China’s Silk Road: Mummies, Deserts, Caves and Markets

DAY 01: ARRIVE BEIJING Accommodation : BAMBOO GARDEN Meals : None Arriving in Beijing, you will be met just outside the customs area by our operator holding a sign with your nameon it.  He will take you to your hotel where you can unpack and shower.  Tonight there will be a welcome dinner. DAY 02:  FLY XIAN.  TERRACOTTA WARRIORS AND HORSE MUSEUM Accommodation : SHANGRILA HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This morning, you will head  to  the airport  to catch a  flight  toXian.    On  arrival,  you  can  have  a  nice  lunch  at  the  airportrestaurant,  and  head  out  to  see  the  famous  TerracottaWarriors.    Outside  of  the  city,  in  1974,  a  group  of  peasantswere  digging  a  well,  when  they  unearthed  an  undergroundvault  that  eventually  revealed  an  army  of  thousands  of  life-sized  terracotta  figures  – both  warriors  and  horses  – facingeast  in  full  battle  array.    Since  then,  other  vaults  have  beenexcavated,  yielding  more  figures  and  relics.    Today  you  canspend  the  entire  afternoon  exploring  this  archeologicaltreasure  and  visiting  the  Terracotta  Soldier  and  Horse Museum. In the evening, you can explore the Muslim Quarter and walkthe night market. DAY 03:  TOUR XIAN Accommodation : SHANGRILA HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner You have a full day to explore Xian.  In its heyday, Xian was said to rival Romeand  Constantinople  for  the  title  of  the World’s Greatest  City.    Its  history datesback  to  the Neolithic period, more  than  6000  years  ago.  About  the  3rd centuryBC,  Qin  Shihuang  became  the  first  Emperor  of  what  was  called  a  “unified”China,  and  established  a  capital  near  modern-day  Xian  at  Xianyang.    As  atestimonial  to  his  desire for  immortality,  he  built  his  own  tomb,  guarded  bythousands of  terracotta soldiers.  After assorted dynasties and wars, in 582,  theSui  Dynasty  reunited  the  country  and  rebuilt  the  capital  on  the  site  of  Qian,naming it Chang’an.  Under the succeeding Tang Dynasty, Chang’an became thelargest  city in Asia,  and  perhaps in  the world  – a  true  cosmopolitan  center  forculture, business, philosophy  and  religion.   Sadly, with  the  fall  of  the Tangs in907, the city of Chang’an fell into decline.  Today, however, with the discovery ofthe terracotta warriors, Xian has reemerged as a prime tourist destination. Rising early, you can visit the Little Goose Pagoda.  If you get there early in themorning, you will find people practicing Tai Chi, possibly rehearsing for musicalperformances,  doing  Kung  Fu  – a  true  happening.The  building  was  built during the Tang Dynasty during the years 757-790, but was damaged by an earthquake. Magically, in 1521, thebuilding seemed to restore itself.  By about 9AM, tourists start arriving and the stores open, but the place still hasa wonderful beauty and charm. Leaving  the Little Goose, you can graduate  to  the Big White Goose Pagoda, with its  theme  told in  the Chineseclassic, “Journey to the West”, based on the real travels of the monk Xuan Zhang.  The Big White Goose Pagoda isChina’s “Leaning Tower of Pisa”,  tilted because of an earthquake in  the 16th century.  Built by Gao Zong in 648AD, it is one of the largest pagodas in China, and has a contingent of about 100 monks.   The pagoda got its nameduring a time of famine when the monks did not have anything to eat.  A flock of geese flew by overhead, andmagically, the lead goose suddenly died and dropped down from the sky. From the pagoda, you will have lunch at a local restaurant.  Then, in the afternoon you can visit the marvelous Shaanxi Museum.  Here you can get a good sense of China’s history and development.  From the museum, youcan make stops at the city walls, the drum tower and the bell tower, integral parts of Xian’s long history. DAY 04: FLY DUNHUANG.  VISIT GOBI DESERT, CULTURAL SHOW Accommodation : DUNHUANG HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner The morning is free until time to transfer to the airport for your flight to Dunhuang.  When you arrive, you willtransfer to the Dunhuang Hotel. Dunhuang lies at  the western end of  the Hexi Corridor in Gansu Province in Northwest China, an oasis on  theeastern edge of Taklimakan Desert. Nourished by melted  snow water  from  theQilian Mountains,  the  ancient  town used  to  be  an important  stopover point  onthe Silk Road. The name nDunhuangn dates back to the Han Dynasty. In ChinesenDunn means grandness; and n Huangn, prosperity.In the 2nd century B.C. Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty sent imperial envoyZhang  Qian  to  the  Western  Regions,  opening  up  a  trade  route,  which  laterbecame  known  as  the  nSilk  Roadn.    The  imperial  court  set  up  DunhuangPrefecture in A.D.  111  and Dunhuang  occupied  a  strategic  point.  Through  thisroute Chinese culture and products, especially silk, were introduced to Europeanand Middle East countries, and foreign culture and products such as Buddhismof India came to central China.When you arrive, you can take a drive out to the Crescent Lake and thetowering Gobi Desert sand dunes, possibly on a camel. If you wish,  struggle  to  the  top of  the Dunes  and you will be  rewarded with  awide-ranging view across the undulating desert sands. DAY 05:  VISIT MOGAO GROTTOES.  NIGHT TRAIN TO TURPAN Accommodation : OVERNIGHT ON THE TRAIN Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In the Buddhist tradition, art and life are one and meditating on the art is one path to achieving enlightenment – aconcept that was  soon  assimilated  into  the  Chinese  traditional  culture.  As  such,  many  Buddhist  images  were carved in caves in mountain cliffs along the Silk Road, and many have been well preserved. The best are those atMogao in Dunhuang, your destination for the day.The Dunhuang Grotto Art is composed of the Cave and Yulin Grottos inAnxi.  Carving  of  the  Mogao Grottos,  commonly  known  as  the  1,000- Buddha Caves, began in AD 366 and continued through a dozen dynastiesincluding  the  Northern  Liang, Northern  Wei,  Western  Wei,  NorthernZhou,  Sui,  Tang,  Five-Dynasties  Period,  Song,  Huihe,  Western  Xia  andYuan.  The  extant  492  caves  preserve  more  than  2,000  color  statues  and45,000  square  meters  of  murals.  The  mural  themes  depict  Buddhaportraits,  stories  and  interpretations  of  Buddhist  scriptures,  Buddhisthistory,  legends,  portraits  of  devotees  and  various  decorative  patterns.They  describe  different  ethnic  groups,  the  everyday  life  of  the  people  nobleso outings, singing, dancing and music, farming, fishing and hunting,acrobatics  and martial  art  practice,  foreign  envoys  and merchants  on  theSilk Road.  Some scholars liken these murals to a nlibrary on the wall.nIn the early 20th century, some 50,000 pieces of cultural relics were foundin  the  Scripture-Keeping Cave,  including  handwritten  documents  andmore than 1,000 pieces of silk painting, graphic painting, embroidery andcalligraphy. If combined and displayed in a museum, the art works wouldform a 15 1⁄2  mile long art gallery. The Mogao Grottos were dug in loosesedimentary  conglomerate dating  back  to  the Quaternary Period.  Some parts  collapsed in earthquakes, but  thedry weather  has  preserved  the  basic  form  of  the  cliffs.  In  the  1940s,  the  Dunhuang  Art Research  Institute wasestablished at Mogao. After the founding of the Peopleos Republic of China, the new government began an overallrepair  and  reinforcement  project  on  39  caves,  saving  1,800  square meters  of murals  and  200  color  statues.  TheWestern  1,000-Buddha  Cave  and Yulin  Grottos  at  Anxi were  opened  to  the  public  after  renovation.  Grottos inDunhuang  are  one  of  China’s  national  treasures  and  a  genuine World Heritage  Site.  In  1962  the  grottoes wereamong  Chinaos  first  key  cultural  relics  put  under  state  protection,  and in  1991 UNESCO  as  one  of  the world’snatural and cultural heritages recognized them. The  Mogao  Grottos  have  preserved  many  graceful  murals  and  colored  statues.  In  1900  about  50,000  items  ofcultural  relics  were  discovered  in  the  Scripture-Keeping  Cave  (Cave  No.17)  dating  from  the  4th  to  the  14thcentury.  There  were  hand-written  texts  on  Buddhism,  Taoism  and  Confucianism,  historic  records,  accountingbooks, letters and court records in Chinese, Tibetan, Sanskrit, Falu, Sute, Hetian and Huihe languages. Also foundwere several hundred pieces of painting and embroidery. These finds were tremendously important to the studyof politics, economy, culture, military affairs and foreign relations in ancient China. Sadly, between 1907 and 1925foreign so called scholars stole many of these treasures and many found their way into the Chinese collections ofsome of the world’s foremost museums. Returning  to Dunhuang, you will have an early dinner and  take an overnight sleeper  train  (an 11Ghour  trip) allthe way to Turpan.  