Xinjiang Stone City Tourist Attractions Introduction and Travel Guide:

Attraction Introduction • Historical Background: Xinjiang Stone City is located on the north side of Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County. It is a famous ancient city ruin on the ancient road in Xinjiang. It was built in the 2nd century BC and was once the capital of Puli, one of the 36 kingdoms in the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. It has gone through the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, Tang, Yuan, and Qing Dynasties, witnessing the prosperity and decline of the Silk Road. • Architectural Features: The city walls are built with stones or adobe bricks. The stones are closely connected without any adhesives, yet they stand firm. There are four gates at the four corners of the city, and the outer gate in the northeast corner is relatively well-preserved. Most of the buildings in the city are stone houses, scattered on the hillside. The layout of government offices, residences, and roads can still be vaguely discerned. There are also remains of houses, stoves, small bridges, and streams. • Cultural Value: As the intersection of the middle and south routes of the ancient Silk Road, cultures from the Central Plains, Western Regions, Persia, and India blended here. Unearthed cultural relics such as pottery, bronze ware, and silk fabrics from the Han, Kucha, and Khotan kingdoms, as well as the ruins of Buddhist temples and Zoroastrian buildings, are all testaments to the fusion of diverse cultures. Travel Guide • Preparation: Apply for a border pass at the Kashgar Public Security Bureau in advance, or you can find a local travel agency to handle it for you. Prepare warm clothes such as down jackets and windbreakers, as well as sunglasses, sunscreen, commonly used medicines, etc. You can also take anti-altitude sickness medicine in advance. • Transportation: First, go to Kashgar. You can choose to travel by plane, train, or long-distance bus. From Kashgar to Tashkurgan County, you can take a regular bus, charter a car, or share a car. After arriving at Tashkurgan County, proceed to Stone City. • Accommodation: You can choose to stay in Tashkurgan County. There are various types of accommodation available, such as hotels and homestays. It is close to the scenic area and convenient for traveling. • Travel Suggestions: It is recommended to visit in the early morning or late afternoon when the light is soft and suitable for capturing the desolate beauty of Stone City. You can first view Stone City from a distance on the wooden boardwalk of the Aral Golden Grassland, and then enter the Stone City scenic area for a visit. The tour takes about 1-2 hours.