Trip

 area of ​​the mosque in Kashgar broad idkah often used to photograph the location

By Subhan SD

Last night in Kashgar

Since 2.100 years ago, the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang Province, China, has become a cosmopolitan connecting Western and Eastern civilizations. They share a language, lifestyle, culture, and religion. Kashgar is of key importance in the era of the Silk Road, an executive summary by darmansjah

The nomads almost certainly through Kashgar. Since King Mu Wang of the Zhou Dynasty (977-922 BC), Ahmad ibn Fadlan as an ambassador for the Abbasid dynasty (10th century), and Marco Polo from Italy (1254-1324), to which Ibn Battuta denomenal of Morocco (1304-1368 ). Caravans nomads and traders bring to Kashgar as a shelter before proceeding with the dismissal of the long route between Xi'an (China) and Rome (Italy).

Uighur  man stayed with traditional nan bread wares

Silk road, particularly between sections Persia and central China, a two-pronged: the northern and southern routes. Northern routes including the main route. This route along the southern slopes of the mountains of Tian Shan (Tengri Tagh) which snowy peaks. In the south road that stretched Taklamakan desert is located in the Tarim basin. The 4th century, this route became the main crossing. The other route is located in the southern Tarim basin. Buddhist monks often take this route on the way to the Karakoram mountains and on to Pakistan or India. Two routes were finally met in Kashgar.

atmosphere of the market in Kashgar

We could feel the remnants of that past. One was in the old town area of ​​occupancy 2.000 square meters. Although from the outside looks like the ruins of the site, in fact there is life there. Among the houses made ​​of clay and straw mixture, home to some 10,000 residents who are generally native ethnic Uighurs.

"It was treated by the inhabitants, and the government protect them," said Murad, a member of staff of the local tourism office.

Islamic civilization

With traces of a multiethnic, Kashgar has historic sites that are marketed to attract tourism. There are traces of Islamic civilization as Masjid Idkah (Etigar). The mosque, built in 1442 is the largest mosque in China and the Muslim community center. With a large field, the mosque was crowded with 100.000 members of the congregation could at Eid prayers.

Traces of Islam is very thick, like a musty Hoja tomb complex, spreading Islam in Kashgar. Located in the village Hazriti or about 5 kilometers north-east of the city center, the tomb was built in 1640 originally for the musty Hoja's father, Mohammad Yusuf Hoja. Joseph was the cleric Sufi Tariqa Nasabandiyah of Central Asia. Hoja was musty inherit the father's role to expand the teachings of Islam in Kashgar and surrounding areas.

carpet merchant

If you come to Kashgar, probably do not miss the cattle market Groza. Sheep like "other residents" in Kashgar. Do not be surprised if in the streets, many people herding their sheep to be brought to these markets. Sheep like a prima donna. Almost all types of food in the main made ​​from sheep Kashgar. Largest market Bazzar Kashgar also must visit for the old market existed 2,000 years ago.

The many attractions that can be visited to Kashgar tourists visit the area of interest. According to Tourism Director Kashgar, Jia Wei Dong in 2010, the number of travelers to Kashgar about 2.34 million people. In 2011, tourists who come beyond that amount. Generally from areas of eastern China such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taiwan as well, as well as from Europe. European tourists are so interested in the traces of the Silk Road. Of the tourism sector, Kashgar earned revenues of about 900 million yuan in 2010.

To reach Kashgar, can pass through the land bordering countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Flight only by China, especially Beijing. It took six or seven hours, with a tradition in Urumqi (capital of Xinjiang). Therefore, being talked about direct flights from Dubai, which has a transit first in Guangzhou.

inter-ethnic harmony

Terbarat Kashgar is a city in Xinjiang, also in China. This autonomous region is one of the pockets of Muslims in China. Uighurs of Central Asia faced was the largest (90 percent), but ethnic Han-faced oriental and also found many sectors including the control of the economy. 3.87 is also a population of Kashgar, there are also other ethnic groups such as ethnic-Tajik, Kazhak, Uzbek, Tartar, and Mongol.

Kashgar's old town hall in

"Here the inter-ethnic harmony existed for a long time," said Kaderia, Kashgar tourism office staff member who accompanied the trip over in Kashgar.

However, the problem of ethnic Uighurs still a serious obstacle to China. Jealousy against ethnic Uighur ethnic Han seems to be latent, especially in economic terms. Not surprisingly, such as the Uighur uprising never died. Last year, several times Kashgar stricken ethnic unrest. Late July to early August 2011, at least 21 people were killed. In other cities such as Khotan in Xinjiang and Urumqi was also hit by the riots. Kashgar's no wonder looking at security guard.

Thus, the cold last night in Kashgar, under a temperature of 5 degrees Celsius, in November 2011 in People's Square, East Renmin Road, right in front of a statue of Mao Zedong, I was stopped when two police forbid the taking of photographs with  police background. For the nomads, overnight in Kashgar also the last, because tomorrow night is through other countries.