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Shache

Shache (China)

Practical information on Shache

  • Encounters with locals
  • Place or Religious Monument
  • Off the beaten track
3 / 5 - One review

Reviews of Shache

Alicia Munoz Seasoned Traveller
87 written opinions

On the western border of China, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Yarkand dates back more than 2,000 years. It was a strategically placed stop on the Silk Road, being on the doorstep of the Indian Ladakh mountains.

My review

Former capital of the Uyghur Kingdom, it was a major trading post between China and India, in particular when the latter was under British colonial rule. As a result the town is steeped in history and boasts some amazing architecture. Today, it comprises of a modern Chinese town and the vestiges of the ancient Uyghur city , complete with the pretty Altun Mosque complex, a beautiful Muslim cemetary and the Yarkand Royal Graveyard.

One impressive tomb is that of a local poet, Aman Isa Khan. She was wife to one of the 16th Century's Khans and wrote several famous poems. Her tomb is decorated with intricate carvings and inscriptions. 

Hiking fans will love the surrounding countryside - an arid landscape with some excellent trails. 

Yarkand