Contemporary Uyghur Life Transition Rituals And Religious Identity In Xinjiang, China

The traditional lifestyle of an ethnic group consists of many elements, but among them life cycle ritual events have primary status.In other words, life cycle rituals represent the thought and moral values of an ethnic group because these events are the basic ceremonies by which members of an ethnic group can identify with each other.By observing and considering the rituals of life cycle events we can find out the current value systems of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China.In this study of contemporary Uyghur life cycle rituals, I investigate the reality of their current religious identity and trace elements of traditional religions that have remained in these events.The main contents of this thesis are as follows:The first chapter introduces and describes main research theories, methods, significance, and the summary of the academic research situation and field works.The second chapter summarizes the tribal history of Uyghurs in order to explain the transitions of Uyghur manners and customs. Without referring to manners and customs of Uyghur ancestors we cannot research their cultural development systematically. Therefore I have made reference to historical books and theses on this topic. By doing this, I not only take into account of the progress of Uyghur history and the boundaries of their cultural history but also made progress in explaining the ritual transition that defines their identity.The third chapter reviews the cultural history of contemporary Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China. By looking into the historical progression of the traditional lifestyles of Uyghurs I tried to understand the backgrounds of Uyghur thought transition and its influences on manners and customs. In Uyghur history, there have been several distinct transition periods. This chapter summarizes the culture of Uyghurs in the Gobi Desert, the migration culture of Uyghurs in Northwest China and culture of Uyghurs in the Kharahan Dynasty.The fourth chapter analyses the life transition rituals of the contemporary Uyghurs. They are the naming ceremony, which is similar to christening ceremony in the western society, the cradle ceremony, the circumcision ceremony, the wedding ceremony, and the funeral ceremony in the life transition rituals of Uyghurs in the Bexkirem Country, Xinjiang where I did my field works. The main contents are on the influences of their traditional religions.In conclusion, I explain several main points about the issues of religious identity of the contemporary Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China. And by introducing the concept of personal religious identity and collective religious identity I not only analyze the different viewpoints of observer and the one who is observed but also discuss the influence on the contemporary Uyghurs caused by the difference of the two religious identities.