Turpan,
which has a long history, was a key town on the ancient Silk Road. It is one of
Xinjiang's most fascinating cities, known for its strange landscape, wealth of
places of historical interest, abundance of fruits and rich resources of ethnic
culture.
It
was called Gushi in ancient times and is the place where the State of South
Cheshi and the South Cheshi Court were set up during the Han dynasty.
It
was establised as Gaochang Prefecture where Tiandi County were set up during
Liang dynasty. Founded as the State of Gaochang during the Northern Wei dynasty;
renamed Xichang prefecture during the Tang dynasty until 1913, Turpan County was
established.
Aydingkol
Lake, about 50 km (31 miles) southeast of Turpan, is a salt puddle at the bottom
of the second lowest continental basin in the world, 154.33 meters (505 feet)
below sea level next only to the Dead Sea 391 meters (1282.48 feet). Millions of
years ago, Aydingkol Lake used to be a fresh lake a thousand times the size of
the present one. Now its surface is completely encrusted with an ice-like layer
of salt and its shores are like quicksand. Hence, the local Uigur people call it
"Moonlight Lake" for they are easily misled by the false appearances
of the mirages and the "dry" surface of the lake and often get bogged
down. No fish or bird but hares and field mice scurrying away.
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Han Dynasty (206 BC - 220 AD) While repudiating the harsh rule of the Qin, the Han rulers built upon the established centralized bureaucracy. But the important difference in Han administration was the way in which officials were drafted into service. By the first century BC, it was generally accepted that officials should be men trained in the Confucian classical texts, and so officials now had to reconcile their positions serving the emperor and state with Confucian values of proper behaviour and personal integrity. It was during the Han dynasty that Confucianism became indelibly ingrained in Chinese politics, society & culture. The stability of the Han enabled China's population to grow to more than 50 million. Trade and industry developed, and communication and transportation systems improved, all of which fostered closer ties among China's diverse regions. Cities attracted the educated and the wealthy from all over the country, becoming important cultural centres. People elsewhere, especially in areas of hardship, migrated to places with more opportunity. |
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