Owing as much to continuous political instability as geographical challenges, there was never any one route that goods travelled along, much less a road; the name Silk Road was coined in 1877 by German geographer Ferdinand von Richtofen. The loose, fragile and often dangerous network of ancient times had its Chinese start in Cháng'ān (modern Xī'ān) and from there proceeded up the Héxī Corridor to Dūnhuáng. At this great oasis town it split north and south to circumvent the unforgiving Taklamakan Desert. The routes then met again at Kashgar, where they once more split to cross the high, snowy Pamirs, Karakorum and Tiān Shān Mountains to connect with Samarkand (and eventually Iran and Constantinople), India and the Russian Volga.
Despite the distances that goods could reach, almost all trade was small scale and local: large caravan teams were rare unless travelling as official envoys, and goods were seldom carried more than a few hundred kilometres by any one group. An average day’s journey was 15km to 20km and traders often made lengthy stops at oasis towns to plan their next stage.
In addition to silk, which was often used as currency, goods included spices, nuts, fruit, metals, leather products, chemicals, glass, paper, precious gems, gold, ivory, porcelain and exotic animals, including the powerful Ferghana horse much prized by the Chinese. It was the exchange of ideas, technology and culture, however, that is the true legacy of the Silk Road.
Buddhism entered China via the Silk Road, and later allowed Chinese monks to travel to Gandhara and India for direct study and the gathering of primary texts. In copying Buddhist cave art, which originated in India, the Chinese created some of the finest examples in locations such as Mogao and Kizil. Going in the other direction, fine Chinese tri-coloured pottery had influence across Central Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
The heyday of Silk Road trade began in the 6th century under the stable but militarily strong Tang dynasty. Cháng'ān became one of the most cosmopolitan capitals in the world, with an estimated 5000 foreigners, including Indians, Turks, Iranians, Japanese and Koreans permanently settled there. Trade declined and then stabilised under Mongolian rule of China, but by the 14th century, sea routes were supplanting the slow and still dangerous overland routes. By the 16th century, the Silk Road network had reverted to obscure local trading and never recovered its former importance.
In June 2014, at the behest of China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Unesco listed the 5000km Tiān Shān Corridor of the Silk Road as World Heritage. The designation highlights not just the obvious pagodas, palaces, cave art and remains of the Great Wall (including beacon towers and forts), but also the caravanserai and way stations that provided relief and lodging for traders. Hopefully in the coming years the listing will encourage more conservation and research and not be seen as a license for unfettered tourist development.
4Sleeping & Eating
Unless you plan to do an expedition, your hotel choices are limited to the decent selection in Tashkurgan – which now includes a youth hostel – and some fairly unappealing yurts and stone huts on the shore of Karakul Lake.
Tashkurgan has plenty of simple eating options and some decent shopping at the town bazaar. Elsewhere on the Karakoram Hwy you will need to take supplies.
oK2 Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(凯途国际青年旅舍; Kǎitú Guójì Qīngnián Lǚshě %182 9965 1555, 0998 349 2266; [email protected]; Tashkurgan; dm ¥30-60, d/tr ¥120/200; iW)
Housed in a huge warehouse space overlooking Tashkurgan's busy main pedestrian shopping street, this friendly hostel is run by a young English-speaking team who offer a warm welcome and lots of travel advice. There's a pool table, bar, roof terrace and plenty of public space. Rooms are big, minimalist and great value, though the whole place can get swamped in high season.
Look for the 'Kute Hostel' sign.
Crown InnHOTEL$$$
(皇冠大酒店; Huángguān Dàjiǔdiàn %0998 342 2888; [email protected]; 23 Pami’er Lu, Tashkurgan; d/tw ¥488/468; aW)
This friendly and modern Singaporean-run hotel offers comfortable, bright rooms centred on a pebble garden courtyard. Rooms are bright, if somewhat sparse, and some have excellent views. It's in the centre of Tashkurgan and its restaurant is also the best in town.
8Getting There & Around
From Kashgar, two daily buses run to Tashkurgan from the local bus station, leaving at 10am and noon (¥89, six to eight hours). Shared taxis (¥150, six hours) also depart from Kashgar's Tashkurgan Administration Office, in the west of town. They leave when full.
