Bazaar


Bazaar is Uygur language, meaning market and trade place. The bazaar is a uniquely traditional type of trade found in
Xinjiang. More than 2,000 years old, the Kashgar bazaar is the biggest international trade market in the northwest
region of China.

As early as in 128 BC, when Zhang Qian was dispatched to the Western Regions by Emperor Wudi of the Han
Dynasty (206 BC-220), he was surprised to see the prosperous market here, full of dazzling goods and merchants
coming from different countries.

The traditional bazaar was originally held on Sundays, but it currently is divided into two sections, one is livestock
district that is only open on Sundays and the other is ordinary district especially busy on Sundays although open every
day.

There are many bazaars in Kashgar, scattering in different streets of both rural and urban areas, but the best-known is the East Gate Grand
Bazaar. This is because the East Gate Grand Bazaar is the biggest of its kind in Kashgar and offers richest varieties of commodities and most
favorable prices, which attracts lots of customers to the bustling bazaar.

With a history of more than 2,000 years, Kashgar Grand Bazaar was well-known as the "biggest market in Asia" in ancient times. The full name of
Kashgar Grand Bazaar is Central and West Asia International Trading Market and it is now the largest market for farm produce in Xinjiang. Every
Sunday, the bazaar is very busy with a constant stream of vehicles and people and sometimes, customers at the bazaar can reach more than
100,000.

At the bazaar, people can find almost all kinds of commodities, ranging from various local produce,
handicrafts, daily-use necessities, melons, fruits and vegetables to means of production and domestic
animals. It can be said that the grand bazaar is the best place to reflect the folk custom and culture of the
Xinjiang Uygur Nationality.

In addition, Kashgar is in the center of the Asia-European continent. This is a good geographic location,
as business between Kashgar and the neighboring countries has a long history.