Yengisar knives and clay pottery have developed into cultural and tourism industries in the intangible cultural town of Yengisar County, Kashi Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As winter tourism continues to heat up, more and more tourists come to Yengisar County for sightseeing, to experience intangible cultural heritage, and to immerse themselves in the beauty of clay pottery and knives.

Clay pottery, simple and natural, is one of the national intangible cultural heritage items inherited orally and refined into utensils, so that its artistic charm can be favored by tourists at home and abroad. On November 25, entering the crowded scenic spot in Tutao Village, Yengisar County, tourists from all over the world praised the unique and exquisite pottery.

Zhou Jinhai, a tourist from Wuhan, said, "This clay pottery is very novel. It is very artistic and has the flavor of ancient ethnic customs. Xinjiang is beautiful in people, land and environmen. Xinjiang Yakxi! (Uygur language meaning good)!"

The catalysts of “fire” and “steel” give birth to exquisite, noble, beautiful and useful Yengisar knives that are inlaid with brass, silver, jade, bone and stone on the handle and that are matched with a variety of ethnic decorations. Yengisar County is not big, but Yengisar knives have long been famous all over the world. Tourists often come to the “Xiaodao Village” to feel the unique charm of Yengisar knives and their profound cultural connotations.

Ge Xiaoxiao, a tourist from Changji, said: "This time, I want to see the making process of Yengisar knives. On the one hand, I want to visit, and on the other hand, I also want to collect some exquisite knives and take them home. That is one of the most beautiful things in Xinjiang, and I hope more tourists can come to Yengisar to feel the charm of Xinjiang’s intangible cultural heritage.

In recent years, Yengisar County has made full use of its rich and high-quality intangible cultural heritage and tourism resources, and actively promoted the integration of intangible cultural heritage and tourism in the “Xiaodao Village”, “Tutao Village” and other scenic spots. It not only presents the cultural value of intangible cultural heritage, but also injects more creativity and vitality into the development of the tourism industry. Walking in Yengisar County, the village is beautiful, the villagers are rich and its tourism is heating up. Thus one can see a thriving village that integrates culture and tourism.

Parida Mamtimin, deputy director of the Quanyu Tourism Service Centre of Yengisar County, said, "We will continue to intensify publicity and promotion of tourism, while inheriting our cultural heritage, exploring and creating new projects of “intangible cultural heritage +”, such as "intangible cultural heritage + study and research", "intangible cultural heritage + literary creation”, “intangible cultural heritage + performances” and “intangible cultural heritage + festivals”, so as to make intangible cultural heritage visible and vibrant, and attract more tourists to visit Xinjiang and Yengisar County, appreciate its history, culture, natural scenery and folk customs, and promote the development of winter tourism of Yengisar County.

(The Media Convergence Center of Yengisar County, Correspondents Abduweli, Tian Yalian)