The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) recently released a special report based on a recent academic paper by Timothy Grose, a professor of China Studies at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, which argues that the Chinese government has been systematically transforming the layout of the Uighur home in recent years in an attempt to reshape their thinking and behavior and erase their sense of resistance. Our reporter interviewed Gross on Monday to learn more about the details of this transformation campaign.
Reporter: Can you first tell us what special ways the Uyghurs interpret the concept of home?
Gross: The Uighurs obviously have their own set of family layout traditions that are different from the rest of Central Asia and the Muslim world, and they have their own set of logic behind such traditions.
Reporter: Can you give me some examples?
Gross: Most Uyghur families, especially those in rural areas, have a supa, which is similar to the kang in northern China. But the difference is that the supa is not only functional, it is also often the place where sacred rituals are held. For Uyghurs, the home is also often the site of major life cycle rituals with religious significance, such as naming ceremonies that often take place on the supa.
Another important element of the home, in my opinion, is the mihrab, the niche that marks the direction of the holy city of Mecca. Although not all Uyghur families have had this niche, many of my Uyghur friends have had it in their homes.
Reporter: What are the main renovation projects included in this local government-led “beautification” project?
Gross: The main focus of the renovation project was to simplify the layout of these very complex spaces and to divide them into several basic spaces. These “assimilated” families have three basic home spaces: a living area for daily living, a breeding area for raising livestock, and a planting area for building small gardens. As a result, the Uyghur home space becomes very homogeneous.
These transformed living spaces have abandoned the religious symbols mentioned above. Over the past few years, there has been a campaign by Uighurs to destroy sopas throughout the region, and local officials are in charge of documenting this campaign and counting how many sopas have been destroyed. In addition, the Mihrab has disappeared from the newly built houses.
Reporter: You mentioned that the Chinese government has been trying to “educate” Uyghur families and communities for decades, what is new about this rehabilitation campaign?
Gross: I think what’s different about this campaign is that it’s bigger, and it has the intent of seeking compliance from local residents. (Editor’s note: This report indicates that nearly 400,000 “poor families” have plans to remodel and “beautify” their homes. Moreover, the campaign also suggests that the authorities are more interested in reshaping the living spaces of Uighurs. That is, the government is not only forcing them to move into high-rise neighborhoods, but also destroying the traditional home layouts of Uighurs and remodeling these spaces based on a model used by authorities in rural areas of eastern China.
Reporter: You also mentioned that this campaign is part of the “Three New Houses” concept that the government started implementing in early 2018. Can you explain?
Gross: The idea of “Three New Houses” (promoting a new culture, a new atmosphere, and a new order) seems to have been inspired by Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s desire to “build a beautiful China. The concept mentions personal and public health, education, etc., but if you dig to its core, it is clear that it is not about enhancing the beauty of the Uyghur community, but about transforming the national essence of the Uyghur people, as there are many allusions to de-religiousization, elimination of “pagan” beliefs, restrictions on religious dress, etc.
Reporter: This campaign is mainly aimed at some “poor families” in the rural areas of southern Xinjiang. If the authorities want to curb extremism by “improving” the material conditions of local residents, this may sound reasonable. But do you think it will be effective in achieving this goal?
Gross: I think this movement has only brought about superficial, coercive compliance. As human beings, our first priority is self-preservation and the protection of our families when we are under stress and violence. Yes, Uyghurs do obey these orders for the safety of themselves and their families, but that doesn’t mean that the campaign has had any effect on their hearts, their sense of identity as Uyghurs. So I don’t think the authorities are offering them a better alternative to their previous way of life.
Reporter: Thank you for the interview.
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