Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Basha Tieges) news: On the morning of April 22, 2024, the sounds of "baa...moo..." from sheep and cows rose and fell in succession. From every corner, tens of thousands of farmers and herders made their way to Aletui Village in Yuqunweng Hui Ethnic Township, Yining County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, all directed towards the bustling Huanggong Bazaar.

Local breeder Kurbanjan Abdusalam and his companions led two cows to the bazaar. They visit the bazaar several times a week to livestock, buy dried fruits, have some noodles, and then return. This has been his habit for the past 20 years.

Photo taken on April 22, 2024 shows the livestock trading area of Huanggong Bazaar is full of sellers and buyers. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Basha Tieges)

The locals still affectionately refer to the century-old Huanggong Livestock Trade Market as "Huanggong Bazaar," covering an expanse of over 40 hectares. On June 1, 2022, the Xinjiang Chuangjin Huanggong Agricultural Products Trading Co., Ltd. took over the operations of the Huanggong Bazaar, renaming it the Xinjiang Chuangjin Huanggong Agricultural Products Trading Center. The center now boasts a comprehensive service-oriented trading platform, integrating livestock trading, comprehensive exhibition and sales of livestock products, livestock foster care, and market information services. This platform is also equipped with facilities for trading, quarantine, accommodation, dining, and leisure activities.

"Two years ago, its 'mother' was sold for over 50,000 yuan." In the livestock trading area, Kurbanjan was introducing the purebred brown cattle he bred.

Not far away, the cattle and sheep broker Orkax Turgun was shouting at the top of his lungs, brokering a deal.

“This is the strongest cow I have ever seen today. Don’t you even believe me?" Orkax held the buyer's hand with his left hand and the seller's hand with his right hand, crossed the hands of the buyer and seller in front of him, and kept negotiating. With many people watching, a huge Simmental cow was sold for 26,500 yuan.

Over the years, Orkax bought a house and a car with the help of this job. Having earned the agency fee, Orkax turned to Kurbanjan triumphantly.

"Why are you in such a hurry? The day after tomorrow is for larger-scale transactions, maybe we can sell it for 12,000." Orkax looked at the cow and said to Kurbanjan that if the cow sold for only 10,000 yuan, which was a pity. Wednesday is a big day in Huanggong Bazaar every week, and many dealers from inside and outside Xinjiang come to buy livestock. According to Orkax's experience, trading will become easier when there are more people.

"I have made a lot of money here. On a good day, I can earn 2,000 yuan. On a bad day, like today, if I don't sell anything, I just take it back home," said Kurbanjan. He feels lucky to have a broker friend like Orkax who understands the market and has a way with words.

The high-quality livestock in Ili gathers at the Huanggong Bazaar, attracting a large number of merchants from all over the country, and also let more than 2,000 farmers and herdsmen like Orkax to transform into the "cattle and sheep brokers."

Photo taken on April 22, 2024 shows Kurbanjan Abdusalam tides up his brown cow for sale in the livestock trading area of Huanggong Bazaar in Yuqunweng Hui Ethnic Township, Yining County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Basha Tieges)

In the afternoon, Alimjan Ibrahim, a cattle and sheep broker from Dongmaili Town, Gongliu County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, rushed to the "foster care community" to check in.

"If you miss the time, it's normal to have no business. The cattle will stay in the 'hotel' for a few days first." At the age of 18, Alimjan followed his father to learn how to trade livestock. "In the past, when we went to the bazaar, there were three possible outcomes if the deal couldn't be closed on the same day: rush back to Gongliu County overnight, rent a nearby pen at a high price, or sell the livestock at a low price. It was all very troublesome and frustrating."

To facilitate transactions, Huanggong Bazaar has built a livestock "foster care community" in the past two years. Alimjan's 20 cattle are kept in a 32-square-meter pen with a trough providing 24-hour constant temperature warm water. The accommodation costs five yuan per day, and there are "waiters" available on call. By continuously optimizing services and upgrading market infrastructure, Xinjiang Chuangjin Huanggong Agricultural Products Trading Center has currently set a record of 15,000 head of livestock traded in a single day.

"With a hundred sheep, after excluding the cost for their food and drink over the year, I can earn 60,000 yuan," said Hali Yali from WenYa'er Town, as he put bells around the sheep's necks in the trading area and cheerfully took a photo of his Dalan sheep. Hali is an expert in livestock trading, deciding what to raise in his pens based on the livestock market trends at Huanggong Bazaar. In recent years, he has favored breeding sheep over cattle.

Photo taken on April 22, 2024 shows customers choose horse gear in a harness shop at Huanggong Bazaar in Yuqunweng Hui Ethnic Township, Yining County, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Basha Tieges)

"Brother, let's hurry up!" Musajan Mamatjan jumped out of the transport vehicle, urging Hali as the time for the next order was approaching. "Don't rush, let's have some kabab before you go," Hari joked. Musajan is hardworking and frugal, dedicated to transporting cattle and sheep at Huanggong Bazaar, fulfilling his wife's dream of opening a furniture store.

"I really enjoy these down-to-earth scenes; everyone is so enthusiastic," said Zhang Zhiyuan, a tourist from Hebei, a province in northern China, who was taking photos with great interest in the bazaar. Before coming to Xinjiang, he researched and planned to take some great photos at Huanggong Bazaar.

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