Terrorism overshadows a wedding in Xinjiang

A supposedly joyful wedding that was going to witness 15 new marriages in Xinjiang was inevitably overshadowed by terrorism, with rigorous security checks and intimidating armed police on the scene.

The group wedding was scheduled to be held on Tuesday in southwest Xinjiang's Pishan County that borders the Taklimakan desert.

In the aftermath of a series of terrorist attacks that hit Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other places in China, events as big as a group wedding -- ordinary and prosaic as it is -- still need to be regarded seriously. Guests as well as performers had to go through careful checks before being admitted into the wedding site, which was almost cordoned off.

About 500 guests were waiting for the security check, which involved being searched by two policemen. As a result, some friends and relatives of the newlyweds missed the beginning of the ceremony. Some were still waiting outside even after the singing and dancing began.

"Terrorists have disrupted or even jeopardized our daily life, which is intolerable," a village leader said.

In addition to security staff, doctors were seen at the wedding site. The atmosphere was everything but festive.

"I have never expected my wedding to be so tense. I don't have to worry about money or food like my father and grandfather did in the old days, but terrorism became an unexpected 'guest'," said a bridegroom.

Lu Chunping, a wedding organizer from the regional Internet information office, said religious extremism forbids believers to laugh, sing or dance during weddings, which breeds extremism.

"Terrorists can never scare us off, but only make us more determined to hold such events," Lu said.