Kizil---The Shepherdess and Knight in Veils

Author: Liu Xiguan, Zhang Ping, Bian Ren
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Features: According to the Book of Liang, by the time of the Liang Dynasty, the city of Khotan was already a royal capital described as "a city with three layers of walls, the outer city being as large as Chang'an, with magnificent palaces adorned with Laozi stones." The history of the Khotan Kingdom is quite ancient, with its name appearing in Chinese historical records as early as the early Han Dynasty. The cultures of India and Greece, after crossing the Kunlun Mountains and the Pamir Plateau via trade routes, suddenly encountered this vast oasis, where they settled, took root, and blended with the local cultures. The land, vast and mystical, with the dry winds and sand of the Taklamakan Desert, the lush poplar forests, and the Turpan River surging and eventually vanishing into the desert, all shimmer with the radiance of ancient Khotan culture. The Khotan Kingdom, now the area of Aksu in Xinjiang, holds a mysterious past shrouded in a thousand years of dust. Historically, Khotan influenced the Central Plains of China and Central Asia due to its murals, art, music, and more. The Khotan caves are world-famous, and the ancient cities, watchtowers, and archaeological sites in the Khotan region carry an intangible 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 journey, accompanied by precise and evocative text, telling the story in a captivating manner. A vivid historical tapestry unfolds before the eyes. The smile of Buddha transcends time and space, touching the human heart. Story after story, such as those between kings and commoners, shepherdesses and knights, are so poignant and moving that they could make the vast Taklamakan Desert stir and sigh.