China on the move: Ancient bazaar thrives today

Watch Video

Play Video

Northwest China is home to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It's long been known as a place where East meets West. Thousands of years ago, the Silk Road put it on the map. CCTV reporter Wang Mangmang finds out how one ancient bazaar is still doing big business.

The ancient Silk Road lives on today in Xinjiang.

Kashgar is home to what used to be "the biggest market in Asia". Locals and tourists shop here every day, where in the past was a weekly market on donkey carts.

This is the largest souvenir shop in the bazaar. The owner has been working here all his life. He knows very well what keeps business running.

Bazaar trader Eziz Tayir said, "Things were at its best in 2007. We were making money. The July riots turned tourists away and we were losing buyers. Now order has been restored and people are coming back. So a stable society means a good market for us. And it matters to our lives, not just business. Stability is a blessing."

Fortunately, the riots in Urumqi didn't force vendors in Kashgar to close. And now, during the peak travel season, they are expecting more visitors.

The bazaar isn't just a place of business. It's also a place to experience the culture.

This Italian couple is back for their second visit of the week.

Italian tourists Maria & Luigi Fasolino said, "Very huge, lots of things, and it's crowded. Not today, we saw it on Sunday. It was crowded. It's very interesting for us."