Historical street fosters unity through heritage and commerce

Liuxing Street, a historical area nestled in Yining city in the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, stands out with its distinctive hexagonal layout.

This vibrant area, where various ethnic groups live in harmony amid an array of colorful courtyards, is a testament to the region's rich diversity and integrated development. Yet, this historical street is not just a residential area for people of diverse backgrounds; it also doubles as a vibrant attraction, blending tourism, cultural exhibitions, specialty restaurants and craft workshops.

In recent years, the Liuxing Street community has focused on strengthening the sense of a shared Chinese national identity. By capitalizing on its rich historical and cultural resources, it has become a central hub for promoting interaction and integration among residents of various ethnic groups.

Home to more than 3,600 permanent residents, the community is a melting pot, encompassing Han, Kazak, Hui, Uygur, Russian, and Tatar ethnic groups among others. This diverse enclave exemplifies harmonious coexistence among multiple ethnicities.

Building on its commitment to ethnic unity, the Party branch of the Liuxing Street community has been exploring new methods in its ethnic work. It has established a five-tier linkage system, integrating the Party branch, community center, grid management, Party members with household connections, and residents. This approach has fostered a "six-heart" community, which consists of a safe living environment, comfortable surroundings, neighborly support, love of reading, enjoyment of cultural activities, and shared prosperity.

On Liuxing Street, the Alexander Accordion Museum, a heritage site dedicated to the preservation of the Bayan accordion art of the Russian ethnic group, houses over 800 different types of the instrument. The museum is often alive with the sounds of accordion bands performing within its halls.

"Our band members come from different ethnic backgrounds and various professions, but we have all come together through our love of the accordion. We share a very strong bond," said Hajatola Anniwar, a member of the Liuxing Street Ethnic Unity Accordion Band.

According to Hajatola, the band has collaborated with relevant partners in Nanjing of East China's Jiangsu province to create the radio drama dubbed The Everlasting Sound of the Accordion, which has received widespread acclaim. Today, the sound of accordions from Liuxing Street has resonated beyond Ili prefecture, echoing the song of ethnic unity and progress across the nation.

In recent years, the Liuxing Street community has organized 13 art troupes to perform at various events, including village Spring Festival galas and weekend stages, during traditional Chinese festivals such as Spring Festival, Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Mid-Autumn Festival.

Additionally, the community hosts more than 280 ethnic unity and progress activities annually, utilizing the Ili writers' creation base, reading sharing points, and cultural courtyards. Among merchants, residents and tourists, they widely conduct Liuxing book clubs, classic reading sessions, and Red song sing-alongs, strengthening the sense of a shared Chinese national identity.

Alongside its rich cultural atmosphere, Liuxing Street's commercial sector has thrived with the continuous growth of tourism.

For instance, Margaret guesthouse has been operating for three years and enjoys good business, particularly in the summer when tourist numbers peak. "Our staff are like family, which is why the business has continued to improve," said Zhang Xinyu, manager of the guesthouse.

Over the past five years, the Liuxing community has focused on developing three key sectors: guesthouses, dining and cultural innovation. This initiative has fostered and supported 428 new businesses that blend local cultural characteristics with modern trends. Cultural markets such as "f lower town" and "music town" have been established, transforming Liuxing Street into a "national nighttime cultural and tourism consumption cluster".

In 2023, Liuxing Street received more than 4.6 million domestic and international visits. The business-friendly environment and family-like atmosphere led 78 tourists to settle and start businesses there.

Following the approach of "strengthening the foundation, improving facilities, creating high-quality offerings and promoting integrated development", the Liuxing Street community has undertaken comprehensive upgrades to the architectural landscape, ecological environment and business operations in the neighborhood.

"Renovation is not about demolishing and rebuilding, but about allowing history to continue and be preserved in the present," said Didar Konay, Party chief of the Liuxing Street community.

Under the support and guidance of the community, 243 households have launched their own businesses, leading to an average annual income increase of 43,000 yuan ($6,050) per person, allowing more residents to start a business on their doorstep.

"Mutual respect, appreciation, learning and sharing among different ethnic groups ensure that the flower of ethnic unity and progress continues to bloom. This will make the story of our unity and progress even more compelling," Didar said.