The Tatars in China are descendants of Volga Tatars who migrated to Xinjiang from their native Idel-Ural region in modern-day Russia. The Tatars have traditionally acted as mediators between the Russians and the native Muslim peoples of Xinjiang. The first wave of permanent Tatar settlement in Xinjiang began in 1851, primarily in cities such as Ghulja (Yining). Tatars brought progressive ideas and new institutions into Xinjiang, where they cemented themselves in the cultural and political fabric of the region. Jadid schools (including institutions for girls), mosques, and libraries catering to the Tatar community were opened in the second half of the 19th century and in the first decades of the 20th century. During this period, many intellectuals were brought from Tatarstan to staff the schools and colleges.[5]
The Tatar language in China is limited to conversation and singing among older adults.[3] An archaic variant is spoken with influences from other Turkic languages, primarily Uyghur and Kazakh.[6] Conversely, Tatar influences can be found in the Uyghur and Kazakh spoken in the far-northwestern border city of Tacheng (Qoqek).[3] Almost all Tatars are multilingual and speak Uyghur or Kazakh in addition to Standard Chinese.[1][6]
1234塔塔尔族[Tatar Nationality]. rcenw.lzu.edu.cn (in Chinese). Center for Studies of Ethnic Minorities in Northwest China of Lanzhou University. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
1 Central Asian (i.e. Turkmeni, Afghani and Iranian) Turkmens, distinct from Levantine (i.e. Iraqi and Syrian) Turkmen/Turkoman minorities, who mostly adhere to an Ottoman-Turkish heritage and identity.
2 In traditional areas of Turkish settlement (i.e. former Ottoman territories).
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