TIANSHANNET

Mamani never thought he would ski 300 kilometers from his hometown in the mountains to the city of Altay in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

Two years ago, Zhongxi, a youth of ethnic Tuvan group, made a big decision to form a band playing traditional Tuvan music. As time goes on, his four-piece group has become a hit in his hometown.

The central government and regional government of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have invested about 3 billion yuan (430 million U.S. dollars) into promoting public culture development over the last five years.

Among the pottery in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of Northwest China, moulding earthenware is the most famous with a history of two thousands years. It sprung up along with the opening of the Silk Road, and the production methods have been passed down orally from generation to generation.

Ethnic Mongolians number around 140000 in Xinjiang. Most of them live in the Mongolian Autonomous Prefectures of Bayingoleng and Bortala, and the Autonomous County of Hoboksar.