Kashgar, Ancient trading city in Xinjiang, China
Kashgar is a county-level city in Xinjiang, western China, near the borders with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. The streets in the old center run narrow between mud-brick houses with carved wooden balconies, while modern districts spread along the outskirts.
Traders stopped here for over two millennia as caravans moving between Persia and China carried silk, spices, and gemstones. The city changed hands several times between local kingdoms and neighboring empires until it came under Qing control in the 18th century.
The name comes from old trading languages and means "colored brick," referring to the earthen walls that once surrounded merchant quarters. Today visitors walk through neighborhoods where Uyghur families run tea houses and bread ovens in courtyards hidden behind wooden doors.
Summer months bring intense heat, while winter is cold and dry; spring and autumn offer milder conditions for exploring. Visitors should carry sun protection and plenty of water, as the desert air dries quickly.
Craftsmen still forge knives with curved blades using techniques passed down over centuries, sold in small workshops along narrow lanes. Some families bake bread in deep clay ovens set into the ground, creating heat that cooks flatbread in minutes.
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