新疆
Chinese
new; newly; meso- (chem.) | border; boundary | ||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (新疆) | 新 | 疆 | |
simp. #(新疆) | 新 | 疆 | |
Literally: “new territory”. |
Etymology
Originally a general term for newly acquired territories, used since the Southern Song dynasty. In the Qing dynasty, various non-Han-inhabited territories were referred to as 新疆, including southwestern and western Guizhou, Wumeng (烏蒙/乌蒙, modern-day Zhaotong, Yunnan), Jinchuan (金川), and the region now known as Xinjiang. 疆 (jiāng) denotes the region was inhabited by non-Han ethnicities.
The first instance of a Qing emperor referring to the region now known as Xinjiang as 新疆 is found in the foreword of 欽定新疆識略 written by the Daoguang Emperor in 1821. Prior to that, the region was referred to as 西域 (Xīyù, literally “Western Regions”), a term used since the Han dynasty (Li, 1981). In 大清一統志 published during the eras of Qianlong and Jiaqing, the region was referred to as 西域新疆. Furthermore, during the era of Qianlong, northern Xinjiang or Dzungaria was referred to as 準疆/准疆 and 準部/准部, among other names, while southern Xinjiang or Altishahr was referred to as 回疆 (Huíjiāng) and 回部 (Huíbù).
Pronunciation
Proper noun
新疆
- (~維吾爾自治區, formerly ~省) Xinjiang (a Uygur autonomous region and former province in far western China; capital: Ürümqi)
- 是故重新疆者所以保蒙古,保蒙古者所以衛京師。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: 1877, Zuo Zongtang, 遵旨統籌全局摺
- Shìgù zhòng Xīnjiāng zhě suǒyǐ bǎo Ménggǔ, bǎo Ménggǔ zhě suǒyǐ wèi Jīngshī. [Pinyin]
- Thus, attaching importance to Xinjiang is the way to safeguard Mongolia, and safeguarding Mongolia is the way to defend the capital.
是故重新疆者所以保蒙古,保蒙古者所以卫京师。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
Descendants
Others:
- → English: Xinjiang, Sinkiang, Hsin-chiang
- → Kazakh: Шынжаң (Şynjañ), شىنجاڭ (xinjyang)
- → Mongolian: ᠰᠢᠨᠵᠢᠶᠠᠩ (sinǰiyaŋ), Шиньжян (Šinʹžjan)
- → Russian: Синьцзя́н (Sinʹczján)
- → Nuosu: ꑟꏦ (xi jie)
- → Tatar: Шеңҗан (Şeñcan)
- → Turkish: Sincan
- → Uyghur: شىنجاڭ (shinjang), Шинҗаң (Shinjang)
- → Written Oirat: ᠱᡅᠨᡓᡅᡕᠠᡊ (šinǰiyang)
- → Zhuang: Sinhgyangh
- → Yakut: Синдьээҥ (Sinjeeñ)