Between the Plentifulness and the Void: Historical Anthropology on The Uyghur People's Environmental Perception in Southern Xinjiang

Abstract: This thesis is a historical anthropology of Uyghur people’s environmental perception, exploring the Uyghur people’s dwelling experiences in the oasis-desert landscape of southern Xinjiang during the early 20th century. Through the insights derived from historical anthropology and local knowledge, this study applies field visit and documents research. Multiple materials are covered in this study, including (1) Translated Uyghur manuscripts (the Jarring Collection); (2) Chinese records; and (3) Western accounts. The study’s result concludes ethnographic details related to the environment, to elucidate locals’ experiences and practices in oasis agriculture, the desert environment and the changing boundary between landscapes. Through the concepts of the dwelling perspective and the taskscape from anthropologist Tim Ingold, this thesis argues that the environment is not the mere background of the Uyghur people’s daily life. Instead, their actions and perception are embedded in and generated within their surroundings by continual engagement, which is how they maintain a meaningful world position in the arid environment. The historical and anthropological perspectives enable us to understand the Uyghur people’s profound connections with their land.