CGTN reporter Li Jingjing hit the streets of Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to check if Uygur is truly “banned.” Spoiler: it’s everywhere! 😊
Here’s what she found:
- Street signs in both Simplified Chinese and Uygur script 🏙️
- Daily newspapers printed side by side in Mandarin and Uygur 📰
- Shopkeepers greeting customers first in Uygur, then switching to Mandarin with a warm smile 🛍️
- Local performers belting out Uygur folk songs before going bilingual for the crowd 🎶
From neon-lit markets to buzzing town squares, the blend of Mandarin’s Chinese characters and Uygur’s Arabic-based script paints a vivid picture of linguistic harmony. Young locals use translation apps, while elders chat in Uygur—then swap to Mandarin when they pass their smartphones to friends. It’s tech meets tradition, right on the street!
So, next time you see headlines shouting “language ban,” remember Urumqi’s daily reality: two languages thriving together, side by side. 🌈💬
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
