Editor's Note: People had been building the ancient city of Kashgar, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, for two thousand years, and then they spent one year making a decision to renew it. In 2010, the government approved the reconstruction of the ancient district of Kashgar to further protect and express the unique features of Uyghur culture, reconstructing the old city as the new "old city." This measure has incited a great deal of controversy. The old city is the soul of Kashgar, and reconstruction will undoubtedly destroy much of the old city's history and character.

Eid al-Fitr, one of the annual grand festivals of the Uyghur ethnic group, was held on August 8th, 2013. Each year, there are only two occasions when people all gather in front of the Id Kah Mosque: one is Eid al-Fitr and the other is Eid al-Adha.

Eid al-Fitr lasts for three days. On the first day, each family wakes up early and cleans the rooms, yards and outhouses of their homes so that they feel pleasant and fresh. All adult Muslims are also supposed to bathe themselves on this day. Then, everyone puts on their favorite clothes and goes to the Id Kah Mosque carrying small prayer rugs.

The first day of Eid al-Fitr is the time for married daughters to return to their parents' homes together with their husbands and children. This is a hard-won family reunion. Generally, a couple will visit the husband's family in the morning and the wife's family in the afternoon. [Photo by Kuer Banjiang/China.org.cn]

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