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Faces of China: The dream of a chef in Xinjang

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STORY: Faces of China: The dream of a chef in Xinjang
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Sep. 20, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:58
LOCATION: HOTAN, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Rozah Tohti
2. SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
3. various of Hotan

STORYLINE:

SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
"My name is Rozah Tohti, and I am a chef."

As a chef and business owner, Rozah Tohti is known for his skills, but his dream goes beyond culinary arts.

Hotan City, where Rozah lives, is an oasis on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert.

"Dove Lane" is the main street in Tuancheng, an old area in Hotan.

But several years ago, this street was synonymous with filth and disorder.

SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
"Previously, the Dove Lane had shops, selling pigeons and chickens. The area in front of the shops was a dirt road, watered daily but still very dusty."

Rozah's restaurant has been in operation for decades, with his parents and even his grandparents also having worked in the restaurant business. Through hard work, Rozah saved some money and developed a hobby of collecting old items. He also considered renovating his family's old house, but found the costs to be quite burdensome.

In 2006, the local government invested heavily to start the renovation of the old town in Hotan. The project, covering around 420,000 square meters, benefited 3,500 households.

SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
"Everyone was very happy."

The renovation of Tuancheng was carried out with a tailored approach, planning each street according to its unique characteristics and designing each household based on its specific needs.

The renovation also incorporated traditional crafts like jade carving, weaving, and dyeing.

Today, Dove Lane has become a popular destination for tourists from both inside and outside Xinjiang.

Residents not only enjoy convenience of life, but many have also gained new income through tourism.

SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
"I never expected it to become so well-developed."

After years of collecting, Rozah now owns over 1,000 old items, featuring various aspects of local life. With the completion of the Dove Lane renovation, he has developed a new dream.

SOUNDBITE (Uyghur): ROZAH TOHTI, Resident of Hotan City, Xinjiang
"My dream is to create a museum to showcase the old items I've collected over the past 23 years, so that people can understand the changes in our life (in Hotan City)."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Hotan, China.
(XHTV)

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