More than 30,000 Muslims gathered at Id Kah mosque in Kashgar - the biggest mosque in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region - at 9 am on Thursday to perform one of the most important prayers of the year on Eid al-Fitr.

Even the square outside was packed with worshipers who began to dance after the prayers to officially kick off the important holiday, which is celebrated by Muslims around the world to mark the end of the fasting month.

When Abliz Wahep, 60, a well-respected manager of Qunje mosque in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi arrived at the place of worship at 5 am to make sure everything was ready for the prayers of more than 1,000 people, women were already preparing food for the many relatives who would join them for lunch. According to tradition, Muslims marking the end of the Ramadan fast go to the house of the most elderly relative to pay their respects first.