China aired a documentary last week showing how the Qing dynasty took back Xinjiang from foreign forces in the late 19th century – Beijing’s latest effort to counter Western narratives and strengthen Chinese national identity in ethnic minority border areas.
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The six-episode documentary, titled Zuo Zongtang Recovers Xinjiang, was produced and aired by the broadcaster of Hunan province, the birthplace of Zuo Zongtang, one of the most famous generals and reformists in the late Qing dynasty (1644-1911).
The documentary comes as Beijing has worked to cement its narrative on the history and governance of China’s borderlands, with the aim of “forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” – a phrase first coined by President Xi Jinping in 2014.
Xinjiang has been a part of Chinese territory since ancient times, when it was known as the “Western Regions”. As early as 60BC, during the Western Han dynasty, the government established the Protectorate of the Western Regions, formally incorporating Xinjiang into Chinese territory.
The Qing dynasty faced multiple internal and external challenges in the 19th century, which severely undermined its reign. Its rule was weakened by the Taiping Rebellion (1851-1864), unequal treaties with Western naval powers such as Britain, and growing foreign infiltration in its western regions, including Xinjiang, where the Qing established rule in the 1750s.
The documentary depicts how Yaqub Beg, a general of the Kokand Khanate in Central Asia, invaded and occupied Xinjiang in 1864 and created a separatist state there, which was backed briefly by Britain and Russia. Beg was a jihadist who wanted to establish an Islamic caliphate. He has been revered by modern Islamic fundamentalists, including al-Qaeda, which has praised him as a hero.