The Tokuzsarai Site in Kashgar

Why is The Tokuzsarai Site So Special?

 The city is divided into three parts: inner city, outer city and outmost city, built with clay and stone according to the situation of the hill. There are two temples standing behind the city. Inside the city and temples there have found a large quantity of frescoes, sculptures, woodcarvings, documents in Brahmi, Sogdian, Kuchean, Kharosthi, and Chinese, textiles, coins and its models, pottery, bronze wares, and other ornaments. According to researches, it may be the Weitou City in the Southern & Nothern Dynasties and the Jushide City of the Tang Dynasty. Now it is a major cultural site protected by Autonomous Region.

Where is The Tokuzsarai Site

The Tokuzsarai Site Located in front of the Tumshuk Hill over 48 kilometers to the northeast of the county seat of Bachu County, the site consists of remains of houses, town, and temple and beacon towers, covering an area of a few square kilometers.

History of The Tokuzsarai Site

It was once an important place on the ancient Silk Road, located between the southern and northern roads of the Western Regions in the Han and Tang Dynasties, with rich connotations. It is a proof of the prosperity of Buddhist culture in the Jin and Tang Dynasties in this region and a cultural site of great historical and archaeological value on the ancient Silk Road. It played an important role in the exchange of eastern and western civilizations. In June 2001, it was approved by the State Council as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Main Attraction of The Tokuzsarai Site

The city is divided into three parts: inner city, outer city and outmost city, built with clay and stone according to the situation of the hill. There are two temples standing behind the city. Inside the city and temples there have found a large quantity of frescoes, sculptures, woodcarvings, documents in Brahmi, Sogdian, Kuchean, Kharosthi, and Chinese, textiles, coins and its models, pottery, bronze wares, and other ornaments. According to researches, it may be the Weitou City in the Southern & Nothern Dynasties and the Jushide City of the Tang Dynasty. Now it is a major cultural site protected by Autonomous Region.

The inner wall is 756 meters long from the mountainside to the mountain top. The outer city meets the inner city wall and continues to the top of the mountain with a length of 1008 meters. The Great Outer City is 1668 meters long and runs from the outer city to Nanshan Root. There are ruins of adobe masonry walls and city gates on hillsides and hilltops. A large number of exquisite cultural relics such as Chinese, Borneo mystery, Uighur, Arabic documents, coins and silk wool fabrics have been unearthed. The upper age limit of the site can be as early as the Han Dynasty. It was once a central city in Kashgar and a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. Near the ancient city are the ruins of Tokutssaleh Buddhist temple and Tumu Shock Buddhist temple in the Jin and Tang dynasties. They are large in scale and complete in layout. They are found with Tang relic boxes, Buddhist sculptures and murals, etc. Tokutssalai Site is located between the southern and northern roads of the Western Regions of the Han and Tang Dynasties. It is rich in connotation. It is a proof of the prosperity of Buddhist culture in the Jin and Tang Dynasties in this region. It is also a cultural site of great historical and archaeological value on the ancient Silk Road. The Tokutssaleh site, located at the southern foot of the northern mountain of Toh and Sharitag, about 60 kilometers east of bachu county City in Xinjiang, has recently been listed as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. The walls of Tokutssaleh site are triple, with the north and south doors open, and are built of rammed earth. Temple ruins are found at the foot of both Beishan and Nanshan mountains. According to textual research, this city was Wei tou state from Han dynasty to northern Wei dynasty, and according to Shi de city in Tang dynasty, that is, Yu tou Zhou city. It was once an important city on the ancient Silk Road and played an important role in the communication between East and West civilizations.

Best Time to Travel The Tokuzsarai Site

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

  • Self driving
    It is 60 kilometers from the center of the county seat, about 80 minutes by car.

Useful Travel Tips

  • Ticket information
    No tickets required
  • We should take good care of exhibition stands and other facilities in the site.

Nearby Attractions

Edited by Doreen/张洋