Kurban Tulum

Kurban Tulum (; ; 1883 – 26 May 1975), also known as Uncle Kurban , was a Uyghur farmer and electrician who lived in the oasis town of Keriya, in Xinjiang, China. The government of the People's Republic of China promotes him as a symbol of ethnic unity.

Biography

According to a local cadre, prior to the arrival of the Chinese Communist Party, Kurban was a serf who worked as a seasonal labourer for Uyghur landlords. During the land reforms of 1952, Kurban received land and various other properties. He is said to have visited Ürümqi, the capital of Xinjiang, by riding a donkey, to show his appreciation for the People's Liberation Army's role in liberating his area.

Legacy Monuments of Kurban's handshake with Mao stand in the town centres of Keriya and Hotan (Tuanjie Square), the birth and death places of Kurban, respectively.