In the desert of Kashgar, Xinjiang, lies the Mo’er stupa, a relic of a bygone era. This ancient Buddhist structure, along with its temple, was likely created 1,700 years ago and abandoned several centuries later. Excavations that began in 2019 by Chinese archaeologists have unearthed stone tools, copper coins, and fragments of a Buddha statue, reigniting an important debate over the region's historical ties to China.
Archaeological Findings and China's Historical Claims
Chinese authorities is explaining that the artifacts discovered at the Mo’er temple, including those left of Han Buddhist architectural styles, demonstrate that Xinjiang has been an integral part of China since ancient period. They point to the temple’s supposed visit by Xuanzang, a renowned 7th-century monk from central China, as evidence of ancient cultural integration.
However, this narrative is heavily disputed. Critics argue that the presence of Buddhist relics in Xinjiang reflects the region's historical role as a cultural heritage along the Silk Road rather than proof of long-standing Chinese sovereignty. The Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and religions, including Buddhism, which originally spread from India.
The Political Use of Archaeology
China’s government points these archaeological findings to justify its modern-day policies in Xinjiang, which include a heavy-handed security campaign and efforts to assimilate the Uyghur population into Han Chinese culture. At the height of this campaign in 2018-19, it is estimated that around a million Uyghurs and other Muslims were detained in re-education camps aimed at eradicating "extremism."
Chinese Officials like Pan Yue, head of the Ethnic Affairs Commission, have publicly stated that the archaeological discoveries debunk any notion of cultural separation between Xinjiang and the rest of China. He argues that critics of China's policies in the region are either ignorant of history or deliberately spreading falsehoods.
The Counter-Narrative
Experts outside China challenge these claims. Historians like James Millward from Georgetown University note that China’s ancient dynasties had intermittent influence over Xinjiang, with significant gaps in control from the 8th to the 18th centuries. It wasn't until the Qing Dynasty's conquest in 1759 that Xinjiang was fully integrated into Chinese territory, a status it maintained when the Communist Party took power in 1949.
The ruins at Mo’er temple, rather than validating Chinese dominance, highlight the diverse cultural exchanges facilitated by the Silk Road. Many Uyghur ancestors were Buddhists, influenced heavily by Gandhara art from what is now Pakistan and northern India, not Han Chinese culture. Kahar Barat, a Uyghur-American historian, emphasizes that the Buddhist heritage in places like Kashgar and Kucha reflects this Gandhara influence, devoid of significant Chinese impact.
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Erasure of Islamic Heritage
While promoting an ancient Buddhist past, China is simultaneously erasing more recent Islamic cultural in Xinjiang. Hundreds of mosques and Muslim shrines have been destroyed in recent years as part of a broader campaign to secure the region. The museum in Kashgar, for instance, downplays Islam's historical significance, presenting it as a foreign imposition rather than a core aspect of Uyghur identity.
Conclusion
The battle over the Mo’er stupa is the larger struggle for control over Xinjiang's historical and cultural narrative. While Chinese authorities use archaeology to support their territorial claims and justify current policies, many historians and cultural experts view these efforts as a manipulation of history. They argue that Xinjiang's true heritage is one of cultural plurality, influenced by numerous civilizations over centuries, rather than a seamless part of Chinese history.
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