Xinjiang’s Aywang
2 min readAywang residences are named after the Aywang Hall.Aywang is a Uyghur ord that means”where brightness resides.”It is also the name of a dwelling typical of the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.Aywang is a popular architectural style in Xinjiang.It exhibits a distinctive ethnic quality of the Uyghurs and is also representative of the region of Xinjiang with a history of more than 2，000 years.
The Aywang Hall is the largest，tallest，best decorated，and brightest of such residences.Inside the hall，there are 8 columns that extend out of the ceiling，with high windows to allow sunlight into the hall.Around the columns are raised platforms 2.5 to 5 meters wide and 45cm high covered with rugs，providing additional space for daily life，reception of guests and dining，cooling and resting，sleep in summer，old people’s recovery from illness and women’s agricultural work such as spinning，silkworm breeding，rug weaving and seed selection in the busy season.On festive occasions，it becomes an open space for the Uyhgur people to celebrate with songs and dances.The Aywang Hall thus becomes the model by which all the other rooms in an aywang are built.
From an architectural perspective, an aywang is entirely an interior of a building, which is also the living room of a residence. But in terms of itsfunctions, it can be regarded as an outdoor venue for entertaining guests, holding gatherings, and music and activities. The aywang is a perfect building that best fits the weather conditions in their regions, shielding the inhabitants against sandstorms, cold, and the harsh weather in summer. Hence it is a residence that is built based on the geographical and cultural landscapes of the inhabitants. The distinctive weather conditions of Xinjiang are the source of inspiration to the Uyghurs in creating the aywang.
