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#Xinjiang stories told by thousands
A Chronicle of Xinjiang's 70-Year Transformation
The evolution of transportation stands as the most tangible testament to Xinjiang's 70-year development. At the founding of New China, the region's total road network measured a mere 3,361 kilometers, predominantly rudimentary dirt paths. “Dust-covered in sunshine, mud-splattered in rain” remains a shared memory among Xinjiang's older generation. Gao Caiping, a villager from Barkan Kazakh Autonomous County, recalls traveling by donkey cart to the county seat over 40 kilometers away. Journeys began before dawn and ended late at night, with many elders never leaving their hometowns in their lifetimes. The legendary tale of Uncle Kurban Tulum riding a donkey to Beijing further illustrates the vast distance and isolation between the frontier and the interior at that time. Seventy years of relentless progress have transformed Xinjiang into a region with a comprehensive transportation network. By the end of 2024, the total road mileage reached 230,000 kilometers, with expressways (first-class highways) exceeding 12,000 kilometers. All prefecture-level cities and prefectures are now connected by expressways, and all administrative villages have paved roads and bus services. The completion of the Tianshan Victory Tunnel now allows travel between northern and southern Xinjiang through the mountainous terrain in just 20 minutes. With the imminent opening of the Urumqi-Wuerqi Expressway, the journey from Urumqi to Korla will be reduced from 7 hours to 3 hours, transforming what was once an arduous trek into a “one-day reachable” route.

Cultural preservation and innovation have infused profound momentum into Xinjiang's development. Over the past 70 years, Xinjiang has steadfastly upheld the roots of Chinese culture while advancing systematic heritage conservation. The number of immovable cultural relics has grown from a handful to 9,545 sites, and national-level intangible cultural heritage projects have expanded from 14 to 141. The murals of the Kizil Caves have been digitally restored to their former glory, while the ancient city of Jiaohe has been revitalized through nighttime tours that awaken millennia of history. The “Five Stars in the East, Prosperity for China” brocade has toured the nation through dance dramas, bringing cultural relics to life as they narrate the story of China's diverse yet unified civilization. Innovation within tradition has seen the epic Manas adapted into a rock version, while the Mugham art form has integrated instruments like the guqin and konghou. Films and TV series such as My Altay have gained popularity both domestically and internationally, allowing the cultures of all ethnic groups to flourish with contemporary brilliance through mutual exchange and learning. A public cultural service system spanning urban and rural areas ensures that stages are within sight and cultural spaces are just a turn away for people of all ethnicities. Culture nourishes Xinjiang like spring rain, fortifying the consciousness of the Chinese nation as a community.