1. These figures all apply to the end of 1982 and are based on Zhongguo baike nianjian bianji bu (Chinese Encyclopedic Yearbook Editorial Department) (comp.), Zhongguo baike nianjian 1983 (Chinese Encyclopedic Yearbook 1983) (Beijing and Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe, 1983), p. 112.Google Scholar The census of midnight 30 June—1 July 1982 gave the Uygur population at 5,957,112, the great majority living in Xinjiang. Renmin ribao (People's Daily), 29 10 1982, p. 4.Google Scholar The census figure for Xinjiang as a whole was 13,081, 681. Guoji tongji ju (State Statistical Bureau) (comp.), Zhongguo tongji nianjian 1983 (Chinese Statistical Yearbook 1983) (Beijing: Zhongguo tongji chubanshe, 1983), pp. 112–13.Google Scholar The census showed minority nationalities were 59.6% of the XUAR's population. Ibid. p. 31. The various nationalities are discussed, including 1978 population figures, in Yin, Ma et al. , Zhongguo shaoshu minzu (China's Minority Nationalities) (Beijing: Renmin chubanshe, 1981).Google Scholar On the Uygurs see pp. 174–94, the Kazakhs pp. 195–208, the Hui pp. 123–38, the Mongolians pp. 68–86, the Kirghiz pp. 209–219, the Xibo pp. 220–29, and the Tajiks pp. 230–40.

2. The new script is the one used in this article to romanize Uygur names and terms except for the small number of symbols which occur in new Uygur but not in the Roman alphabet. Throughout the text any Uygur names and terms given in brackets are the Chinese pinyin equivalent. In the notes the Uygur authors and works translated into Chinese are romanized into Hanyu pinyin, as shown on the title page. I should like to thank Pan Zhenyu of the Central Institute for the Nationalities in Beijing who helped me greatly with the Uygur romanization.

3. The Constitution of the People's Republic of China (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1978), p. 10Google Scholar; “Constitution of the People's Republic of China,” Beijing Review, No. 52 (27 12 1982), p. 12.Google Scholar The two constitutions were adopted by the National People's Congress on 5 March 1978 and 4 December 1982, respectively.

4. Run, Liu E. He and Guodong, Wang, Minzu wenti gaishu (Outline of Nationalities Problems) (Hohhot: Nei Menggu renmin chubanshe, 1981), p. 134.Google Scholar

5. Haqqani, Husain, “Repression and revival – the dichotomy of Islam in China,” Far Eastern Economic Review, No. 50 (15 12 1983), p. 54.Google Scholar See also Guodong, Wang, Minzu wenti changshi (General Knowledge on Nationalities Problems) (Yinchuan: Ningxia renmin chubanshe, 1982), pp. 74–83.Google Scholar

6. Xinjiang shehui kexue yuan Minzu yanjiu suo (Xinjiang Social Sciences Academy Nationalities Research Institute) (comp.), Xinjiang jianshi (Simple History of Xinjiang) (Urumqi: Xinjiang renmin chubanshe, 1980), Vol. I, p. 218.Google Scholar

7. “Constitution of the Communist Party of China” (adopted 6 09 1982)Google Scholar, The Twelfth National Congress of the CPC (September 1982) (Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1982), p. 95.Google Scholar

8. Muzhi, Zhu, “Guanyu kaizhan minzu wenhua gongzuo de wenti, zai Quanguo minzu wenhua gongzuo huiyi shang de jianghua (zhaiyao)” (“On problems of developing the nationalities' cultural work – summary of speech at the All-China Nationalities Cultural Work Conference”), Minzu tuanjie (Nationalities' Unity), No. 10 (15 10 1983), p. 32.Google Scholar

9. Wenchao, Zhao, in Xinjiang ribao (Xinjiang Daily), 4 06 1982, p. 3.Google Scholar

10. The Constitution of December 1982 incorporated several new provisions designed to give members of the minority nationalities more leadership positions in the nationality areas. I have considered this question further in “China's policies towards its minority nationalities,” The Journal of International Studies, No. 11 (07 1983), pp. 7–18.Google Scholar

