History of Xinjiang - The Qing Empire

Xinjiang is a region in northwest China. Xinjiang borders Tibet to the south and Qinghai and Gansu provinces to the southeast, Mongolia to the east, Russia to the north and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India to the west. Xinjiang is divided into two basins by Mount Tianshan Dzungarian Basin is in the north, and Tarim Basin is in the south. This region is popular for its fruits such as grapes and melons. Xinjiang also has large deposits of minerals and oil. According to 2000 cencus, Uyghur make up 45,21% of total population in Xinjiang, while Han Chinese make up 40,58% of total population, then Kazakh (6,74%) and Hui Chinese (4,55%).

Xinjiang was officially included in the territory of China in the western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-A.D. 24). From the 1760s on, the Qing Dynasty (under Qianlong Emperor)sent troops from northeast China to Xinjiang in order to strengthen the frontier defense of the region. Then, the Qing Empire was able for the first time to put Xinjiang under permanent Chinese control. In 1755, the Qing Empire attacked Ghulja, and captured the Zunghar khan. The Qing Empire adopted the system of prefectures and counties in the Dzungarian Basin region (inhabited by people of the Han and Hui ethnic groups), and maintained the local "Baeg system" for the Ili region and the Tarim Basin region (inhabited by Uyghur people). They also recruited officials from other ethnic groups besides the Manchus. Qing rulers expanded the arable land, both to increase the tax base, and also to grow cotton. The Qing government also introduced a system of local military command offices in Xinjiang.

On the night of 3rd June 1864 the Muslim rebellion broke out in Xinjiang. The Muslims in Xinjiang revolted and set up an independent state (Kashgaria). This rebeliion led by the legendary Uyghur hero Yakub Beg.Yakub Beg proclaimed an independent Turkestan. He was a tool in the hands of Britain and Russia. Both of them wanted to split Xinjiang. He exercised cruel rule. Thats why, there are many local people supported the Qing troops when they overthrew Yakub Beg and recovered Xinjiang in 1877. Qing armies fought fiercely with mainly Hui forces in the Turfan-Urumqi-Manas area. At that time, thousands of Uyghurs emigrated to lands still controlled by Russia. In 1884, the Qing goverment established Xinjiang Province and the administrative centre of Xinjiang moved from Huiyuan city to Urumqi (Dihua).

Urumqi (means "A beautiful Pasture land ") lies west of Bogda Mountain (part of the Tianshan Range) and at the southeastern edge of Junggar Basin. Urumqi became political centre of Xinjiang from 1884. The city was also opened to foreign trade after the Sino-Russian Treaty of 1881. During this period agriculture, business and manufacture had developed rapidly, and of course, in turn, stimulated population growth. Until the Revolution of 1911, Xinjiang was ruled by generally able bureaucrats. After the Chinese Nationalists overthrew the Qing Empire in 1911, Xinjiang fell under the rule of the Kuomintang.

SOURCE:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinjiang_Uyghur_Autonomous_Region