Matthew Teague, The Other Tibet. The Uygurs, Muslim people of China’s resource-rich far west, are becoming strangers in their own land as Han Chinese pour in. Like the Tibetans, who face similar pressures, some Uygurs see a chance for a better life, but others protest the disintegration of their culture, even at the risk of death. National Geographic, December 2009.
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/12/uygurs/teague-text/1
Note:
(a) In the table of content of the print edition (for lack of enough space to print subtitle): "The Other Tibet The Uygurs of China's oil-rich far west are facing a crisis."
(b) Karamay 克拉玛依
(c) I cannot find the Chinese translation for Layka, Imam Asim, Karakax River,
(d) Hotan 和田
(e) phantasmagoria (n): "a bizarre or fantastic combination, collection, or assemblage"
(f) "jet" in "jet eyes" (n): "a very compact velvet-black mineral of the nature of coal that is often used for jewelry"
(g) tambur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambur
(h) fastness (n): "a place of retreat or privacy <visited them in the desert ~>"
(i) laundress (n): "a woman who does household laundry" (the male form is "launderer")
(j) Gulja: around 伊宁
All English definitions are from Webster (3rd ed, 1961).