Muslims in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in western China are celebrating the Corban Festival which begins Tuesday, one of the three most important Islamic holidays.
Ningxia, home of the largest Muslim community in China, is enveloped in a dense festive atmosphere. More goods have been put into shop counters and Muslims, who are given a day off Tuesday, take baths and put on colorful clothes to sacrifice livestock for the celebration.
Some 1.8 million Muslims across the region will gather in some 3,400 mosques to attend grand ceremonies Tuesday.
Local government of Yinchuan, the region’s capital, has decided to provide buses starting this year for Muslims to sing eulogy to their passed ancestors by their graves.
Corban is the common festival for about 10 ethnic minorities in China like Hui and Uygur who believe in Islam.
Ningxia, one of the most underdeveloped regions in China, saw a 10.72 percent growth in income for its farmers last year. About eight state-level indigent counties in southern mountainous regions were able to get out of poverty.
(People’s Daily 03/06/2001)
