Singing and dancing to welcome the new year in Tashkurgan, Kashgar, Xinjiang

Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County (Tashkurgan for short) in Kashgar, Xinjiang, is located on the eastern slope of the Pamir Plateau. The county is characterized by high mountains, deep valleys, and scattered villages. Datong Township is about 200 km from the county seat. In the process of consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation and promoting rural revitalization, Datong Township has leveraged the villagers' talent for singing and dancing to form several art teams. These teams not only help boost rural tourism, but also enrich the villagers' spiritual and cultural life, and inspire them to build their hometown. The art teams in Datong Township are all composed of villagers. Their performances are based on the daily life of the mountain villages, and are all self-written, self-directed, and self-performed by the villagers. The performances are themed around telling stories of the people around them and praising the new life. The art activities are generally held during New Year's Day, the Spring Festival, the Apricot Blossom Festival, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day. In recent years, the "Village Gala" featuring traditional songs and dances, modern music, interactive skits, and fun sports has become an important part of the local rural cultural construction brand. During the winter leisure season, a unique "Village Gala" was held again, where the men, women, and children of Datong Township in Tashkurgan sang and danced to welcome the new year.