Decades of Hui and Kazakh family ties in Xinjiang

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The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which borders Kazakhstan, is a place with diverse ethnic groups and cultures. Therefore ethnic unity is a big deal.

In Wenquan County of Xinjiang, a Hui family and a Kazakh family are celebrating five generations of strong family ties. Aniwar Murathan is a Kazakh herdsman, and Shan Zhizheng is a Hui farmer. Despite their ethnic differences, they see each other as siblings.

"The trust between our families stems from the relationships established by our parents. We are one big family and are inseparable," Aniwar said.

Shan's father came to Xinjiang in the early '60s, and shortly after met Ainiwar's father and uncle. The Kazakh family taught Shan how to graze. He then moved his family to the village.

"My father came to Xinjiang alone. His two Kazakh friends did not treat him as an outsider. When I was young, my father told me that the Kazakhs are family," Shan said.

That friendship-turned-family has endured for six decades. They are close relatives and visit each other often.

"When you respect each other's culture, there are no barriers. When we come to visit their house, we follow their etiquette and vice versa. So we don't have any conflicts," Shan said.

Thanks to the diversity, family members learn from each other's rich culture and backgrounds. And the ties have been passed down to the younger generations.