Kizil: Shepherdess with Veil and Knight

Author: Liu Xiguan / Zhang Ping / Bian Ren
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The Liang Shu records that by the time of the Liang Dynasty, the city of Quanzhou had already become a capital with "three layers of walls, the outer city being as large as Chang'an City; magnificent palaces and courts adorned with Langshi stone." The history of the Quanzhou Kingdom is quite ancient, with its name appearing in Chinese historical texts as early as the early Han Dynasty. The cultures of India and Greece, carried by trade routes over the Kunlun Mountains and the Pamir Plateau, suddenly encountered this vast oasis, where they settled, took root, and blended with the various local cultures. This land, vast and mystical, with the dry hot winds and sand grains of the Taklamakan Desert, the lush poplar forests, and the Tarim River surging and eventually disappearing into the desert, is where the brilliance of ancient Quanzhou culture shines everywhere. The Quanzhou Kingdom, now the area around Aksu in Xinjiang, holds a mysterious past shrouded in a thousand years of dust. Historically, Quanzhou influenced the Central Plains of China and Central Asia due to its murals, art, music, and more. The Quanzhou Grottoes are world-famous, and the ancient cities, watchtowers, and archaeological sites in the Quanzhou region carry an indescribable sense of mystery. Starting from the Tang Dynasty, this area also served as the center of the Central Plains regime's control over the Western Regions. This book presents a visual narrative, accompanied by accurate and evocative text, telling the story in a gentle manner. One by one, vivid historical scrolls unfold before your eyes. The smile of Buddha transcends time and space, touching the human heart. Story after story, such as the king and the commoner, the shepherdess and the knight, are so moving and poignant that they could make the vast Taklamakan Desert stir and sigh.