The Hetian Oasis, which was bred by Yalongkashi River of the Kunlun Mountains, was the biggest oasis in the south of Western Region.

Hetian, which old name was “Yutian”, was an ancient country that held sway over the south of the Silk Road. It was said from historical data, “there were many villages surrounded by mountains in the country and there were lots of mulberry silk, hemp, standing grain and broom corn millet, and the products of the country was as abundant as the hinterland’s.

There were three ancient cities that had good reputation in the long Silk Road in Xinjiang. The first one was Tulufan, which is famous for grape nowadays. The second one was Gumusaer, which lied in the north of the Tian Mountains. The third one was the ancient city in Region, there was a country named Yutian, which lied in the Valley of Kalakashi River. Because Yutian lied in Sino-Western thoroughfare, in B.C.60, Han Xuan Emperor set up “Western Region Dufu Office” which ruled the northwestern border including Yutian. There was unprecedented grand occasion in the Silk Road in Tang Dynasty. For keeping the trade road unimpeded, Tang Dynasty set up “Anxi Dufu Office” in Yutian. Except that, the castles were built and soldiers were ordered to be stationed in Yutian. According to the records of “Xintangshu Dilizhi”, “there were four castles, Kancheng Castle was 300 miles away from Yutian, Lancheng Castle was 600 miles away in the south and Jiliang Castle was 390 miles away in the west.”

Yutian became the Buddhism center in Western Region after the Buddhism was spread to the east. Yutian had a good name “Buddhism Country”. Until now, there had been many relics of buddhistic temples on a grand scale. The Reawake Temple was one of the most important relics, which could show brilliant achievement of Yutian.

Yutian was changed into another name “Hetian” in Ding Dynasty and was the location of nowadays Hetian. (Nowadays Yutian County is the location of ancient Shim.) Nowadays, Hetian City had been built at least in Ming Dynasty or Qing Dynasty. According to the records of “Xinjiang tuzhi”, “It was rebuilt in Guangxu 10th, Qing Dynasty”. It was said from the records, “The Yutegan Village, which was 10 kilometers away from the new city, was the location of ancient Yutian City called “Tough Silk Capital” in Tang and Song Dynasty. The Yutegan relics were a 500-mu low-lying land and it was classified as preservation of cultural relics. Although there were no ancient construct relics on the ground, lots of cultural relics were buried underground. The archaeologist and explorer Stein, who was a British Jew, said that it was the cultural one buried under the diluvium. The bureaucrats and aristocrats robbed the underground treasure in a long period. It had been the rivalry place of Chinese and foreign explorer who wanted to find the treasure. Sven.A.Hedin.and Stein had collected cultural relics such as ancient books, ancient currency. It should be excavated and researched continuously that the beginning age of the Yutain Relics were Han Dynasty.

Since ancient times, the jade and the silk could be rated superb crafts on the Silk Road. The both could be regarded as the symbol and token of friendly intercourse. “All jade and valuables were produced in Yutian.” (“Tiangongkaiwu”) “The natural jade of Lantian was not as good as Yutian’s where the river was in flood.” (Qi Heben “Xichuizhuzhici: Hetian”). The Alamasi Jade Mine, at the foot of Kunlun Mountains, was the famous place of production where the Hetian Jade was produced. And those jade were renowned at home and abroad from ancient times to nowadays. In A.D. 4 century, “Tough Silk Road”- Hetian was very famous for the hemp, silk and knit in Western Region. In Tang Dynasty, Hetian people were good at changing the cocoon into the silk industry in Western Region. The King of Yutian often sent the subordinates to visit the hinterland with local “Hu Brocade” and “Xi Brocade” and make deals in A.D.61. In Yuan Dynasty, the specialty of Hetian “Nianjinfan Satin” was famous in the hinterland. And the output was more than 10,000 bolts. A famous place of production of extraordinary half-thick sheep was the Jingjue old city that was near the Niya River. Hetian’s sheep had a long history and the fiber of their wool was long, flexible, soft and shapely.

There was a piece of broken carpet that was unearthed in a Niya’s ancient grown in 1960’s. It was the oldest carpet that was found in China until now. According to the reports, Hetian was the place of origin of eastern-style carpet. The story had been spread among the local people that the carpet inventor Nakexiwan invented the way to weave the carpet. Since 3,000 years before, Hetian has always been famous in China for the names of “Jade Birthplace”, “Carpet Country” and “Silk City”.

Written by www.travel-silkroad.com
Translated by Beijing Star-light Translation Center
February 13, 2001