Travel Kashi

Kashi is namely the abbreviated name of Kashigeer. It lies in the southwest in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and it is the Westest City in China. The name “Kashigeer” originally means “jade-like place”. Its surface area is 96.3 square kilometers and its broth from east to west is 13 kilometers.

The population of Kashi is 225.9 thousand. The Uygur is the principal part of this city, occupying the 73.84% of the total population.

The Kashi City is an ancient city that has a long-term history in China's border area. According to the historical records, it has existed for more than 2100 years. Because of being located in the hinterland of he Eurasia, it used to be the joint point of China section of the famous “the Silk Road”, which joined up the southern part, the northern one and the central one. From the West Han Dynasty to the initial stage of the Ding Dynasty, it had always been the most famous local regime center of politics, economics, military affairs and religion.

About 6 or 7 thousand years ago, there had been the New Stone Age culture which featured the exquisite stone implement, and it was alike to the Yangshao culture in corresponding period. The primitive mankind must be in inevitable connection with the Yellow River valley more than 6000 years ago. It could be proved that the primitive mankind who has lived here moved from the east. They were tribes who moved from the hinterland to the west, including “Various Qiangzus” who lived in Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai in early stage of the Qin Dynasty and Saizhong men who originally lived in the area from the north of the “Tian Mountains” to the “Aisle of the Yellow River’s West Bank”. (The written Chinese historical records call it “the minority nationality named ‘Yun’, and the western historical records call it “Sack”.)

The king of “Jiman” of the West Zhou Dynasty arrived at the western area for going on a western expedition. “Sleeping in the top of the Kunlun Mountain and the northern side of the “Red River”. The “Red River” which is pointed out is “Kezile River”. At that time, people who lived in that area had settled down with mainly going in for agriculture, secondly farming, fishing and hunting.

About B.C.128, the massager of the West Han Dynasty named Zhangqian, who visited the western area and came back from “Darouzi”, arrived here. The city had been the capital of “Shule” which was one of the 36 nations in the western area. When Zhangqian arrived here, there had been some regular streets and companies because the business highly concentrated for the improvement of the trade in the Silk Road. According to “Han History” records, there were 1510 families; the population is 18647; the troop is 2000, and there had been a complete politics organization, including the king, the marquis, the general, the cavalryman, the director and so on.

In B.C.60, the king of Huni surrendered to the Han Dynasty. The West Han Dynasty ordered “Duhu” of the western area and the Huni's rule of “Shule”. Last years of the West Han Dynasty, Huni controlled the western area when Wangmang was in power because the locate of Shule was so important to the Silk Road. In A.D.74 (Yongping 17, the East Han Dynasty), Banchao led 36 brave soldiers to capture the puppet king of Shule who was ordered by Huni, and conquered Shule. So the southern part of the Silk Road, which had been closed 65 years, was opened again. After that, Banchao led the army to fight with Shule's rebel noble, Shule, Guizi, Dazi, Yan and Gumo for 17 years. He recaptured and controlled the whole western area.

In “Three States” period (A.D.220-A.D.265), Chaowei government ordered “Zhangshi” in that area and appointed the king of Shule with giving the official seal.

In A.D.376, the general Luguang of the Qianqin Dynasty declared himself to be the king of Houliang Dynasty; in A.D.400, the former director of Dunhuang established the Xiling Dynasty. In A.D.422, the king “Songwu” conquered the western area. Shule had sent the massager 15 times from A.D.435 to A.D.512 since North Wei Dynasty being established, despite the disorder western area communicating with the hinterland in economy, politics and culture.

From the Han Dynasties to the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the civilian of Kashi married the civilian of Dazhouzi, Huni, Han Dynasty and Middle East Asian Sogdien. After the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the local civilian had obviously the new feature “big eyes and high nose”.

From A.D.563 to A.D.567, the Western Tujue was invading the western area and ruled that area instead of “Yanda”.

The Shule's massager visited Changan City twice after the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, the Tang army were set to the western area and the “Duhu” was ordered in Gaochang in A.D.640.

The Shule became one of the four towns, which were ruled by Anxi Duhu in A.D.648. In the duration of 150 years (A.D.640-A.D.790) when the Anxi Duhu Office existed, the Shule governor was formally ordered in A.D.675. The Anxi Duhu Office had protected the political unity between the hinterland and the western area, and ensured that the Silk Road was unblocked in the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

From the middle period of the sixth century, the Tujie tribe had entered this area. The Shule's name was changed into “Jiashijieli”, then into “Kashigeer”. The origin of the name “Kshengeer” appeared after the seventh century in spite of it being formally defined.

