The 'Stone City' on the Pamir Plateau in Southern Xinjiang, part eight

Stone City It is said that half the reason to visit Southern Xinjiang is to appreciate the cultural customs, and the other half is to see the mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas. In Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Kashgar, there are two 'must-visit attractions': one is called Stone City, and the other is Golden Grass Beach. Although they are completely different types of scenery, in fact, they are a perfect 'organic' combination. Taxkorgan, officially known as Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, was formerly called Puli. It was once one of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions, and the Uyghur meaning of Taxkorgan is 'Stone Fortress'. Stone City is one of the three great stone cities in the history of our country, with an altitude of over 3100 meters. It was originally built during the Han Dynasty and called 'Puli', but was destroyed in the Qing Dynasty. This place was once a strategic pass for merchants entering South Asia and West Asia for trade, and it was also the largest post station on the Silk Road through the Pamir Plateau at that time. The Stone City we see now is actually just an ancient city site on the ancient road within Xinjiang, and it is also a historical witness to the rise and fall of the ancient Silk Road. Stone City is built on a hill about 20 meters high, with a precarious situation. It has been proven to have a history of more than 2000 years and was once the capital of the Kingdom of Jiepantuo. Tang Dynasty coins and Hotan manuscripts have been unearthed here. When Xuanzang returned from his journey to the West to obtain Buddhist scriptures, he once preached here, and the place where he preached still exists today. Stone City is divided into inner and outer cities, with an overall irregular square shape. Today, the city walls have collapsed severely, and only the inner city remains, with piles of rocks scattered about. Of the outer city, only parts of the yellow earth mixed with stone rammed walls and remnants of battlements and civilian houses can be seen... The glory of the past has long vanished with the wind, and on the plateau, only the ruins of these piled stones remain. Although only the ruins of Stone City remain, the surrounding snow peaks, grass beaches, rivers, and the rich Tajik ethnic customs still make this place infinitely beautiful. The distant Muztagh Peak and other snow peaks, juxtaposed with the yellow Stone City, further highlight its desolation and weight.