Mahmud Kashgari Mazar in Kashgar

Why is Mahmud Kashgari Mazar So Special?

the Mazar is the tomb of Mahmud Kashgri, who is an outstanding scholar of the Karahanid Dynasty in the 11th century and is the author of the philological magnum opus “The Complete Turkish Dictionary”. The Mazar underwent a reconstruction in 1985. Its girders are carved and painted fine. It consists of two parts: the prayer hall in the front and the tomb hall and memorial hall in the north. The Mazar is respected and admired deeply by Xinjiang people. It is listed as a major cultural site protected by the Autonomous Region.

Where is Mahmud Kashgari Mazar

Mahmud Kashgari Mazar Located on a mesa in Upar Village, Shufu County

Introduction of Mahmud Kashgari Mazar

Mohammad Kashgari was born in 1008 and died in 1105. He is a famous linguist of Uygur nationality in China in the 11th century. After a long period of investigation and study, he wrote the first Turkish Dictionary in Arabic in 1076. This monumental work has a strict structure, clear items and a very rich vocabulary. It can be called an encyclopedia of Turkic nations. It is of great value in studying the history, geography, folk customs, social life, literature and art of Central Asian countries. It also provides valuable information for studying the history, geography, products and folk customs of Turkic tribes.

Main Attraction of Mahmud Kashgari Mazar

From Shufu County to the southwest, we drove along the 314 national highway. After crossing a vast gobi, we came to the oasis town of Upal. The present mausoleum was rebuilt in 1985. There is a mosque to the east of the mausoleum for Islamic tourists and nearby villagers to pray. On the north side of the mausoleum is a cultural relic exhibition room, which displays the “Turkic Dictionary” and the biography of Mohammad Kashgari and other related books and materials.
In addition, there is a clear spring directly in front of the tomb, which is called “holy water of holy spring”. There is a clump of ancient poplars beside the spring. Its trunk is old and vigorous, with numerous branches and luxuriant foliage. It is a big attraction.

Best Time to Travel Mahmud Kashgari Mazar

The best time to pay a visit is in late spring and late summer.

Kashgar region is located in the central Asian abdomen, restricted by geographical environment, and belongs to the continental arid climate zone of warm temperate zone. The territory has four distinct seasons, long illumination, large annual and daily temperature changes, little precipitation and vigorous evaporation. Summer is hot, but the period of hot summer is short. Winter is not cold, but the low temperature period is long, so it is suitable to travel in late spring and late summer.

How to Get There

  • First, take bus no 4 from Kashgar south construction company to the terminal of shufu county (17km, bus
    30 minutes), you will see some people waiting for the bus across the road from the terminal. There are some passing minibuses to various townships, but there are not many buses to Upal township (20km, 30 minutes by taxi).
  • Take a taxi from here to Upal Township. Each bus will take 40 yuan. In a short time, you will meet several people on the same road. Everyone can share the cost. It is only 1km from Upal Township to Muhammed Kashgari’s tomb. It takes 10 minutes to walk or take a tricycle. Each person is in 2 yuan

Useful Travel Tips

  • Tickets 30 yuan
  • Many of Xinjiang’s restaurants are halal, so friends who drink or smoke should pay attention in advance and ask the merchants in advance.
  • All kinds of dried fruits can be properly purchased, and many businesses are equipped with express delivery service to ship directly to

  • Tourists arriving in Xinjiang are eager to buy souvenirs and suggest buying souvenirs in the few days when the tour is coming to an end.

  • If you just go shopping in Xinjiang, large and small items will cause a lot of trouble for the journey in the next few days.

Nearby Attractions

Edited by Doreen/张洋