People enjoy 'hundred family feast' to celebrate Corban Festival in NW China's Xinjiang

Residents of different ethnic groups gather at an annual grand feast named "hundred family feast" in the Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

More than 500 residents of various ethnic groups in Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, gathered at an annual "hundred family feast” on June 17 to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China.

The grand feast features food prepared and shared together by all families of the community. It has been held in the Guyuanxiang community, where 95.51 percent of the residents are people of ethnic minority groups, for 11 consecutive years, according to a senior resident named Ma Wenyu.

"I've lived here for 10 years, and the feast gets more and more popular every year," Ma said.

Goya Abdurexit (left), a female resident of the Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, prepares pan-fried stuffed buns with her neighbor Ma Shaoyan before an annual grand feast named "hundred family feast.” The feast is held every year in the community to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

During this year's "hundred family feast,” participants sat around 40 tables, savoring tasty homemade dishes and snacks, and talking to neighbors while enjoying art and cultural performances.s

As performances of songs like "Today is a Festival," "China in the Lights,” and "Pomegranate Blossoms" were staged one after another, residents sang and danced along with the music, filling the air with joyous laughter.

"At my age, I love lively events like this. We should often hold such events. We old neighbors always have endless conversations when we meet each other," a 70-year-old resident named Ablet Tursun said.

"When we enjoy food of various ethnic groups together, we feel a close affinity between each other. We feel we are one big family," the senior resident noted.

Residents of different ethnic groups share homemade food at an annual grand feast named "hundred family feast" in the Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

"We've known each other for over 20 years. Since we live in the same residential complex, we can meet each other every day and we celebrate festivals together," said Goya Abdurexit, a female resident of the Guyuanxiang community, while preparing pan-fried stuffed buns with her neighbor Ma Shaoyan before the "hundred family feast."

Abdulla Nurmemet and his wife brought Huoxiang, a traditional food of the Uygur ethnic group in Xinjiang, to the feast.

"The shape of Huoxiang resembles that of pan-fried stuffed buns. And the pleats folded tightly together on the food just remind us of the fact that we always stick together," Abdulla Nurmemet said, while handing Huoxiang to his neighbors.

Residents of different ethnic groups share homemade food at an annual grand feast named "hundred family feast" in the Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

"Our community is a multi-ethnic family. The 'hundred family feast' allows residents of different ethnic groups to enhance their bonds over food, helping boost ethnic solidarity," said Zhang Yaowen, an official of the community.

Such heartwarming scenes of people from different ethnic groups gathering to celebrate the Corban Festival were seen in various cities across Xinjiang on June 17.

Children taking Peking Opera extracurricular classes perform Peking Opera for residents at an annual grand feast named "hundred family feast" in the Guyuanxiang community in Tianshan district, Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The grand feast is held annually in the community to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Li Long)

People of different ethnic groups take part in a grand square dance in Korla city, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (People's Daily Online/Que Hure)

People perform folk songs and dances in the Urumqi high-tech Industrial Development Zone, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to celebrate the Corban Festival, one of the major festivals of Muslims in China, on June 17, 2024. (Photo/Ji Tingting)