Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Chen Jianglin) news: There, amidst an array of pigeon coops of various heights and a bustling crowd, the sound of WeChat payments incessantly lingered on... On April 25, 2024, the Pigeon Bazaar in Paixianbaibazha Township, Xinhe County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was exceptionally lively.

The bazaar covers an area of about 0.67 hectares and is bustling with people every market day. Villagers from the surrounding countryside arrive on electric motorcycles, private cars, or public buses, carrying pigeons in metal coops, plastic woven bags, net sacks, and cardboard boxes... some even tuck the pigeons under their arms to the "Pigeon Bazaar."

Photo taken on April 25, 2024 shows people enjoy performances, watch pigeons, and shop at the Pigeon Bazaar in Paixianbaibazha Township, Xinhe County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Zhang Yongding)

"My pigeon is truly beautiful. Look, its feathers appear gray, but once it takes flight, they shimmer with green and purple hues. And on its wings, there are two black stripes," Usman Amat said. He is a farmer from Paixianbaibazha Village in Paixianbaibazha Township. At the bazaar, he stood in front of the pigeon coop, proudly extolling his pigeon to the villagers who had come to inquire. Since the "Pigeon Bazaar" opened last March, he has been coming here every week.

Abdu Reyim is an entrepreneur who has been keeping pigeons for over a decade. More than 50,000 pigeons he raises annually will mostly be bought up by companies. Therefore, his presence at the bazaar is rarely seen. Farmer Usman Amat started raising pigeons under the influence of Abdu Reyim.

Usman told the reporter that after transferring his land, he often works outside and raises more than 300 pigeons. He said, "I haven’t raised that much, but I can still earn a lot of money."

Photo taken on April 25, 2024 shows villagers share their experiences in raising pigeons at the Pigeon Bazaar in Paixianbaibazha Township, Xinhe County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Zhang Yongding)

Among those coming to the bazaar is Yasen Ruze, a villager from Aremaili Village in Paixianbaibazha Township, who is locally renowned for pigeon breeding. In 2022, under the guidance of the village committee, he took the lead in raising pigeons. With the full guidance of technical staff, his breeding scale has grown from just a few dozen birds to the current 400.

At the bazaar, Yasen, an enthusiast of pigeons, looked around each pigeon coop attentively. He squatted down to scrutinize closely, holding a pigeon to inspect for any missing feathers on its wings and gently squeezing its legs to determine if there were any fractures. Eventually, he spent more than 500 yuan to buy a pigeon from an elderly man. He explained that this pigeon was a racing homer that had participated in numerous competitions and achieved outstanding outcomes. Now that the pigeon was getting old and could no longer compete, he worried that someone might eventually eat it. Thus, he purchased it to take care of it.　　

Photo taken on April 25, 2024 shows pigeons for selling at the Pigeon Bazaar in Paixianbaibazha Township, Xinhe County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Zhang Yongding)

Yasen said that in the eyes of enthusiasts, pigeons are like spirits at the bazaar, but in the eyes of ordinary people, they are just food. "Racing pigeons and tumbler pigeons, after long-term training and achieving good results in competitions, will increase in value significantly."

In Xinhe County, marinated pigeons are also renowned as a delicacy. Buyers of meat pigeons usually engage in a brief bargaining session before making the payment, then proceed to the slaughter point for processing. Afterwards, they take them to the bazaar's dining area and hand them over to various food stalls. With skillful cooking, marinated pigeon, roasted pigeon, pigeon noodle soup, and pigeon soup can be served in no time.

Today, the pigeon breeding industry in Xinhe County has developed a complete industrial chain, including breeding, farming, and processing... Pigeon breeding and processing enterprises have grown quite significant in size.

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