Urumqi, which means 'beautiful pastures' in
Mongolian is not a city with a very long history of
significance. During the Tang dynasty, it was merely
an en-route stop to the administrative center of the
region at Jimusar. In 1884, Urumqi became the capital
of Xinjiang. Muslim rebellions were common.
It was controlled by various warlords since the
overthrow of Qing Dynasty. The most notorious
of them all was Yang Zhengxin, who had a habit
of inviting his enemies and beheading them.
Perhaps the often-cited description of the town
by Cable and French best summarizes the characteristics
of the city, "The town has no beauty, no
style, no dignity and no architectural interest.
The climate is violently exaggerated and at no
season pleasant."
|
