The Salar People

Most Salar live in the Xunhua Salar Autonomous County along the Huanghe River in Qinghai although some are in Gansu. Legend has it that the Salar emigrated from Samarkand in central Asia during the 13th century. Two brothers were chieftains of the same tribe. Though esteemed, these chieftains were also envied and hated by enemy tribes. Escorted by 18 fellow tribesmen, the two brothers fled their homeland with a white camel that carried the Koran, water and earth from their native land. They arrived at the Huanghe River. That night, their camel wandered off. When at last they found it, it had turned to stone; thus, they settled there. Today, a petrified camel can still be seen at that site.

During the Ming Dynasty, a Salar headman was put in charge of this minority people. Later, during the Qing Dynasty, the Salar region was divided into two administrative areas. Before Liberation there was a dominant landlord economy; then, the Xunhua Salar Autonomous County was established on March 1, 1954. Many cadres have come from the Salar people. Some have been promoted to leading posts at the county and township levels.

The Salar area is beautiful and mountainous. The climate is mild and the land fertile; however, there is insufficient rainfall. Salar raise wheat, Tibetan barley, buckwheat and potatoes. Pears, apricots, grapes, jujubes, apples, prickly ash, walnuts and red peppers are also grown in their area. They breed stock, work as lumber jacks, produce salt and weave wool. Since Liberation, irrigation has improved and advanced farm machinery has been introduced. Education has also improved.

Their language is a member of the Turkic language family and is almost identical to that of the Uygurs and Uzbeks. Since they have no written language, they use the Han (Chinese) script. A number of their words are taken from Chinese and Tibetan.

Salar have a rich folklore. During weddings they perform a camel dance that recounts the legend of Salar origins. One folk genre is the Hua'er (flower), which is sung in the Chinese language. The lyric songs in the Salar language have melody and a brisk rhythm. One song may be composed of many small songs; most are love songs. Tibetan folk songs also influence some Salar songs. The Salar play the Jew's harp made of either metal or bamboo that is only four centimeters long. Women come together to play the harp and vent their sorrows between spring and winter when their men leave them in order to work as lumber jacks, traders or gold-washers. This annual exodus is a Salar tradition.

Many Salar customs resemble those of their neighboring Hui, who are Muslims. Salar, likewise, practice Islam, responding to the call to prayer every day.

Links:

http://www.orientaltravel.com/people/Salar.htm