Äynu people

The Abdal (or Äynu ) are a people in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang.

Scattered along the ancient Silk Road from Kashgar to Hotan in Shule, Yengisar, Yarkant, Karakax, Hotan and prune to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region live some population groups that call themselves Äynu. Officially, they are counted among the Uyghur. They see themselves as a people of old Iranian descent. Other nations in the region they call Abdal.

The first reports on the existence of Äynu made ​​Grenard F. 1898., It was reported that they were similar to the Turks, but speak another on the Persian -based language, the same language Äynu, which is, however, now counted in the southeastern group of Turkic languages. They had formerly a very low social status and were detested by the local Turkic peoples. Legends about the origin of past generations suggest that Abdale are descendants of Persian Shiites and have laid the foundation for the spread of Islam in Xinjiang. Grenard thought that the Abdal, in fact, were the descendants of the old settlers and Shia were suppressed later by Sunni conquerors.