Xinjiang's Silk Road journey through nature, history and culture

Kuqa

Kuqa, located in the center of Xinjiang, was a vital branch of the Northern Silk Road and a prosperous center of trade and culture. The region's UNESCO World Heritage site, the Kizil Caves, is a testament to humanity's shared knowledge from ancient times.

Kizil Caves contain 236 numbered cave temples adorned with frescoes and sculptures. Each cave narrates stories of Buddhism's journey and its encounters throughout time, providing captivating insight into the history of Buddhism as it spread eastward.

Rock-cut caves play an essential role in Central Asian art. They are considered China's earliest-known major Buddhist cave complex, with the development of Buddhism occurring between the 3rd and the 8th centuries AD.

Located in the heart of Xinhe county, Jiayi village is a cultural treasure renowned for its expertise in crafting musical instruments. In June 2008, Uygur traditional methods earned a spot on China's national Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

More than half of the village residents engage in the art of making handcrafted musical instruments. The variety of instruments encompasses the entire repertoire of Uygur traditional music.

The dutar, a long-necked, two-stringed instrument with a pear-shaped body, is played in various forms across Central Asia. Experts acknowledge the Uygur dutar as one of the most significant instruments in this family of plucked instruments. Because of its craftsmanship and musical excellence, UNESCO has designated it an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The making of a dutar involves multiple stages. The crafting of its body alone demands three days and the collaboration of six skilled artisans. The artisan then engages in laborious painting, embellishing, and stringing the instrument. The process can take anywhere from one week to a month. The complexity of designs and the time invested define the instrument's value.