Turpan, Xinjiang -- A Romantic Journey Along the Camel Bell Road: A Romantic Journey Along the Camel Bell Road

Author: Hao Tianyao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Turpan, formerly known as Gushi, was a key hub on the ancient Silk Road, located in the central part of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, bordering Urumqi to the north across the Tianshan Mountains. With a long history and breathtaking beauty, Turpan has been a political, economic, and cultural center of China's western region and a vital Silk Road hub since the Han Dynasty. It was renamed Turpan during the Ming Dynasty and established as the Turpan Subprefecture after Xinjiang was unified by the Qing Dynasty. In December 1984, it was approved by the State Council to be upgraded from a county to a city. The city covers an area of 15,738 square kilometers. It is home to 24 ethnic groups, including Uyghurs, Han, Hui, Kazakhs, Russians, Manchus, Zhuang, and Miao, with Uyghurs accounting for 71% of the population.
Turpan is situated in the Turpan Basin and is famously known as the "Fire Valley" due to its unique climate. Its distinctive weather conditions make it a prime producer of fruits like grapes and watermelons, earning it the reputation of the "City of Grapes." Among them, the seedless white grapes of Turpan are renowned both domestically and internationally. The raisins made from these grapes are prized worldwide for their high sugar content, rich vitamin C, and vibrant green color, making them a gem among all raisin varieties.
Beyond its fragrant grapes and melons, unique landscapes, and ethnic customs, Turpan boasts numerous historical and cultural attractions. There are 14 key cultural relic protection units at the national and regional levels. The ancient cities of Gaochang, Jiaohe, and the Old City, which have withstood over two millennia of storms, the murals of the Beziklik Thousand-Buddha Caves that bear the marks of time, the Astana Ancient Tombs Complex housing mummies thousands of years old, the uniquely structured Islamic tower of Saigon built during the Qing Dynasty, the mythical Flaming Mountains from Journey to the West, the magnificent underground irrigation system of the Karez, the enchanting love songs of grape girls in the vineyards, the distinctive charm of the "bazaar" culture, the vibrant Uyghur folk dances under the grapevines, and the world-famous fossil of the giant rhino dating back 24 million years. These features make Turpan a treasure trove of ancient cultural heritage and a natural and historical museum that combines the "Fire Valley," "Wind Valley," "Sand Valley," and "Oasis."
Turpan has over 70 ancient cultural relics, including primitive sites, ruins of ancient cities, tombs, grottoes, beacon towers and post stations, rock paintings, etc. Among them, five are nationally protected cultural relic sites. Countless artifacts have been unearthed, though precise numbers are hard to determine, with many scattered overseas and preserved in museums in Germany, Japan, Russia, the UK, India, North Korea, the US, and other countries. Among these artifacts, silk textiles representing the Silk Road and ancient documents of great historical value are particularly famous.
Xinjiang's unique Karez irrigation system is especially prominent in Turpan, with over 1,100 channels spanning more than 5,000 kilometers. This highly specialized underground water-diversion system was developed to minimize evaporation. Locals dig wells and observe the gentle flow of water through hidden channels. It is said that the longest Karez stretches 8 kilometers, with as many as 300 ventilation wells dug, a truly arduous feat! Thus, the Karez is the lifeblood of Turpan—and indeed of Xinjiang itself.
Interestingly, the Karez systems are precisely located along the ancient Silk Road, including Iran, Turkmenistan, and parts of China like Xinjiang, Gansu, and Shaanxi. It is almost certain that they are related to the Silk Road. As for the origin of this technology—was it from the West, the Central Plains, or locally? Theories vary, but Turpan is likely the most plausible source.