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Threads of commerce connected Xian to the Middle East and Europe as
far back as the 2nd
century BC. At that time, the Han emperor Wu sent an emissary westward,
not for trade but
rather to seek allies to defend China against the Huns. From that time
up until the 14th
century, caravans carrying spices, fruits, and all manner of goods from
the West routinely
crossed the deserts in search of silk - thus transforming forever
China's frontier towns
into cosmopolitan trading centers.
Modern day Marco Polos may follow the path of these ancient caravans all
the way from
Xian, in China's interior, to Kashgar near the former Soviet border -now
the Republics of
Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan-.
LUOYANG:
An ancient capital of China, 240 miles east of Xian, this city is
thought by some scholars
to be the starting point of the Silk Road. Luoyang's greater fame,
however, lies in its
world-renowned Longmen Grottoes. Carved between 494 and the 7th century
AD, Longmen's
1,352 grottoes contain more than 100,000 images of Buddha. Along with
the famous caves at
Dunhuang and Datong, the Longmen Grottoes mark the summit of monumental
Buddhist art in
China.
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LANZHOU:
An important desert oasis along the Silk Road, Lanzhou houses two
Buddhist grottoes, the
Bingling Temple Caves and Maijishan Grottoes. Artifacts dating back to
1066 BC can be seen
in the Lanzhou Museum. Among them is the famous bronze Flying Horse of
Gansu -horse
galloping on a flying swallow- which was recently adopted as the symbol
of China Tourism.
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JIUQUAN:
This city lies at the western edge of the Great Wall. The Jiayuguan
Pass, which marks the
western limit of the wall, is a magnificent castle with a tower and two
three-story gates
at the east and west. Also near Jiuquan are the Bell and Drum towers
-343 AD- and the Wei
Jin Tombs, containing 1,600-year-old murals that predate those at
Dunhuang.
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DUNHUANG:
Dunhuang is home of the Mogao Grottoes, 651 miles northwest of Lanzhou.
The Mogao are the
oldest of China's three monumental Buddhist grottoes. Dunhuang served as
the gateway
through which Buddhism, Islam and Christianity passed into China. A monk
named Yue Zun
began the Mogao carvings in 366 AD. His followers created more than a
thousand statues
over the course of a thousands years. Nearly half of the original
carvings survive today.
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URUMQI:
This city is the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in
China's far
northwest. Vast deserts, an ancient glacier, a huge open air bazaar and
the colorful dress
of its 13 indigenous nationalities transform Urumqi into an exotic, far
removed world.
Some 68 miles away, Heavenly Lake, or Tianchi, offers a vast expanse of
placid water 6,004
feet above sea level. The lake is surrounded by steep green pastures and
virgin conifer
forests, back-dropped by snowy mountain peaks reminiscent of the Alps.
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TURFAN:
An oasis 113 miles southeast of Urumqi, Turfan is reachable by rail or
road. Turfan
presents a myriad of colorful faces. The Uyghur and Hui peoples comprise
most of the
town's predominantly Moslem population. Turfan is best known for its
grapes and honeydew
melons, but is also rich in historical relics bearing evidence to the
importance of the
area's links to the Silk Road.
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KASHI:
Also called Kashgar, this city is situated 665 miles west of Urumqi and
80 miles east of
China's border with the former Soviet Union. Kashi is China's
western-most city. Its open
air markets teem with Uyghur, Kirghiz, Tajik and Kazakh merchants, and
locals, all busy
haggling over camels and sheep, brightly colored fabrics, fur hides and
hats, handmade
carpets and famous Hami melons.
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