As the U.S. makes ready for Thanksgiving, a holiday when families and friends come together, part of northwestern China is doing likewise. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, which borders Kazakhstan, is a place with diverse ethnic groups and cultures, therefore ethnic unity is a big deal. CGTN's Zhao Yunfei takes us to Wenquan County in Xinjiang, where a Hui family and a Kazakh family are celebrating five generations of strong family ties.  

Sunrise at Huhetuoha Village, brothers herd sheep and cattle. This is a special family combining two minority groups. Aniwar Murathan is a Kazakh herdsman and Shan Zhizheng is a Hui farmer. Despite their ethnic differences, they see each other as siblings.

ANIWAR MURATHAN KAZAKH HERDSMAN "The trust between our families stems from the relationships established by our parents. We are one big family and are inseparable."

This is Shan's mother Ma Zilan. She says her husband came to Xinjiang in early 1960s, and shortly after met Ainiwaer's father and uncle. The Kazakh family taught Shan how to graze. He then moved his family to the village.

SHAN ZHIZHENG HUI FARMER "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."

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

ZHAO YUNFEI WENQUAN COUNTY, XINJIANG "Now this is definitely a dinner table with mixed cultures. Typically in Xinjiang, you don't see both fish and chicken on the same plate. Fish is a Hui family favorite while the Kazakhs love chicken. Putting these two kinds of meat together, it means a blending culture and strengthens family ties."

When asked whether there are any barriers between the two families due to ethical differences, Shan says:

SHAN ZHIZHENG HUI FARMER "I don't think so. 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."

Thanks to the diversity, family members learn each other from their rich culture and backgrounds. And the ties that bind are being passed down to the younger generations. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Wenquan County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.