You will have a soft-sleeper – a compartment with a bed and small table.  The train has foodand drinks as well as washrooms and WCs – quite an adventure! DAY 06:  ARRIVE TURPAN.  VISIT TOWN, ASTANA TOMBS, GAOCHANG AND BAZELIK CAVES Accommodation : HUOZHOU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This morning, you will arrive in Turpan a place that is unique in China for two key reasons – part of the TurpanBasin is more than 505 feet below sea level, and is not only the lowest spot in China, but, next to the Dead Sea, thesecond  lowest  depression  in  the  world. Secondly,  Turpan  is  also the  hottest  spot  inChina, but with such low humidity, that one cantolerate  the  heat.    Finally,  to  the  Uighurs,Turpan  was  important  since  nearby  Gaochangwas once their capital.  Today, however, almosthalf  the  population is  Han  Chinese.    The  townboasts  an  interesting  system  of  irrigation  thatallows  the  people  to  grow  grapes  and  producegood wine and melons. The morning is free to rest from the train ride orexplore the area on your own.    In the afternoonand  tomorrow,  you  can  do  some  sightseeingaround the area.  Nearby are the Astana Tombs,where  the  dead  of  Gaochang  were  buried. Some  of  the  relics date  back  to  the  Jin Dynastyand the 3rd-5th centuries AD.  Nearby are the ruins of Gaochang, the Uighur capital when they arrived in Xinjiangfrom Mongolia.  The town itself was a major staging post on the Silk Road, and the walls of the city as well as oneof the monasteries are still visible. Huoyan Shan or the Flaming Mountains lie north of Gaochang and gain their name because they seem on fire inthe light of the mid-day sun.  To the Chinese, the mountains are famous as the formidable barrier the monk, XuanZang and his followers had to cross in search of the Buddhist version of the Holy Grail. Past the mountains are the Bazelik Thousand Buddha Caves. After  your  visit  to  Dunhuang,  these  caves  are  certainly  anti-climactic.    Sadly,  the  caves  were  both  robbed  bytreasure hunters and devastated by Muslims.   DAY 07: MARKET, MINARET, JIAOHE RUINS AND VISIT GRAPE FARMS Accommodation : HUOZHOU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Today you will continue your exploration of Turpan and the surrounding area.  You can spend a bit of time in themarket, and visit the Emin Minaret on the eastern edge of town.  Then you can head out of town to wander theHan counterpart to Gaochang – the Jiaohe Ruins.  Jiohe actually means “confluence of two rivers”, and the cityruins are actually on an island surrounded by two rivers.  For the Han, Jiaohe served as a garrison to defend theborder areas.  Genghis Khan destroyed the town itself. You will also have time to see some of the grape farms and learn about the karez system of irrigation.  Basically,the area sits on a large underwater reservoir or aquifer.  Rather  than dig down,  though,  to reach  the water,  theUighurs  built  a  karez or  “head  well”  up  in  the  mountains  to  catch  the  snow  melt  and  then  built  a  longunderground  tunnel  down  to  the  village,  using  gravity  to  transport  the water,  rather  than  trying  to  haul it  upfrom deep in the ground. DAY 08: DRIVE URUMQI.  VISIT MUSEUM AND FLY HOTAN Accommodation : WEST LAKE YINDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This morning, you will head west to Urumqi.  The drive itself, only about three hours, is a study in contrast.  Youleave the green oasis town of Turpan and drive out along the vast, arid plains, dominated by the snow-coveredTien Shan Mountains.   When you get to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Province, you will have time to visit theXinjiang  Autonomous  Region  Museum.    Although  the  captions  are  in  Chinese,  you  can  see  some  veryinteresting artifacts, including the body of a 4000-yearold woman, unearthed back in 1980 and other mummies,attesting to the migration patterns of ancient times. Late in  the day, you will catch a  flight  to Hotan,  far more interesting  these days  than Kashgar, one of  the mostremote towns in China.  The Taklimakan Desert on one side and Kunlun Mountains on the other border Hotan. Through it  flow  two major  rivers  – the White  and  the  Black  Jade Rivers.   