Jiaohe Ancient City
  The Ancient City of Jiaohe is located in the Yarnaz Valley
thirteen kilometers west of Turpan. It was first the capital
of the State of South Cheshi, which was one of the thirty-six
states in the Western Region. As described in the dynastic
history book The Notes on the Western Region, A History of the
Han dynasty, "The State of South Cheshi made the city of Jiaohe
its capital, which was circled by rivers flowing by the city,
hence the name of 'Jiaohe' (the city of joining rivers)." Built
on a loess plateau 30 meters high, the ancient city is 1,650
meters long and 300 meters wide. The city has no walls and
is protected by the natural fortification of the preci-
pitous cliffs. During the Western Han dynasty, the central government established "Jiaohebi" (an administrative division)
and appointed and dispatched a commanding general officer to the Turpan area. During the period from the Northern Wei to 
the beginning of the Tang dynasty, Jiaohebi was Jiaohe Prefecture under the jurisdiction of Gaochang Kingdom. The Anxi
Military Viceroy's Office,the highest civil and military administrative organ set up by the Tang government in the Western
Region, was first established in the city. Between the middle of the eighth century and the middle of the ninth century,
the city was occupied by Tibetans. After that, it was called Jiaohe Prefecture and fell under the jurisdiction of the Huigu
Gaochang Kingdom. At the end of the thirteenth century, it was destroyed in Mongolian aristocratic
rebellions. The size of the existing ruins indicates its great prosperity during the Tang dynasty. There are two city
gates.The main southern gate is in ruins. The eastern gate is relatively well-preserved, with visible gateways and
mortise openings for mounting the gate lintels. There are hideouts built in the gate for soldiers to defend the city.   
The ruins of the buildings, divided basically into temples, civilian dwellings and government offices, have an area
of 220,000 square meters. Entering the southern gate, one can see a 10 meter-wide and 350-meter-long main
street leading to the biggest Buddhist temple located in the north-central part of the city. The tower in front of
the temple gate is still intact, and standing on top of the tower one can enjoy the panorama of the whole city.
There are still some more temples in the city. In the southeastern area of the city are located administrative
office buildings and official residences which are the only big buildings built of bricks and tiles. According to
researchers, the magnificent, half-underground, two-story building is probably the seat of Anxi's Military
Viceroy's Office during the Tang dynasty.The architectural style of the ancient city of Jiaohe differs from
that of the city of Gaochang. Here in Jiaohe, courtyards are pits dug in the ground, dwellings are caves
opened into the earth and walls are built of tamped earth. Houses are two-storied without windows and
doors on the side facing streets and courtyard gates are hidden in deep lanes. The architectural style
also features some typical elements of the Tang dynasty. Visitors to the city can still walk along the
streets and go through the halls into the charming inner rooms.The ancient city of Jiaohe was classified
as an important cultural unit protected by the state in 1961.
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             E-mail: jim@xi.cninfo.net