Qapqal County, located in the central Ili River Valley, which is the only autonomous county of the Xibo ethnic group in China. The long history and distinctive folk customs of the Xibo people here have formed a uniquely charming tourism feature.

Here, you can also see sculptures of two heroes revered by the Xibe people — Tuobut and Karmang’a. The statues depict them either shooting arrows or riding horses, with their pedestals engraved with the heroes' life stories and achievements.

The Xibe Folk Custom Park, with a total investment of 80.49 million yuan, focuses on cultural landscapes such as the historic site of Jingyuan Temple and Xibe ethnic customs. Jingyuan Temple is located in Sunzhaqi Nonglu, 6 kilometers west of the county town. Built in 1892, it was one of the more influential temples among the Eight Great Temples of Ili during the Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural heritage site under autonomous region protection. Covering an area of 15,000 square meters with a construction area of over 2,000 square meters, the temple complex features symmetrically proportioned halls, pavilions, and towers arranged in a well-spaced, simple, and naturally unique layout. Together, they form a grand, harmonious, and unified ancient architectural ensemble. It serves as a microcosm of Central Plains culture integrated into China’s northwestern frontier, fully reflecting the architectural artistry of the Xibe people, and stands as tangible evidence of the Xibe and other brotherly ethnic groups defending the frontier and safeguarding national unity.

Scenic Components

The gate and walls of the Xibe Folk Custom Park are built in imitation of ancient city walls, adorned with reliefs depicting Xibe hunters shooting arrows and Xibe people dancing.

Upon entering the gate, the first thing that catches your eye is the sculpture of Tuobut, a hero revered by the Xibe people.

Inside the museum on the left side of the Xibe Folk Custom Park, a wealth of traditional tools, books, and historical documents collected since the Xibe people’s westward migration to Ili are displayed, focusing on their migration, land reclamation, frontier defense, and ethnic survival and development.

The teahouse is a uniquely styled building within the Xibe Folk Custom Park. The classic Chinese-style interior design is quite innovative, but the most eye-catching feature is the Xibe folk song and dance team spontaneously formed by six or seven rural women. To inherit and promote Xibe folk songs and dances, they invited Ge Fengxiao, a retired senior performer from the Qapqal County Cultural Troupe, to coach them. Despite having no costumes or funding, these women found ways to overcome the challenges themselves. Now, whenever visitors enter the teahouse, the women perform songs and dances in the Xibe style.

Since Qapqal County is known as the “Land of Archery,” archery activities are naturally a highlight in the Folk Custom Park. In the folk entertainment area, there is a sports field where the archery hall is located. As you try your hand at drawing the bow and taking aim, you can’t help but admire the ancients — just drawing the bow is impressive enough, so how did they manage to aim at their prey? Indeed, Xibe men are rugged and bold. In the past, the Xibe people were famous for their horseback archery and were among the bravest of the Eight Banners of the Qing Dynasty.

The Folk Custom Park also features painted walls depicting scenes of the hardworking and brave Xibe people at work, celebrating, and hunting. The characters are vividly portrayed, the scenes are grand, and the overall effect is highly moving.

Significance

By deeply exploring local culture and introducing Xibe customs to Xinjiang and even the whole country, the park aims to inherit and develop Xibe cultural heritage. This is the very purpose of the existence of the Xibe Folk Custom Park.