Turpan

Turpan:

Turpan is located in the Turpan Depression with the area of more than 1000 squares kilometers of the eastern part of Xinjiang and some 80 meters below the sea level.Any nearby the Moon Lake,or Eding Lake in local language,the lowest water surface is 154 meters below the sea level,the second lowest continental point in the world after the Dead Sea.Turpan is called Wind Storehouse and the Land of Fire,which was derived from the intense summer temperature,the highest ever recorded was 47.5℃ and in summer the ground surface temperature is about 70℃.The Depression is characterized by high temperature and rare perspiration,so it is hot but it is not wet.Turpan has been built into a beautiful oasis garden city, not only features in history and civilization of the ancient Silk Road but also present modern elegant demeanour. Now Turpan is an important base of grape, cotton, Hami melon and oil of the autonomous region and even in our country.

Turpan in history:

Turpan is a traffic hub linking the southern part and northern part of Xinjiang together and linking Xinjiang with the hinterland of our country. Turpan was the capital of ancient Gaochang Kingdom (from the sixth century)and later the administration residence of Xizhou.It was a very important juncture on the Silk Road through which the western cultures and Chinese culture encountered and crashed and exchanged.A great many historical sites and cultural relics have remained,such as Gaochang Ruins and Jiaohe Ruins.The city is known as a “natural museum of man and culture” both on the ground and underground.