新疆手工编织地毯背后的繁荣：两代人的人文传承 Handwoven carpet business fuels prosperity in Xinjiang
AlocalhandwovencarpetbusinessintheXinjiangUygurAutonomousRegionofnorthwestChinabloomsvibrantwiththededicationoftwogenerations.Theseartisanshavenotonlywoveneconomicprosperityfortheircommunity,butalsoensuredthattheregion'sculturalheritagecontinuestoflourish.
KurbanMattohtiathiscarpetstore,Turpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
KurbanMattohti,51,movedtoTurpancityintheXinjiangUygurAutonomousRegionat17,sellingcarpetsinthelocalmarket.Startingwitha5-square-meterstall,Mattohti'sjourneyledhimtoopenastorespanningover500squaremeters.
KalbinurKurbanathercarpetworkshop,Turpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
Hisdaughter,KalbinurKurban,23,nowmanagesthefamilybusiness."Myfamilyhasbeeninvolvedinproducinghandwovenwoolencarpets,"shesaid."Asthebusinessgrew,myfather,drivenbyapassiontopreservethisart,begananentrepreneurialjourney,engagingskilledartisanswithsimilargoals."
CarpetartisansweaveawoolencarpetataworkshopinTurpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
Kurban'sworkshopemploys37peopleandhouses150handwovencarpetmachines.Eachyear,theworkshopproduces3,000squaremetersofintricatecarpets.Theindustryhasprovidedemploymentandprosperityforlocalvillagersandattractedexperiencedartisans,somewithover50yearsofexperience.
Overtheyears,thecarpetbusinesshaswitnessedasignificantimprovement,evolvingfromrudimentarysetupstoworkshopsproducingintricatelydesignedcarpets.Thisyear,Kurbanexpandedsaleschannelstoonlineplatforms,reachinginternationalcustomers."Wearetheonlycarpet-makingenterpriseinTurpan.Withgovernmentsupportanddedication,wenowexporttomarketsincludingGermany,ourlargestinternationalcustomer.Inthedomesticmarket,ourcarpetsgracemajorcitieslikeBeijingandShanghai,andIplantoopenastorethere,"Kurbanexplained.
CarpetartisansweaveawoolencarpetataworkshopinTurpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
ButKurban'svisionextendsbeyondeconomicempowerment.Herbusinesshascreatedjobopportunitiesspecificallyforlocalwomen,providingthemwithtrainingandaconduciveworkenvironment.Thisarrangementallowsthemtoearnalivelihoodwhilemanagingchildcareresponsibilities.Duringpeakseasons,themonthlyincomeforthesefemaleartisanscanreachupto13,000yuan($1,826).
Aviewofthecarpetstore,Turpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
Kurban'sdedicationtoculturalpreservationiswovenintoeveryknot.HercarpetsfeaturepatternsthatshowcasetheuniquecharacteristicsoftheSilkRoadandcapturetheregion'shistory.Additionally,Kurban’sfamilyhasalong-standingtraditionofpreservingXinjiang’sfolkcultureandoperatesathemedmuseumtofurtherthismission.
AviewofXinjiangantiqueitemscollectedbyKurbanMattohtiatathemedmuseum,Turpancity,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion,Dec.16,2023.[PhotobyWangZiteng/China.org.cn]
"Myfatherhascollectedantiqueitemsthathavebeenpasseddownthroughgenerationsinourvillage,"Kurbansaid."Byhostingexhibitions,weaimtodeepenpeople'sunderstandingofXinjiang'scultureandhistory.Nowadays,wefrequentlyreceivevisitorsfromdistantcitieswhocomespecificallytoseeourexhibition.WhenIgivethemguidedtours,Ifeelagreatsenseofaccomplishmentinmybusiness."
FollowChina.org.cnonTwitterandFacebooktojointheconversation.ChinaNewsAppDownload