11. “Tuanjieqilai, tongxin tongde, nuli fanrong zizhi qu duo minzu shehuizhuyi wenyi” (“Unite and with one heart and mind strive for a prosperous multi-nationality socialist literature and art for the Autonomous Region”), Xinjiang wenxue (Xinjiang Literature), No. 11 (11 1980), p. 14.Google Scholar See similar points made by Emet, Ismayil in “Zai zizhi qu disanci wendai huishang de zhuci” (“Congratulatory speech at the Third Literary Congress of the Autonomous Region”), Xinjiang wenxue, No. 11 (11 1980), p. 5.Google Scholar

12. Xinjiang ribao, 19 07 1982, p. 4.Google Scholar

13. Emet, Ismayil, “Zai zizhi qu,” p. 5.Google Scholar

14. “Tuanjieqilai, tongxin tongde,” Xinjiang wenxue, p. 16.Google Scholar

15. A policy article by the Uygur Chairman of the XUAR Federation of Literature and Arts Circles (Wenxue Yishu Jie Lianhehui), Yasin Hudaberdi (Yasheng Hudabaierdi) stressed literature and art works which contributed to unity among the nationalities and “educated the people, especially using the communist spirit to educate the younger generation.” See “Wenyi gongzuozhe de shensheng zhize” (“The sacred duties of literature and arts workers”), Xinjiang wenxue, No. 3 (1 03 1982), p. 65.Google Scholar

16. Ji, Zhou, “Qianyan” (“Foreword”), in Xinjiang shaoshu minzu gequ xuan, Weiwuer zu gequ zhuanji (Selection of Xinjiang Minority Nationality Songs, Uygur Nationality Song Collection) (Urumqi: Xinjiang renmin chubanshe, 1980), pp. IV–V.Google Scholar

17. For example, see the Uygur items in Zhongyang minzu xueyuan bianji zu (Editorial Group of the Central Institute for the Nationalities), Shaoshu minzu gequ xuan (Selection of Minority Nationality Songs) (Chengdu: Sichuan minzu chubanshe), published in November 1978, i.e. on the eve of the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the CCP which opened the lid on criticism of the Cultural Revolution. There are nine of them, a folksong in praise of Chairman Mao and eight other songs, all of them political. See pp. 59–81.

18. For instance, see Xinjiang shaoshu minzu gequ xuan, Weiwuer zu gequ zhuanji, which contains 62 songs, 17 of them billed as folksongs. The content breakdown is as follows: praise of the CCP or socialism, 13; labour, 11; praise of leaders, 10; love of Xinjiang or particular places in it, 9; love and courtship, 7; love of China, 6; others, 6.

19. An example of a book of love songs specifically from the minority nationalities is Liantao, Tian, Bingchang, Yuan and Huizong, Li (eds.), Zhongguo Shaoshu Minzu aiqing gequ ji (Collection of Love Songs of China's Minority Nationalities) (Chengdu: Sichuan minzu chubanshe, 1981).Google Scholar It contains words and scores in numerical notation of 114 songs from 47 nationalities, including 7 from the Uygurs (pp. 17–25) who are among the best represented.

20. Ibid. p. 23.

21. Geng, Di, “Weiwuer zu de wudao” (“Uygur nationality dance”), Xin guancha (New Observer), Vol. III, No. 9 (1 12 1951), p. 31.Google Scholar

22. Ibid.

23. See two obituaries on Haji Rahman in Wudao (Dance), No. 4 (30 08 1982), pp. 44–46.Google Scholar

24. Shashu, , “Yishou dongren de yaolan qu” (“A moving cradle song”), Wudao, No. 5 (30 09 1979), p. 22.Google Scholar

25. See Zhongguo wenyi nianjian she (Almanac of Chinese Literature and Art Society) (comp.), 1981 nianban Zhongguo wenyi nianjian (1981 Almanac of Chinese Literature and Art) (Beijing: Wenhua yishu chubanshe, 1982), pp. 620–21.Google Scholar

26. Huimin, Liang, “Tianshan gewu ying xinchun” (“The song and dance of Tianshan welcome a new spring”), Wudao, No. 2 (30 04 1982), p. 30.Google Scholar

27. See Ke, Zhang, “Kongqian shengda de kongque hui” (“Unprecedently splendid peacock meeting”), Wudao, No. 5 (30 12 1980), p. 3.Google Scholar

28. Huimin, Liang, “Tianshan gewu ying xinchun,” p. 30.Google Scholar

29. The Xinjiang Play Troupe (Xinjiang Huaju Tuan), Xinjiang Beijing Opera Troupe (Xinjiang Jingju Tuan) and Urumqi Beijing Opera Troupe (Wulumuqishi Jingju Tuan) are listed, together with some detail about them, in 1981 nianban Zhongguo wenyi nianjian, pp. 1174, 1177.Google Scholar In September 1982, I visited the Play Troupe, the members of which are 90% Han.