Where,  Kashgar  has lost most  of itscentral Asian feel, Hotan (or Khotan) has retained a lot of its charm and culture. DAY 09: OPTIONAL RAWAK PAGODA HIKE, VISIT HOTAN CRAFTSPEOPLE Accommodation : WEST LAKE YINDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Ozymandias would  be  comforted  to  know  that  there  were  many  other  desert  cities  and  monuments  that crumbled under the ravages of time.  If you feel up to a hike in the desert, you can head out to the Rawak Pagoda and  visit  one  of  the monuments  to  the  Buddhist  traditions  that were  so much  a  part  of  the  Silk  Road.    If  youchoose to do this, be sure to leave the hotel by 7AM, wear sneakers and a hat, and bring about 2 bottles of water. The hike is about 5-6 kilometers over the dunes, and you will want to be back before the day gets too hot. Should you not wish to hike, you can continue to explore the town with its jade and carpet factories and its silkproducts.  Mined deep in  the Kunlun Mountains, Hotan jade is  famous  for its high quality – the best being  thegenerally green nephritic jade. By  the  same  token,  practically  every  Khotan  familyknows how  to weave  carpets  from  the indigenous  soft,fluffy,  stretchable,  glossy wool.    You  can  both  visit  thecarpet  factory  and  then  head  out  to  a  local  home  towatch  the  family  make  pounded carpets  from  sheepwool.Finally,  mulberry  trees  and  silkworms  are  part  of  theHotan  farming  culture.    The  people  of  Hotan  haverefined  their  weaving  techniques,  producing  light,brightly colored silk fabrics that are much in demand. DAY 10:  DRIVE MINGFENG VIA MARKET IN YU TIEN Accommodation : NIYA HOTEL(very basic) Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner You have about a 4-5 hour drive ahead of you today through the desolate Taklimakan Desert to the small town ofMingfeng. On the way, you will stop in the small town of Yu Tien and it is market day!!   This is one of the few markets inthe area that is still intact and has kept its local charm.  About 900 years ago, Yu Tien was the capital of KhotanProvince.  Today, it is a dusty town dominated by a statue of Mao Tse Tung and Kulban, a Uighur hero.  Wantingto help develop the province of Xinjiang, he took a donkey and rode all the way across China to meet with Mao. After lunch,  you  can  visit  the Yu Tien mosque,  and  then  take  a walk  through  the  old  city  and up  through  thesmall market. From Yu Tien, it is about 75 more miles to Mingfeng.  When you get there, if you like, you can hire a donkey cartand go for a ride around the area – a good way to see the town. DAY 11: DRIVE KUQA VIA TAZHONG Accommodation : KUQI LIDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This  morning,  you  will  leave  Mingfeng  and  head  outagain for a very long drive across the Taklimakan Desertto the town of Kuqa or Kuche.  This “Ocean of Death” asit  was  called,  is  the  largest  desert  in  China  and  thesecond largest in the world.  The Chinese called it Lui Shaor “Moving  Sands”.    Despite  the  snowGcovered mountains  that  tower  in  the  distance,  the  desertconsumes  all  of  the rivers  that  come  down  from  snowmelt.    Today,  you  will  drive  across  on  the  seamlessTaklimakan Desert Highway.  The highway is very wellbuilt,  and  alongside  the  road,  you will pass  sand duneswith  strong  reed  stalks  stuck  in  them  checkerboardfashion  to  prevent  the  road  from  being  buried  by  sand. The  Chinese  have  also  been  running irrigation  hoses  along  the  roadside  and  planting  trees  to  keep  the  desertsands from the road. Lunch will  be in Tazhong,  a  scruffy  oasis  on  the Tarim River,  and  “the  only  show in  town.”  When  you leaveTazhong,  you will  begin  to  see  the many  oil wells  the  Chinese  are drilling in  the Taklimakan Desert.  Around3:30, you will arrive in the town of Kuqa or Kuche. DAY 12: VISIT KIZIL CAVES AND WAR SIGNALING STATION Accommodation : KUQI LIDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Until the 1880s, “Quici”, was an important Silk Road city between the Tien Shan Mountains to the north, and theTaklimakan Desert to the South.  After the 1880’s it was renamed Kucha.  Today the city boasts a population of400,000 people, the second largest in Xinjiang.  There are three parts to the city  G the old, the new, and the “east”,where your hotel is located.  Sadly, in 1958, a flood devastated the old part of town.  