Cele County Fennel Fennel is called "Anxi Fennel" by the Uyghur people, and known in Uyghur as "ziran." Ziran is familiar to the people of Xinjiang and holds a significant place both in the culinary history of the region and in Uyghur traditional medicine. The scientific name of fennel is Cuminum cyminum...
In the Hotan region of Xinjiang, located at the northern foot of the Kunlun Mountains and the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, you can find everywhere a unique local snack: roasted eggs. Roasted eggs are a specialty unique to the bazaars of Hotan. The eggs are slowly roasted over charcoal covered with ash, constantly turned, and the heat must be carefully controlled—otherwise the eggs will 0, causing the yolk to splatter all over...
Pomegranates are among the finest of fruits, rich in nutrients and known for their cool, sweet flavor. Historical records indicate that they were introduced to China by Zhang Qian during his mission to the Western Regions. The pomegranate blossoms are as splendid as rosy clouds, and the fruit itself has a unique shape. The main producing areas of Xinjiang pomegranates are in southern Xinjiang, such as Kashgar and Hotan. These pomegranates feature thin skins, large seeds, sweet and juicy flesh, and excellent quality (they can be categorized by taste into “sour pomegranates” and “sweet pomegranates,” and by seed color into “red-seed pomegranates” and “white-seed pomegranates”). Besides being eaten fresh, pomegranates also have medicinal uses.
Hetian sheep are an outstanding local breed in Xinjiang and belong to the semi-coarse wool sheep category. They are well-adapted to desert ecological environments, with strong resilience, drought and heat tolerance, ability to thrive on coarse feed, and high disease resistance. Their wool is a premium material for making carpets and patterned woolen blankets. Adult rams weigh 50 kilograms and produce 1.46 kilograms of wool, while ewes weigh 35 kil…
Hotan Cistanche, also known as the tubular flower cistanche, is a specialty of Hotan. Known as "ginseng of the desert," this perennial parasitic herbaceous plant often grows at the roots of desert plants such as Haloxylon, Tamarix, Nitraria, Calligonum, and various Artemisia species, relying on them for nutrients and moisture. It can grow up to 5…
Grilled Lamb Stomach Grilled Lamb Stomach is a high-nutrition, high-calorie food invented by herders living deep in the desert. The specific method is as follows: first, slaughter a sheep, then take out and clean the sheep’s stomach. Next, mix minced lamb meat with seasonings (salt and cumin) and stuff it into the sheep’s stomach. Then, tie the opening of the stomach tightly with sheep intestines…
Roasted Triple Eggs — Roasted Triple Eggs is a unique sight at night markets and bazaars. Chicken eggs, duck eggs, and goose eggs are slowly roasted over charcoal dusted with ash, constantly turned to control the heat. Once perfectly cooked, they have an exceptionally distinctive flavor. They are eaten dipped in a pre-prepared saltwater solution or sprinkled with salt, leaving an unforgettable aftertaste. …
As one of the four great inventions of Chinese civilization, mulberry bark papermaking has a history of over 2,000 years, with its techniques predating Cai Lun's papermaking method by more than 100 years. This in itself is a remarkable cultural achievement of Hotan. It represents a significant contribution to the traditional culture of our country. Mulberry bark papermaking is a traditional handicraft of the Uyghur people...
Roasted eggs are a specialty unique to the Hotan Bazaar. They are slowly cooked over charcoal covered in ash, constantly turned, and require precise control of the heat—otherwise, the eggs may explode, sending yolk flying everywhere. The result is egg whites that are delicate and refreshing, and yolks with a subtle smoky aroma, creating a flavor you’ll remember for a lifetime. …
Uyghur medicine, as an important part of China’s traditional medical heritage, boasts a long history. Hotan Uyghur medicine is a key cradle of traditional Uyghur medical practice. The Xinjiang Uyghur Medical College, established in Hotan in 1989, is the only specialized Uyghur medical college in the country and has grown into the largest...
"Atlas" means tie-dyed silk. This type of silk uses China's ancient pole-warp dyeing technique, where the warp threads are tied and dyed according to the desired patterns. The silk mainly features common motifs such as almond blossom, woodgrain, and comb patterns, which are artistically transformed to create a vibrant and colorful effect, like floating clouds in the wind…
Xinjiang is the birthplace of world carpets. Renowned worldwide for their long history and exquisite craftsmanship, Xinjiang carpets are traditional ethnic handicrafts and one of the region’s major export goods. Hotan is the homeland of Xinjiang carpets, which are also known as Oriental carpets. Their designs, patterns, and colors are rich in ethnic character and…
Xinjiang has been renowned for its fine jade since ancient times, among which Hetian jade is the most prestigious. Its texture is smooth and delicate, with a greasy luster. The sound it makes resembles the lingering echo of a golden chime—abruptly fading yet rising again, trailing off into the distance before gradually ceasing, unmatched by jades from the east or south. Mutton-fat jade gets its name from its color, which resembles that of mutton fat. With an exquisitely fine texture and a hue like mutton fat…
Renowned along the Silk Road. The Hetian region currently has nearly 30,000 acres of mulberry fields, with over 60 million mulberry trees, producing 3,500 tons of silkworm cocoons annually. Established in 1953, the Hetian Silk Factory has now become the largest silk printing and dyeing complex in northwestern China, with an annual cocoon reeling capacity exceeding 2,000 spindles, …
Hetian Grapes have a long cultivation history and boast an abundant variety of species. These include Seedless White, Ma0, Muna’ge, Black Grapes, Hetian Red, Kashgar, Pink Taffy, and more. Among them, Seedless White is especially prized — with its thin skin, tender flesh, juicy sweetness, and reputation as the “pearl” of grapes, it is also rich in various nutrients. The grapes can also be used to make wine, as well as…
Hetian is located in southern Xinjiang, where the climate is dry with little rainfall, sunshine lasts up to 15 hours a day, and there is a large diurnal temperature variation. The local jujubes are known for being large in size, thin-skinned, small-seeded, thick-fleshed, brightly colored, and dry yet wrinkle-free. They are rich in vitamin C — seventy to eighty times higher than that of apples. The carbohydrate content in fresh jujubes is higher than that of various vegetables and other fruits…
Xinjiang’s Hetian is one of the earliest regions in China to cultivate walnuts and is also known as the “hometown of walnuts.” Major varieties include paper-shell walnuts, thin-shelled walnuts, and early-maturing walnuts, characterized by their thin shells, large fruit, and high oil content. According to modern scientific analysis, walnut kernels contain 15.4% protein, 40%–63% fat…
Hetian Melon The Hetian Melon, also known as the sweet melon or fragrant melon, is a summer fruit used for cooling down and is typically eaten fresh. The melon can be processed into the following products: ① Dried melon: A traditional product from China’s Xinjiang region, it requires varieties with fine, thick, and white flesh. The melons are harvested when they reach 90% ripeness, then peeled, deseeded…
Xinjiang roses are rich in various trace elements and active ingredients essential to the human body, featuring unique color, fragrance, medicinal, and health benefits. With high medicinal value, long-term consumption of rose tea can effectively regulate the digestive system, improve digestion, beautify the skin, enrich the blood, and enhance sleep quality. The main production areas of Xinjiang roses are located in Hotan Prefecture...
Cistanche deserticola from Hotan is produced in the current administrative regions of Hotan City, Hotan County, Pishan County, Moyu County, Luopu County, Cele County, Yutian County, and Minfeng County in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. "Letter from the People's Government of Hotan Prefecture on Applying to Define the Origin Area of Geographical Indication Product — Cistanche deserticola from Hotan," Hotan Letter [2015] No. 109. Xinjiang...