The essence of the so-called "Quenlun culture" and China's current new invention : Rfa

In recent years, a term called "Quenlun culture" has been introduced in the Chinese press and media, and everything about Uyghur culture is interpreted in this framework.

The so-called "Quenlun culture" has been highlighted in Chinese government propaganda as an important symbol of Chinese culture. This new term "Kuenlun culture" is currently attracting attention due to the Xi Jinping administration's special emphasis on the development and development of Uyghur and Tibetan cultural tourism.

So, why did the Chinese state media bring up the term "Quenlun culture" and its Chinese translation? What is the political intent and purpose behind this term?

Known as "Kunlun" in Chinese, the original name of these magnificent mountain ranges in Central Asia is the "Kurum" mountains. It is known that the ancient Uyghur ancestors called the mountains "Kurum" due to the dark color of their appearance. Another branch of the "Kurum Mountains" is called "Karakurum", and in Chinese it is called "Kalakunlun" (喀喇昆仑) in Chinese. The Kurum Mountains start from the Pamir Plateau in the west and extend along the southern edge of the Tarim Basin in an east-south direction to the Tibetan Plateau. General. It stretches for 3,000 kilometers. Geographically, the Kurum Mountains cross several countries and regions such as Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uyghur, Pakistan, India, and Tibet. The Kurum Mountains are famous mountains in Asia, and their strategic location has been very important since history. It is a natural geographic barrier that separates Central Asia and the Tarim Basin from the second continent of South Asia (the Indian Peninsula).

The Chinese government's use of the new term "Quenlun culture" today and its explanation in connection with the so-called "Chinese culture" is, on the one hand, due to the needs of China's geo-political interests in the Eurasian continent; On the other hand, border security and expansionism focused on Uyghur Eli and Tibet were out of necessity.

Halford John Mackinder, one of the pioneers of Western geo-political science in the 20th century, proposed the idea of ​​the "World Central Belt" in 1904. He believes that any country with strategic location and natural resources advantage can be the center of the world and can easily control other countries.

The reason why the Chinese government currently uses a term called "Quenlun culture" is to some extent the "Fan of the Kuenlun myth" that has remained in China's history; On the other hand, it can be said that the Kurum Mountains' strategic position in China's "One Belt One Road" project is the reason. From this point of view, the Chinese government considers the Kurum Mountains to be the central belt of the Eurasian continent and considers itself the owner of the "central belt of the world".

 According to the news of "New Beijing News" on October 26, 2023, "The construction of the Kuenlun Cultural Monument is not only a credible move to nourish and revitalize Xinjiang through culture, but also a window to show Chinese national traditions and Chinese culture to the world."

It is known that the Chinese government mainly targeted the Hotan region in its effort to attribute the so-called "Kuenlun culture" to the Uygurs. The Hotan section of the Kurum Mountains is the main source of Hotan stone, a stone that has historically been revered, symbolized, and mystified in Chinese culture. Since then, from the rulers of China to ordinary citizens, the practice of glorifying the eyebrow stone and making it a symbol of wealth and power has continued. From the Mench'ing Dynasty to the Kuomintang and Communist China, there was a tradition of carving state seals from Hotan stone. Also in Chinese mythology, legends have been passed down from generation to generation that deify the Kurum Mountains, where the browstones grow, and describe it as the abode of the mythical Chinese deity Shivangmu (the Mother of the Western Destroyer). Today, the Chinese government has organically combined the myths associated with the ancient ruins with today's geo-political interests to promote the so-called "Quenlun culture" of the new era.

In addition, according to information obtained from Chinese media, in October 2023, Hotan Pedagogical Institute established four research centers, such as "Kuenlun Cultural Research Center", "Udun Research Institute", "Chinese Ethnic Culture Research Center" and "Hotan Buddhist Culture Research Center". In Chinese propaganda media, the mission of these centers is to conduct scientific research on the spiritual significance and value of the "Quenlun culture", archaeological excavations and cultural interpretation, complementation and systematic research of Chinese cultural symbols.

Undoubtedly, the Chinese government's attempt to interpret the so-called "Kuenlun culture" by linking it to the Uygurs is aimed at putting a Chinese cultural framework on the Buddhist cultural heritage created in Hotan, silk, carpets, and other local products of Hotan and alienating them from the rights of the Uyghurs. Not only that, the Chinese authorities also want to show that the cultures and local techniques created by the Hotan people, such as architecture, medicine, carpet weaving, embroidery, embroidery, etc., belong to Chinese culture; Local Uyghur artisans were kidnapped and attempted to create opportunities for Chinese operators.

At the same time, the Chinese government also wanted to realize the political intention of linking the historical culture of the ancient villages in Hotan to the history of China and proving that the Chinese have always dominated these places.

So, what are the main contents and effects of this concept being promoted by the Chinese press as "Quenlun Culture"?

According to Chinese historians, the so-called "Quenlun culture" is basically "one of the most important sources of Chinese culture", that is, the Chinese legends related to the Kuenlun mountain grew out of the culture based on the Chinese Daujiao tradition and Confucian thought.

However, today, the Chinese government carries out the slogan of "inheriting and rebuilding the Kuenlun culture in the new era", and is closely related to the policy of "building a common Chinese nation". Especially in China's policies towards the Uighurs, this point is highlighted in the following ways:

1. Linking the archaeological remains found in Uyghur to the so-called "Quenlun culture".

Chinese historians are trying to link some of the cultural relics and ancient written letters found in Uyghur to the contents of ancient Chinese legends such as "Mountains and Rivers" (Shanghaijing), "History", and try to show the ethnic composition of Uyghurs as having the same roots as the Huangdi-Yandi, who are considered the ancestors of the Chinese. For example, the Chinese-embroidered silk sleeve found in the Niya ruins is being heavily promoted by the Chinese government as a "representation of the migration of nations in the western region" and "a sign of the Eastern Han dynasty's control over the Hotan region."

2. Misuse of myths and legends for today's political propaganda.

By connecting ancient Chinese legends such as "Journey to the West" and "Shi Wangmu" to the history of the ancient Uyghur homelands, Uyghur people are using the method of establishing Chinese culture-reflecting tourist spots and infusing Chinese culture into all aspects of Uyghur daily life. The promotion of the Shiwangmu legend, which is claimed to be a myth full of nonsense in the international scientific world, is an indication that China's movement to distort history has "moved" to legends.

3. Links to historical writings.

 Chinese historians have marketed the silly myth that Han Dynasty emissaries visited ancient Hotan 2,000 years ago and confirmed that the headwaters of the Huanghe River originate at the foot of the Black Mountains. A team of experts organized by the Chinese government has erected monuments with new Chinese names carved on them at the traces of the ancient "Kashtesh Road" and "Dark Mountain" near Hotan. In this way, he tried to market the idea that the Karakurum Mountains were the starting point of Chinese civilization, and to create a false history that the Chinese had always lived in these places.

In conclusion, the Chinese government first promoted the interpretation of the "Quenlun culture" in Tibet and Tibetan sacred sites, built Chinese-style buildings in the Tibetan area, and thereby plundered Tibet's natural resources and accelerated the pace of colonization. Today, the Chinese government is promoting the so-called "Quenlun culture" and trying to link the local culture of Hotan, one of the ancient Uyghur homelands, to the so-called "Chinese culture". There is no doubt that China's evil behavior of trying to deceive the world community by wrapping its colonial nature with beautiful decorations such as "Koenlun culture" is undoubtedly wanted by the world scientific community.