The Huihuhan nation moved to the west in A.D.840. The largest branch tribe of them entered the “Seven Rivers” area, the south to the YabaerKashi Lake, and established the Kalahan Dynasty for 371 years (A.D.840-A.D.1211). The Kashigeer's place in history was the highest in that period. The Kalahan Dynasty was the hegemony in Central Asia in its prosperity period, and its territory was northeast to the west of Kuche, east to the Ruojiang and Jiemo, north to the BaerKashi Lake, south to the Hetian which was near the Kunlun Mountains, west to the “Two Rivers” valley. The important event of the Dynasty was that it conquered the Buddhists in western part of the Talimu Basin and introduced the Islam. So the Kalahan Dynasty formally conferred the title of the Tuogewuer·Kalahan·Mahemude the “Tejingguizhongbaoshunhoulin King”.

In that period, the civilian included Huihu, Yangmo and Geluolu who spoke Tujie's language, besides the original inhabitants who were assimilated by Tujie tribe in the early stage. Although there were lots of villages whose civilian spoke Sute's or original inhabitants` language, the Huihu language must be used in many formal occasions. Later, Huihu language was the main language. The characters were Arabic and people trusted in Islam. So the modern Uyger basically formed.

From A.D.1124 to A.D.1211, Kashigeer became the dependency of the West Liao Dynasty. In early stage of the thirteenth century, Chengjisi Han destroyed the Laiman tribe in the Altay Mountains. In A.D.1218 Chengjisi Han succeeded in invading Kashigeer, defeating and killing Quchulu. Chengjisi Han established the office named “Luhuachi” to rule Kashigeer. Kashigeer became one of the manors what were owned by Chengjisi Han's second son Chahetai. When the Yuan Dynasty was established, Kashigeer was subordinate to the “Amu River”, Shangshushen set up in Central Asia.

From fourteenth century to early years of sixteenth century, Kashigeer was ruled by Dugela tribe.

In the middle years of seventeenth century, Ksshengeer was the foil capital of Yeerjianghan Nation.

In A.D.1755 (Qianlong 20 years, the Qing Dynasty), the troops of the Qing Dynasty attacked the north of Tian Mountains. In A.D.1757, Boluonidu and Huojizhan, whose father was the former king of White Mountains` “Huojia Regime”, started to rebel and wanted to create dissentions. The Qing troops put them Down in A.D.1759. The Qing Dynasty established the councilor in Kashegeer, who managed the military and political events of the eight cities located in the south of Tian Mountains (Kashigeer, Yinjisha, Shache, Hetian, Akesu, Wushenkuche, and Yanqi). At the same time, the Uygur Aqimuke Assistant was established to deal with the nationalities` events in southern area.

In A.D.1884 (Guangxu 10 years, the Qing Dynasty), the central government repealed the military leading office of the north and south of Tian Mountains and Boke local autonomous regime. Xinjiang province was formally and the system of state and county began to work. The Binge Ado of Guard Western Four Cities was established in Kashigeer, and it was located in Sheaf County (Kashi City).

In A.D.1902, Sheaf County attached to Girdle Office. Sheaf County directly attached Kashigeer Ado in A.D.1912 and was changed into attaching to Kashi Administration Office of Xingjiang province in A.D.1927. After the peaceful liberation of Xingjiang province in September 1949, Shufu County was established to attach to Kashi Specialty Area. On May 23, 1952, Kashi City was approved to establish.

The whole Kashi radiated towards all aspects, the Aitier Square with famous big mosque place as the center. The four spacious avenues constituted the sign “crossing”. And there was landscape of inside Asia among the surrounded buildings. The ancient Aitier big mosque was located in the northwest of the square and it was established 400 years ago (in A.D.1422). It was the biggest Islamic mosque in the whole province or even the whole country. It had influence in the domestic and international religious conscience. It was the protection unit of key culture relics and covered 25.22 mu. It was sumptuous and impressive looking. There were more than 2000 or 3000 people who went to churching and more than 6000 or 7000 in “Juma Day” (Friday). There were more than 20000 Moslem who went to churching inside or outside the mosque.

The Aizikete village was set up in A.D.1640, which was 5 miles away from the northeast to Kashi City. It was the most influential Islamic “Huojia” mausoleum. Its owner was the king of “Huojia Regime” in Kashigeer, who was the leader of White Mountains Branch and had five generations with 72 people. It was said that the Qing Dynasty’s “Fragrant Imperial Concubine” had been buried in it, so it was called “the Fragrant Concubine Grave” among the local people. It is the protection unit of key cultural relics in Xinjiang Uyger Autonomous Region.

In addition, More Buddhist Temple is the famous relics of Buddhist temple near the near the ancient Shule in the western area. There are Saxiandong Buddhist Cave, Nine Dragons Spring, Aersilan Han Mausoleum, Laining City’s Relics, Rebiya-Saiding's Double Graves, Aersikandeer King's Mausoleum, Russian Consulate and British Consulate in Kashigeer, the ancient Kashigeer City and so on.

Translated by Beijing Star-light Translation Center
Compiled by www.travel-silkroad.com
February 4, 2002