From Tashkurgan, there are two daily buses to Kashgar at 9.30am and 11.30am, and there's occasionally a third bus at 12.30pm. There is also a daily bus from Tashkurgan to Sost in Pakistan (¥225, eight hours) at 9.30am. It's best to buy your ticket for both services the day before you travel, or at least head to the bus station early in the morning to do so.
From Kashgar, it’s 118km to the Ghez checkpoint, 194km to Karakul Lake, 283km to Tashkurgan and 380km to the Pakistani border.
In Tashkurgan, cabs buzz you around town for a flat fare of ¥5, rising to ¥10 if you need to go just outside the town itself.
ENTRY & EXIT FORMALITIES
Foreigners need a permit from a travel agent to get past the checkpoint at Ghez. The Khunjerab Pass is open Monday to Friday from 1 April to 1 December, though these dates can change at any time due to weather conditions. Note that foreigners are not allowed to travel any significant distance off the KKH (including the area beyond the city limits of Tashkurgan) without special permits, which limits trekking options if you're not using the services of a travel agency.
Southern Silk Road
The Silk Road east of Kashgar splits into two threads in the face of the Taklamakan Desert, the second-largest sandy desert in the world. The northern thread follows the modern road and railway to Kuqa and Turpan. The southern road charts a more remote course between desert sands and the towering Pamir and Kunlun mountain ranges.
This off-the-grid journey takes you far into the Uighur heartland, as well as deep into the ancient multi-ethnic heritage of the region. You're as likely to come across a centuries-old tiled mosque as the ruins of a Buddhist pagoda from the 4th century.
It’s possible to visit the southern towns as a multiday trip from Kashgar before crossing the Taklamakan Desert to Ürümqi, or as part of a rugged backdoor route into Tibet or Qīnghǎi.
Yengisar
The tiny town of Yengisar (英吉沙; Yīngjíshā) is synonymous with knife production. A lesser-known but more sensitive fact is it’s the birthplace of the Uighur’s icon of nationalism, Isa Yusuf Alptekin (1901–95), the leader of the First East Turkestan Republic in Kashgar, who died in exile in Istanbul. Neither of these facts are particularly popular with the Chinese government, and the town has suffered badly in the past few years and feels today like a rather sad backwater.
There are dozens of knife shops here, most of them strung along the highway; ask for the ‘knife factories’ (小刀厂; xiǎodāochǎng in Chinese; pichak chilik karakhana in Uighur). Traditionally each worker makes the blade, handle and inlays by hand, using only the most basic tools, though many knives on sale here are now factory produced and brought in from elsewhere, so be sure you're buying a real handmade knife if you decide to stop here. Another thing to consider is that knives are prohibited in luggage on buses, trains and planes (even in the hold), so you’ll have to ship them home – ask the vendors about this, as they're used to arranging this as part of a knife sale.
It's currently not possible for foreigners to stay the night in Yengisar, so you'll have to limit your visit to a day trip, or to a quick stop by bus between Kashgar and Yarkand.
Buses pass through the town regularly en route between Yarkand (¥30, 1½ hours) and Kashgar (¥15, 1½ hours). To get to the knife sellers from the main bus station, hop in a taxi (¥5) for the 3km trip. They are right on the main road, so you’ll pass right by them on the journey to or from Yarkand, and can simply ask the driver to let you out there.
Charkli
k
Charklik (若羌; Ruòqiāng) may be a soulless, modern Chinese town, but intrepid history buffs may find themselves heading here as there are several ancient city ruins nearby. The most famous is remote Lóulán (楼兰), located some 260km northeast of Charklik, but you’ll probably have to join a very pricey group tour to visit as permits can run into the thousands of dollars. The ruined fortress and stupa of Miran (米兰) is closer, located just 7km southeast of the modern town of Miran (which is 85km northwest of Charklik). Permits here are more reasonable, being a few hundred rénmínbì for a group. Contact CITS (www.xinjiangtour.com) in Ürümqi for help with the paperwork.
At the time of writing, no hotels in town were accepting foreigners, though this may change, and arrangements can certainly be made by CITS or other travel agencies.
