Welcome to Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang, China, a place where football runs deep in the veins, and sweetness grows on trees.

In the village of Yikesak in Artux City, football isn’t just a game – it’s a century-old tradition. Since 1908, locals have played with handmade cotton-stuffed leather balls on one of China’s oldest pitches. From kids to the elderly, the love for football is as warm and enduring as the Pamir sunlight.

Then there’s Azihan Village – known as the “Home of Chinese Figs” – where over 6,200 mu (about 413 hectares) of fig orchards produce the sweetest, most sugar-rich figs in the country. The village has turned this natural gift into a thriving industry: from fresh figs to jam, dried treats and even fig mooncakes, all shipped nationwide via cold-chain logistics.