30. For example, the Xinjiang Song Opera Troupe (Xinjiang Geju Tuan) gave 67 performances of a version of the opera in 1981. See Zhongguo xiju nianjian bianji bu (Chinese Theatre Yearbook Editorial Department) (comp.), Zhongguo xiju nianjian 1982 (Beijing: Zhongguo xiju chubanshe, 1983), p. 525.Google Scholar

31. Excerpts from this song opera are recorded on numbers DB–20102/20103 of Zhongguo changpian (Chinese Records), with accompanying libretti in Chinese and Uygur (old script). See also a review by Li Qin in “Minzu geju de yike mingzhu” (“A jewel among national song operas”), in Zhongguo xiju nianjian bianji bu (comp.), Zhongguo xiju nianjian 1981 (Chinese Theatre Yearbook 1981) (Beijing: Zhongguo xiju chubanshe, 1981), pp. 78–79.Google Scholar The reviewer was principally impressed by the fusion of music, poetry, song, dance and drama which made the item genuinely neither Han nor western, but Uygur.

32. See Zhongguo kexue yuan Minzu yanjiu suo (Nationalities Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences) and Xinjiang Shaoshu minzu shehui lishi diaocha zu (Xinjiang Minority Nationalities' Societies and Histories Investigation Group) (comp.), Weiwuer zu jianshi jianzhi hebian (chugao) [Concise History and Account of the Uygur Nationality (Draft)] (Beijing: Zhongguo kexue yuan Minzu yanjiu suo, 1963), p. 220.Google Scholar

33. In October 1942 Sheng Shicai broke with the Soviet Union, and demanded the withdrawal of all Russians, including military advisers.

34. Zhongguo wenyi nianjian, p. 1174.Google Scholar

35. “Xinjiang geju xunli” (“A tour of Xinjiang's song operas”), Xinjiang yishu, No. 2 (15 03 1982), pp. 55–56.Google Scholar

36. Renmin ribao (People's Daily), 18 10 1982, p. 3.Google Scholar

37. Geng, Di, “Weiwuer zu de wudao,” p. 30.Google Scholar

38. The estimate of China Daily, 1 10 1982, p. 3.Google Scholar

39. Ibid.

40. A scene very similar to that described here is depicted in Naihui, Ma et al. , Chūgoku shōsū minzoku no kabu to gakki (The Songs and Dances and Musical Instruments of China's Minority Nationalities) (Beijing: Minzu chubanshe; Tokyo: Minomi, 1981), p. 181.Google Scholar

41. This account is based on Congyongquan, “Fengqing lu, Aximu Reyihan de hunli” (“Record of love: the wedding of Asim and Reihan”), Minzu huabao (Nationalities Pictorial), No. 12 (12 1981), pp. 28–29.Google Scholar The article is accompanied by many coloured pictures, most showing the important role of song and dance.

42. See Zhongguo wenyi nianjian, p. 1174.Google Scholar The troupe was originally attached to the People's Liberation army.

43. For these figures see my The Performing Arts in Contemporary China (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1981), p. 185.Google Scholar

44. See brief notes on the school and its history in Zhongguo wenyi nianjian, p. 1175.Google Scholar

45. See Mackerras, , The Performing Arts, pp. 179–80.Google Scholar

46. “Tuanjieqilai, tongxin tongde,” Xinjiang wenxue, p. 17.Google Scholar

47. See, for instance, a letter dated 10 December 1981 addressed to Ziyang, Zhao in Tibetan Review, Vol. XIV, No. 1 (01 1984), pp. 14–18.Google Scholar It lists 31 demands on the Chinese Government, the first being the right of secession of East Turkistan from China.

48. Mackerras, , The Performing Arts, pp. 211–14.Google Scholar