The new buildings, althoughnot as quaint as before, still are small and retain some of local charm. Today  you  will  take  a  day  trip  out  to  the  Kizil  Caves,  the  most  famousmonuments in  Kuqa  and  the oldest in  China,  dating  back  to  between  the  3rd and  the 9th centuries.  Located on  the northern bank of  the Weigan River in amile long cliff are 236 caves discovered  to date.  Despite some defacement byMuslim  warriors  in  the  antiGBuddhist  campaigns  and  theft  by  later  foreign explorers,  they  are  in  pretty  good  condition.    Climbing  on  specially  builtstaircases,  one  can  visit  most  of  the  caves  and  see  the  murals  illustratingBuddha’s  lives,  his  preaching  and  his  death.    The  caves,  although  not  asbeautiful as those in Dunhuang, are still interesting. Returning, you will visit the Kezikalahan War Signaling Station, dating backto the Han Dynasty.  In ancient times, when strange troops were seen, a signalfire  was  lit  on  top  that  was  repeated  by  the  next  tower  and  the  next,summoning the troops stationed in Urumqi and Kashgar. Accommodation : KUQI LIDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner DAY 13: VISIT KUQA MOSQUE AND LOCAL CRAFTSPEOPLE Accommodation : KUQI LIDU HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner If yesterday was sightseeing outside of Kuqa, today is a chance to explore the city.  Like other towns, Kuqa wasformerly the seat of a prosperous Silk Road Kingdom.  During the Han Dynasty, Kuqa State was considered thelargest and most important of the 36 western states.  Modernity is creeping into this area, but it is still worthwhile to explore the old town.  You can visit the Kuqa Mosque, originally built in the 17th century, burned down, and then rebuilt in 1931.  Thegreat  Praying  Hall  can  accommodate  1000  people,  is  supported  by  88  pillars,  and  embellished  with  coloreddesigns – an excellent example of Uighur architecture. In addition to the mosque and signaling station, you can visit some of the local crafts people – a man who makesoil, a potter, a cotton weaver, and  the local bazaar.   In  the afternoon, you will visit  the home of a  local Uighurwoman, and possibly stay for dinner. Day 14: FLY URUMQI AND WANDER THE TOWN Accommodation : SHERATON HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner From Kuqa, you will catch an afternoon flight back to Urumqi.  During the afternoon, you can wander the marketand visit sites you may have missed earlier. DAY 15: VISIT HEAVENLY LAKE AND NOMADS.  DRIVE URUMQI Accommodation : SHERATON HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This morning you will drive about 68 miles east to Heavenly Lake (about 2 hours drive).The Tianchi or “Heavenly Lake”, overshadowed by the ominous peak of Mt. Bogda (The Mountain of God), isthe summer grazing home of large numbers of Kazak herdsmen. With melted snow as its source, Heavenly Lakeenjoys crystal water. In  summer,  the  beautiful  lake  is  an  ideal  coolresort. Boaters on the lake see the everGchangingsilvery  mountains  soaring  into  the  blue  sky,their  slopes  highlighted  with  verdant  pastureand  flamboyant  wild  flowers.  Fishing  at  duskhas  its  own  special  charm.  A  day  in  thisfairyland promises restoration. Heavenly Lake, a relic of the Quaternary PeriodGlacier  and  its  surrounding  geological  relics,offers science lovers exploring opportunities.As if the natural beauty of Heavenly Lake werenot enough, legend  adds  a mysterious  touch.  Itis said that the Queen of the West (Xi Wang Mu)entertained King Mu of the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100B.C.G771B.C.) at the Lake. The Western Queen fell in lovewith the king.  In her poem to him, she asked: The white clouds drift while the mountains reach the blue sky. Passing thousands of mountains, crossing ten thousands of rivers, you come to us from a faraway place. If you are still strong and fine, would you like to come back to us again?o The king answered in his poem, “After I go back to central China and lead the people to a prosperous life, I willcome to you again.” Late in the day, you will return to Urumqi DAY 16: FLY BEIJING.  PM FREE Accommodation : BAMBOO GARDEN HOTEL Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner This morning you will catch a flight from Urumqi back to Beijing.  On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel.  The rest of the day is free to explore on your own.   DAY 17: HOME Accommodation : None Meals : Breakfast You will be picked up at your hotel in time to transfer to the airport for your flight home.