From Charklik, you can complete the Taklamakan loop by taking one of several daily buses to Korla (¥128, four hours). Alternatively, you can continue east over the mountains to Golmud in Qīnghǎi on a daily sleeper bus (¥332, 18 hours). There's also a 7am bus each day that heads along the Southern Silk Road to Hotan (¥210, 13 hours).
Cherchen 且末
%0996 / Pop 53,000
Emerging from any direction into the dusty oasis town of Cherchen (且末; Qiěmò) is an unforgettable experience, as you'll have had to pass through hundreds of kilometres of desert just to get here. Indeed, the town itself is struggling against being swallowed up by the massive Taklamakan Desert to its north, and dust storms and hazy days are common here.
The predominantly Uighur town is fairly unremarkable, but pleasant enough, with a couple of interesting sights nearby that are worth stopping off for if you're passing through. As a foreigner you'll be an object of great curiosity here, including to the police, who may well stop and photograph you.
1Sights
To visit the main sights outside Cherchen, go first to the Cherchen Museum, as one of the staff members will have to go with you to unlock the gates. This is a free service and you'll only be charged for the entry tickets, though you'll also need to pay for the return taxi, which should be ¥50.
Zaghunluq Ancient Mummy TombTOMB
(扎滚鲁克古墓群景点; Zāgǔnlǔkè Gǔmùqún Jǐngdiǎn ¥30; h9.30am-1.30pm & 4-7.30pm)
This 2600-year-old tomb contains 13 naturally mummified Mongol bodies, still sporting shreds of colourful clothing. What's particularly interesting here is that unlike the mummies on display in the various regional museums, you get a real sense of how the bodies were buried, including the depth, which makes it amazing they were ever found. The site is a further 4km west of the Toghraklek Manor, on the edge of the desert.
Toghraklek ManorHISTORIC BUILDING
(托乎拉克庄园; Tuōhūlākè Zhuāngyuán ¥20; h9.30am-1.30pm & 4-7.30pm)
The main sight in Cherchen itself is this fine example of early-20th-century Kashgarian architecture, built in 1911 for a local warlord. The compound has half a dozen rooms, with carved walls, bamboo ceilings and bright carpets, though sadly none of the original furniture remains and the whole site requires quite a bit of imagination to evoke Cherchen a century ago. It’s 2.5km west of town.
Cherchen MuseumMUSEUM
(且末县博物馆; Qiěmò Xiàn Bówùguǎn h9.30am-1.30pm & 4-7.30pm)F
Relics from Cherchen’s main sights are on display at this regional museum, alongside displays ranging from yetis in the Altun Tagh mountains to the travels of explorer Sven Hedin. Sadly there's almost no labelling in English. It’s in the northwest of town: the second of three buildings along the south side of the huge government square.
4Sleeping & Eating
Hóngzǎo Shāngwù BīnguǎnHOTEL$
(红枣商务宾馆 %0996 761 1888; Aita Lu; 埃塔路 r ¥100-120; aiW)
Slightly worn though spacious rooms are on offer at this place next to the bazaar, though some bathrooms are cleaner than others, and many of them are afflicted by Chinese toilet aroma. The better rooms come with computers and desks, though wireless is limited to the lobby only. There's no English spoken and staff seem utterly overwhelmed by foreigners.
ElkutUIGHUR$$
(爱乐美食, Àiyuè Měishí Aita Lu, 埃塔路 mains ¥20-50; h10am-midnight)
This friendly and clean Uighur restaurant is about the best you can hope for in a town like Cherchen. The photo menu takes in all the Uighur classics, as well as several Chinese dishes, though the gregarious staff may well insist on preparing their signature local lamb dish for you as their honoured guest. Take a seat under the chandelier and enjoy!
8Getting There & Around
There are sleeper buses to Ürümqi every evening (¥320 to ¥340, 20 hours, including a five-hour sleeping stop for the driver) and a 10am and 7pm bus to Korla (¥160 to ¥180, six hours); both of these go via the Cross-Desert Hwy.
