Located on the western edge of China, Xinjiang is a land of contrasts – home to the second highest point in the world and the second lowest point in the world. Throughout history, the land has long been home to many different ethnic groups and religious beliefs. The earliest people found in Xinjiang were Indo-European and whose trace can be seen today in the mummies at the Xinjiang Museum. Later on, Buddhism was brought into Xinjiang from India and then eventually to the rest of China. Other religions such as Nestorian Christianity and Manicheanism were also found here, brought from the West. Eventually, Turkic and Mongol tribes swept through the region and Turkified the region. While the early Turkic and Mongol people were Buddhist and other religions, they converted to Islam and today Islam is the main religion. Apart from the Han Chinese, the Uyghur people are the main ethnic group found today in Xinjiang. The historical Silk Road passed through this region and many traces of it are found today in the historical cities of Xinjiang such as Turpan and Kashgar.
