Xinjiang Province, 1,470km (911 miles) SW of Ürümqi, 520km (322 miles) NW of Khotan
The northern and southern Silk Routes joined at ancientKashgarand bifurcated again, leading south through thePamirsto Gilgit, and west throughthe Ferghana Valleyto Samarkand. At the height of the Han and Tang dynasties, Kashgar was in Chinese hands. The Chinese were routed by the Arabs in 751 in the Battle of Talas River (northeast of Tashkent). This allowed Islam to spread east into the Tarim Basin, displacing Buddhism and Manichaeism. Kashgar subsequently became a center of Islamic scholarship and, but for a brief return during the Mongol Yuan dynasty, it lay outside the sphere of Chinese influence. During the Qing dynasty the Chinese reasserted control, and Kashgar became a key site for players of theGreat Game-- it boasted both a Russian and a British consulate.
Trade is the lifeblood of Kashgar, and with the opening of border crossings atKhunjerab, Torugart,and theIrkeshtam route to Osh,it is now once again an international trading center. Kashgar's strategic position has unfortunately made it a priority in efforts to "Sinicize" border areas, and with the opening of the railway line in 2000, Han settlers are arriving by the trainload, a glimpse of what's in store for Lhasa.
Theold townmaintains its charm. The markets are a riot of color and exotic scents, donkeys pull rickety carts laden with watermelons and cotton bales in and out of town, gray-bearded mullahs call the faithful to prayer on every street corner, and serene old men enjoy long chats over tea.