The bus to Hotan (¥163 to ¥183, 10 hours) leaves daily at 10am, while at the same time another daily bus heads 350km east to Charklik at 10am (¥61, four hours).
A taxi from Cherchen bus station to the centre of town costs ¥5.
Hotan 和田
%0903 / Pop 322,000
An ancient Silk Road city with a long and illustrious history, Hotan (和田; Hétián) is nevertheless moving quickly and relentlessly into the modern age. Indeed, today it can be hard at first to imagine that this was once the focal point of the ancient kingdom of Khotan (224 BC to AD 1006), or that later it became an important junction of the southern Silk Road from where trade routes led into India.
But get off the busy main avenues and enter the fabulous bazaar or wonderfully varied night market and you'll quickly get a sense of this important Uighur city's history and culture. The main reason to come here today is to explore several ancient sites around the city, or simply to shop for jade, silk, carpets and all manner of other things at Hotan's various markets.
History
New religions first entered Xīnjiāng (and China) through Hotan, and as with Buddhism (which arrived around 84 BC), they became well established. In fact, the Khotan Kingdom was a centre for Buddhist translation and study, and famous Chinese monks such as Faxian and Xuan Zang who passed through in the 5th and 7th centuries, respectively, commented favourably on the wealth and size of Khotan's Buddhist community. In 1006, Khotan was conquered by the Muslim Karakhanids and slowly Islam became the dominant cultural force. In the 13th century, Marco Polo visited and reported that the entire population followed the new religion.
Hotan has also long been known as the epicentre of the central Asian and Chinese jade trade. Locally unearthed jade artefacts have been dated to around 5000 BC and it is believed that Hotan attracted Chinese traders along the Jade Road even before they headed westward to open up the Silk Road. In the 5th century AD, the Hotanese were also the first non-Han to learn the secret of Chinese silk making, and later established themselves as the region’s foremost carpet weavers.
Hotan
1Top Sights
1Hotan Sunday MarketD1
4Sleeping
2Happy Hotan HotelC1
3West Lake Yín Dū International HotelB2
4Yudu HotelB2
5Eating
5Marco Dream Cafe BakeryC2
6Marco's Dream CafeC2
1Sights
Beijing Xilu is the main east–west axis running past the enormous, heavily guarded main square (Tuánjiē Guǎngchǎng), with its paternalistic statue of Mao shaking hands with a Uighur craftsman.
oHotan Sunday MarketMARKET
(星期天市场; Xīngqítiān Shìchǎng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Taibei Donglu, 台北东路 hdawn-dusk)
Hotan’s most popular attraction is its weekly Sunday market. The covered market bustles every day of the week, but on Sundays it swamps the northeast part of town, reaching fever pitch between noon and 2pm Xīnjiāng time. The most interesting parts are the doppi (skullcap) bazaar, the colourful atlas (tie-dyed, handwoven silk) cloth to the right of the main entrance and the gilim (carpet) bazaar, across the road. Nearby Juma Lu (加买路) is f
illed with traditional medicine and spice shops.
Carpet FactoryFACTORY
(地毯厂; Dìtǎn Chǎng h10am-7pm)F
On the eastern bank of the Jade Dragon Kashgar River is this large factory (gilim karakhana in Uighur). It’s primarily set up for group visits but it's perfectly possibe for individual travellers to look around the various halls when open. Even with up to 10 weavers, 1 sq m of wool carpet takes 20 days to complete, and the finished items are very impressive. The factory is 5km east of the city centre.
Melikawat RuinsRUINS
(玛利克瓦特古城; Mǎlìkèwǎtè Gǔchéng ¥20; hdawn-dusk)
The deserts around Hotan are peppered with the faint remains of abandoned cities. The most interesting are those of Melikawat, 25km south of town, a Tang dynasty settlement with wind-eroded walls, Buddhist stupas and the remains of pottery kilns. Some scholars believe Melikawat was a capital city of the Yutian state (206 BC to AD 907), an Indo-European civilisation that thrived during the height of the Silk Road. A taxi should cost about ¥100 to Melikawat.
Rawaq StupaARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(Rawak Stupa; ¥200; h10am-6pm)
Lonely Planet China Page 170