Rachel Orde Wingate (c. 1901-11 June 1953) was an English linguist and missionary to Xinjiang (Western China). She served with the Swedish Missionary Society.
Wingate was the eldest daughter of Colonel George Wingate, the founder of the Central Asia Mission. Her brother, Major General Orde Wingate, led the Bamar Chindits into Burma during World War II, he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington D.C. and a memorial stands in Charlton Cemetery, South East London. Many in the family were active members of the Open Brethren.
Wingate studied Arabic, Persian and History at Cambridge University where she obtained her degree in Arabic and History.
She joined the mission in 1924 as a voluntary worker. At times, especially in the early years, there has been some friction between the missionaries in the field, but the disagreements seemed to be more or less over in the 1920s. Many of the Swedish missionaries who arrived in the early 1920s remained in service until 'the bitter end' in 1938. The missionary women were a tremendous asset in the whole missionary undertaking in a society marked by male chauvinism and prejudices where their gender-counterparts were segregated and could only be approached by women. In 1928 she returned to England where she became a secretary for the Royal Central Asian Society. Several years after she left Xinjiang, she assisted Sir Denison Ross in his research into the Eastern Turkish language.
Wingate never married. She died young while in Woking on 11 June 1953, aged 52. Her burial took place in Charlton Cemetery where her mortal remains rest among other illustrious members of her family.
After working in Xinjiang, she wrote The Steep Ascent, [1] a summary of the work and results of the Church combined with the historical events of the time. The Steep Ascent has since been translated into Chinese [2] as well.
The Uyghurs, alternatively spelled Uighurs, Uygurs or Uigurs, are a Turkic ethnic group originating from and culturally affiliated with the general region of Central Asia and East Asia. The Uyghurs are recognized as the titular nationality of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest China. They are one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities.
East Turkestan or East Turkistan, also called Uyghuristan, is a loosely-defined geographical region in the northwestern part of the People's Republic of China, which varies in meaning by context and usage. The term was coined in the 19th century by Russian Turkologists, including Nikita Bichurin, who intended the name to replace the common Western term for the region, "Chinese Turkestan", which referred to the Tarim Basin in Southern Xinjiang or Xinjiang as a whole during the Qing dynasty. Beginning in the 17th century, Altishahr, which means "Six Cities" in Uyghur, became the Uyghur name for the Tarim Basin. Uyghurs also called the Tarim Basin "Yettishar," which means "Seven Cities," and even "Sekkizshahr", which means "Eight Cities" in Uyghur. Chinese dynasties from the Han dynasty to the Tang dynasty had called an overlapping area the "Western Regions".
Major General Orde Charles Wingate, was a senior British Army officer known for his creation of the Chindit deep-penetration missions in Japanese-held territory during the Burma Campaign of the Second World War.
The Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan (TIRET) was an independent republic centered on the city of Kashgar, located in the far west of Xinjiang Province. It is often described as the First East Turkestan Republic to differentiate it from the Second East Turkestan Republic (1944–1949).
In the early 19th century, Western colonial expansion occurred at the same time as an evangelical revival – the Second Great Awakening – throughout the English-speaking world, leading to more overseas missionary activity. The nineteenth century became known as the Great Century of modern religious missions.
Evangeline Frances "Eva" French was a British Protestant Christian missionary in China. She served with the China Inland Mission (CIM).
Francesca Law French was a British Protestant Christian missionary in China. She served with the China Inland Mission.
Gustaf Albert Ahlbert was a Swedish missionary and linguist. He served with the Mission Union of Sweden in Chinese Turkestan.
Stina Mårtensson was a Swedish missionary. She served with the Swedish Missionary Society in Chinese Turkestan and India.
John Törnquist was a Swedish missionary. He served with the Swedish Missionary Society in Chinese Turkestan.
Shahidulla, also spelt Xaidulla from Mandarin Chinese,, was a nomad camping ground and historical caravan halting place in the Karakash River valley, close to Khotan, in the southwestern part of Xinjiang Autonomous Region, China. The site contains the ruins of a historical fort which was demolished by the Chinese administration of Xinjiang between 1890 and 1892. The site lies next to the Chinese National Highway G219 between Kashgar and Tibet, 25 km east of Mazar and 115 km west of Dahongliutan.
Josef Mässrur was a Christian Persian missionary to Chinese Turkestan with the Mission Union of Sweden.
Hilda Lovisa Nordquist was a Swedish missionary. She served with the Mission Union of Sweden in Chinese Turkestan.
Frida Lundell was a Swedish missionary. She served with the Swedish Missionary Society in Chinese Turkestan.
Charlton Cemetery is a cemetery, opened in 1855, covering 15 acres of ground in Charlton, south-east London. Situated in Cemetery Lane to the east of Charlton Park, the cemetery has retained its Victorian layout, and features two 19th-century chapels and numerous military graves.
Abdulkerim Abbas was a Uyghur revolutionary active in Xinjiang, China, during the 20th century. He was one of the leaders of the Ili Rebellion of 1944, which led to the founding of the Second East Turkestan Republic (ETR) in northern Xinjiang. Abbas, along with Ehmetjan Qasim, headed the Marxist faction within the ETR, which in 1946 set aside the rebellion's declaration of independence and joined the Chinese nationalists in forming a provincial coalition government.
Ishaq Beg Munonov, also Isḥāq Beg, was an ethnic Kyrgyz leader in Xinjiang, China during the first half of the 20th century.
Lee Sun Chau was one of the first female Chinese doctors of Western Medicine in China.
In the 18th century, the Qing dynasty conquered the Junggar Basin (Dzungaria) and the Tarim Basin, uniting them under the name Xinjiang. Qing rule in Xinjiang is said to have negatively affected the position of women in the society of Turkic Muslims now known as the Uyghurs.
The Consulate General of the United States, Tsingtao was the diplomatic representation of the United States in the Shinan District of Qingdao while the city was under control of the Republic of China (1912–1949).