Xinjiang Kashi Stone City, China

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Kashi Stone City

The full name of the Stone City should be Tashikuergan Stone City, lies in the northern side of Kashi area, Xinjiang Province, and is a famous ruin of an ancient city along the Silk Road.

Built in the foothills of plateau, The Stone City was surrounded with Pamier Plateau, Kecikunlun Mountain, and Xingdukusi Mountain, which was actually in Tashikuergantajike Autonomous County.

The city walls of whole Stone City appeared a desolate scene of broken as thousands of years passed. The city trench was not very large, but the terrain was strategically situated and difficult of access.

There were several lines of walls off and on outside the city. The stones that were in heaps between city walls, it formed the special scene of Stone City today.

In Han Dynasty (206BC~219AD), here was royal city of Puli Country which was one of 36 countries in Western Regions. When Hepantuo was on the throne, they began to build city walls with big rocks in large scale here

After Tang Dynasty government took control the Western Regions, they set up imperial court office here. At the beginning of Yuan Dynasty, they enlarged the city walls; then, the old stone city took on an altogether new aspect.

In Guangxu 28th years of Ch'ing Dynasty, they established Puli Hall here; meanwhile, they kept the old city in good repair .In 1954,Tajike Autonomous County was set up.

The average elevation of The Stone City was above 4,000 meters, and is near the Pamier Plateau, which people called it the "Roof of the World". Which means, Stone City is also one part of the world roof.

The period of full bloom for the Stone City was in Han and Tang Dynasty. Several mountain roads converged here from Keshi, Yingjisha, Yecheng, and Shache to Pamier Plateau. Because the Stone City was on the Silk Road, it was the only way camel trains, Chinese and foreigners must pass, many businessmen and tourists concentrated here, barter was very prosperous at that times according to historical data.

Although Tashikuergan Stone City today is full of stains as years went on, its dangerous momentum and scene of many years' vicissitudes attract tourists just like its another new clothes. Tourists still are in an endless stream as in ancient years.

When you set foot on the road where Marco Polo (1271~1292AD) came many years ago, listen to the special camel bell and the warmth of Tajike nationality, which only exist in the Silk Road.