Kashgar

Kashgar:

Kashgar has its glorious past in history and it made splendid contribution to the exchanges between the west and China.And it is called “a living fossil of Xinjiang history”.To many people,the present Kashgar is a miniature of Xinjiang in large,for it possesses the strongest features of both Xinjiang and Uygurs.

To many western tourists,Kashgar is at heart a medieval city,with exotic atmosphere prevailing at bazaar or in small lanes,In fact,it is a city in westreme west China and a typical oasis city,the largest in Xinjiang.Being an important juncture on the Silk Road,Kashgar benefited from the exchanges between the west and China,and it has developed an advanced culture of its own. Kashgar, which is a western gateway in China that borders Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.Kashgar Prefecture has a continental climate of the temperate zone. The prefecture is abundant in products and resources. Its highway network has taken shape, and the railway has reached Kashgar. The Khunjerab Port, a Class-1 port of the state, is located in the prefecture.

Kashgar in history:

The ancient Chinese literature says that Kashagar position was that “south to it is Huang He(Kizil River),west to it is Congling(Pamir).”North to it is Hanhai(Taklamakan Desert).As early as about 2000years ago,the Han Dynasty came to know about Kashagar(it was called Shule)by Zhang Qian’s report about his mission to the Western Regions,not long after Zhang Qian,Ban Chao of the Eastern Han Dynasty came to the present Xinjiang area and beyond to establish the Western Region Administration,Kashgar was one of his bases.And later in the Tang Dynasty Kashgar became one of the four important military forts and towns under the Tang Administration in the Western Regions.In the Ming Dynasty(1356-1644 AD),Kashgar was the capital city of Karkham Kingdom.In the Qing Dynasty,the Qing court established the Kashagr Minister in charge of South Xinjiang affairs.Kashgar in history was also an international trade center in Central Asia.The tradition has been kept to the present time,Kashgar bazaars are the best in Xinjiang,especially the Grand Bazaar.