Xinjiang: Paradise on Earth
- STARPICKS
- Thursday, 12 Aug 2021
8:08 AM MYT
A bridge against a backdrop of mountains in Xinjiang.
DO you know that China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is the ultimate adventure tourism with many undiscovered gems? From windswept steppes to majestic mountains and icy lakes to the unrelenting expanse of the desert sands, many exciting and captivating destinations in Xinjiang that will melt your heart away.
Xinjiang is rich with its amazing culture, beautiful natural scenery and mouth-watering cuisine – the best window in and out of China.
Farthest away from Beijing and on China’s fringe, Xinjiang was the Silk Road gateway to the West, and rightly so.
One-sixth of the landmass of China and three times the size of France, Xinjiang sits at the crossroads of China and Central Asia.
Extraordinary ancient wonders and cultural heritage sites
China is one of the world's oldest civilisations, and it’s no surprise that Xinjiang is a treasure trove of wonders from the ancient world.
The Kizil Caves of the Thousand Buddhas in Baicheng County is the most beautiful Buddhist murals in Central Asia. The colourful murals are found in 81 caves and tell of Buddha's reincarnation and production.
In Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, the Tekesi Bagua town built with eight streets stretching out following the "bagua" design ("eight trigrams" in Chinese). Tekesi is among the largest and best-preserved towns of its kind in the world. The town centre is a bagua cultural square that symbolises yin and yang.
The Tekesi Bagua town.
In the famously charming oasis town of Turpan located east of Xinjiang, visitors can find the complex, centuries-old underground water conservancy and irrigation system called karez.
With more than 2,000 years of history, the karez system is still used today, with some underground tunnels spanning over 20km. In total, there is more than 5,000km of such structures in Xinjiang.
Xinjiang is also home to many historical and beautiful mosques. The Id Kah Mosque was built in 1442 in the Silk Road city of Kashgar. It is the most famous and arguably most impressive in Central Asia.
Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar, Xinjiang.
Each day, thousands of worshippers come to this sacred place to pray. The Id Kah Mosque has been repaired recently and improved significantly to make it convenient and comfortable for Muslims to pray. It is now the biggest mosque in China at more than 16,800sqm.
China has more mosques per capita than many Muslim countries, with about 24,000 mosques in Xinjiang which is nearly four times more than the 6,311 mosques in Malaysia. It means there is a mosque for every 530 Muslims in Xinjiang.
Living heritage experience
No description of Xinjiang is complete without mentioning its rich musical heritage, passed on from generation to generation.
Stringed lutes such as the dutar, tambur and rewap play out delightful, elegant compositions and vibrant melodies that enlightens the heart and soul.
The poetry and rhythm of Xinjiang’s music, by the muqamchi (lead singer), are uplifting, performed as vocal, choral music by an ensemble of musicians and sometimes with dancers.
These are usually “large-scale suites consisting of sung poetry, stories, dance tunes and instrumental sections” – the most prestigious in Xinjiang, the Twelve Muqam of the Kashgar-Yarkand region.
Most incredible road trips in the world
Adventurers can enjoy road trips and catch a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery and panoramic landscape.
They will also be able to spot The Irtysh, which is ranked among the 10 most beautiful rivers globally, as well as Taklamakan, China’s largest desert on the Tarim Basin.
For thrill-seekers, a road trip on the Tibet-Xinjiang Highway is a dream come true. Also known as China National Highway 219, it is the highest highway in the world, with an elevation reaching 5,392m above sea level.
One of the most challenging yet best and rewarding roads in the world, the Tibet-Xinjiang Highway runs from Yecheng (Karghilik) in Xinjiang to Lhatse in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
For a more exciting journey, travel by high-speed train on the Lanxin (Lanzhou-Xinjiang) High-Speed Rail Line. Also known as the Lanzhou-Urumqi High-Speed Railway, the 1776km-line slices across stunning landscapes in the three famous treasures of Northwest China – Qinghai, Gansu and Xinjiang – and ends in Urumqi.
China’s 21st century Silk Road
The port city of Horgos, which means "a place where caravans pass" in Mongolian, is said to be the farthest point on Earth from the ocean.
Bordering Kazakhstan, Horgos is the first new city of the New Silk Road initiative, which is also known as the One Belt One Road.
Horgos is also a destination for visitors with a sweet tooth, with over 867ha of red grapes.
Best place to see meteorites up close
There’s something for space rock lovers too. The Armanty meteorite, one of the largest meteorite ever found, is not to be missed. The massive chunk of extra-terrestrial iron is housed at the Xinjiang Geological and Mineral Museum in Xinjiang’s capital city, Urumqi.
Friendly people
Its present-day population of 25 million people hail from various ethnic groups – from Mongols to Kazakhs, Russians to Kyrgyz to Uyghurs – makes Xinjiang a magnificent melting pot.
It comes as no surprise that this north-western region, with 56 tribes living there, is strategically close to Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India – that’s over half of the 14 neighbours of China.
So, the best way to understand Xinjiang is to explore it for yourself.
