An old Uygur man outside his house in a rural street near Kashgar, southwest Xinjiang. Taken in October 2010

Rural street in a village outside Kashgar, taken October 2010. Donkey-drawn carts are still common in Xinjiang, especially in the countryside

Urban scene in Hotan, October 2010

Urban market scene, Hotan, October 2010

Market scene, Hotan, October 2010

An old-fashioned factory in Hotan practises the very ancient Uygur art of silk weaving. Workers take pride in this traditional art, October 2010

One of the workers at the Hotan silk factory has to keep her small daughters with her, due to lack of childcare services, October 2010

Scene in Turpan, not far south of the Xinjiang capital Ürümqi

An urban Uygur family, with one son and one daughter. Both parents are well educated, the wife working in Xinjiang University

Back street, Yarkant

In Aksu, central Xinjiang, is a modernized mall. In the foreground is an image of a Uygur pair dancing

Group of schoolchildren in old Kashgar, 2007

Old Uygurs chat in the big square outside the Idkah Mosque, May 2007

Uygur boys in the old streets of Kashgar, 2007

Uygur girl in the old streets of Kashgar, 2007. The sign reads “show solicitude for the nationality’s future”

Old man, Tuyuk, 2007. Near Turpan, Tuyuk is an ancient town on the Silk Road, still famous for maintaining Uygur traditions

Statue of Amanisahan in KashgarAmanisahan (1526-60) is credited with collecting and editing what has become the standard version of the “Twelve Muqam”. In song and dance form, these are the most famous and outstanding examples of traditional Uygur performing arts.

A foreign group prepares for a traditional Uygur banquet, Kashgar, 2007

A Uygur dance performance follows the banquet, Kashgar, 2007

After the banquet a performance of a Uygur Muqam, Kashgar, 2007

Xinjiang family home

Xinjiang family

Xinjiang markets selling hats

This picture shows a Tajik woman in Taxkorgan, in the southwest of Xinjiang very near the border with Pakistan. The Tajiks are the only ethnic minority in China who speak an Iranian language. Unlike the Uighurs and Kazaks, they are not Turkic. Almost all Muslims in China are Sunni, not Shi’ite, but among the very small number of Shi’ite Muslims, many are Tajiks. The pictures in Taxkorgan were all taken in October 1994, when Colin visited the area.

A Tajik policeman in Taxkorgan, Xinjiang

Tajik children

Xinjiang children studying at home