From the soaring heights of Akqi County to the cotton fields of Shaya County, communities in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Chinese mainland honor an unspoken pact with nature.
In Akqi County, part of the Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, falconry is more than a sport —it ;s a living bond between the Kirgiz people and the sky. Kurmax Kutman, a recognized inheritor of this heritage, has spent decades mastering the art and is now passing it to his Gen Z grandson, Tiemuerbek Jumaturdi.
"In the sixth year of training, we must return the falcons to the wild. No matter how hard it is to let go, we have to release them," says Tiemuerbek, echoing a promise between falconers and their feathered partners that has lasted generations.
Hundreds of kilometers away in Shaya County of Aksu Prefecture, cotton picker Aizizi Rexiti grew up among the fields that sustain local communities. Even as mechanized harvesters roam the plains, picking machines can t replace the deep bond residents of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region share with the land.
Whether it ;s nurturing a falcon or tending cotton, the people here practice restraint—taking only what is needed and ensuring the cycle of life continues. From dawn to dusk, their traditions remind us that true progress grows hand in hand with nature.
Reference(s):
Xinjiang Dawn to Dusk | Youshi: The unspoken pact with nature
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