In Xinjiang, ethnic culture and religious freedom are under government protection. In early May, CCTV reporter Xu Zhaoqun visited Xinjiang Islamic College, the only one of its kind in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region. Nearly 1,000 students have graduated from the college and became Muslim clerics since it was founded twenty years ago.

Once the call for prayer resounds over campus, all the students gather at the mosque. They do this five times a day.

Our reporter interviewed a young men who study and live there, and find how the culture and religion are reserved there.

Vice President and Mullah of the College, Abdurekepu Tumuniyaz is seldom absent from prayers, which is the most important lesson for the students. After graduation, they will go back to their hometowns and host the same prayers in mosques there.

Once the call for prayer resounds over campus, all the students  gather at the mosque. They do this five times a day.

It's not easy to enroll in the college. Thousands of young men apply every year, but only around two hundred are selected.

Devotion is fundamental for every student. They are not allowed to smoke, drink, or commit any act proscribed by the Koran. Mullah Abdurekepu says no students have been found breaking the rules.

Abdurekepu Tumuniyaz, vice president of Xinjiang Islamic College, said, "Clerics are the scholars among Muslims. They have to be respected and set an example for others. We hope the students become high level clergymen with good knowledge and ability so that they can work better for our people."

Seventy percent of the lessons are related to Muslim theology. The rest cover Chinese and Arabic language, computer science, history and geography. All the lessons are taught in Uygur, the local ethnic language.

Devotion doesn't mean boredom. The future clergymen all look energetic and active playing football after class.

The Mullahs are not always very strict with the students either all the time. Abdurekepu is a sports fan. He doesn't look quite as agile as his students, but the youngsters obviously know how to show respect for the vice president.

But the goal for these students is very simple.

Aizgal Abdureyem, student of Xinjiang Islamic College, said, "I come from a small town in the countryside. The only thing I want to do is to be a qualified clergyman after graduation. I like new things in the city. but I have to concentrate on studying."

(CCTV July 16, 2009)