Visit Aksu to Admire Ancient Qiuci Relics

Uygur apparel featuring folk costumes; riding boots and embroidered caps and waist bands, along with alive Qiuci Culture, you are in Xinjiang. Exactly, it is in Aksu. Aksu is a city in and the seat of Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, lying at the northern edge of the Tarim Basin. The name Aksu literally means white water (in Turkic), and is used for both the oasis town and the river.



The Qiuci Culture and Tourism Festival is celebrated from June to August. Tourists and business travelers from far and near attend to witness unique folk performances. Qiuci Kingdom is one of the ancient kingdoms in western regions of ancient China. Residents in the area were good at music, and Qiuci music dancing was originated there. It was an important town on the ancient Silk Road, and the connection point of western culture and Chinese culture. Aksu Prefecture is now the concentrated place for ruins of Buddhist grottoes of ancient Qiuci Kingdom. Qiuci Grotto is one of the most important cultural relics in the world, and it not only keeps a clear skeleton of the development of ancient Buddhist art, but also keeps a special value at the historical study area of China Buddhism, fine art, aesthetic theory and the society, history, economy of ancient Qiuci Kingdom.

Sightseeing in Xinjiang is also rewarding. Among various spots you may have saw on the Internet, Tianshan Mountain is a must-see spot if you visit Aksu one day. Tumur Peak marks the apex of Tianshan Mountain. Around Tumur there are many peaks over 6,000 meters above sea level.



Five of these peaks actually exceed 6,800 meters in height. There are enormous glaciers here and the snow and ice caps provide an important water source for the vast lands in the area. The Mystic Grand Canyon of the Tianshan Mountains, which is located on the Dushanzi-Kuqa Highway about seventy kilometers from the Kuqa county seat, is famous for its russet rocks formed by wind and rain over millions of years. The mysterious Aay Grotto which is about two kilometers from the canyon entrance was built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Islam is the chief religion in the region. The Corban Festival on the tenth day of the twelfth month and the Ramadan Festival in the ninth month of the Islam calendar are the most important festivals during the year. Corban is also called the 'butchering' festival since it features the sacrifice of livestock. During Ramadan, Muslims avoid eating in the daytime. They usually take two meals a day—one before dawn and one after dusk. Kuqa Mosque is a grand Islam temple second only in size to the Id Kah Mosque in Kashgar. It is about four kilometers from the newly formed district of Kuqa County. This is an area that dates back to the fifteenth century.



As for the food there, sweet grapes and other special local products like melons, walnuts, apples, pears and apricots are well-known at home and abroad. All in all, a visit to Aksu will definitely be impressive.