Kingdom of Charklik
Encyclopedia
Charklik or Charkhlik, the Uighur name, official now called by its modern Chinese name Ruoqiang
, was an ancient kingdom located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China
.
in Xinjiang. It was part of the Kingdom of Loulan
from at least the 1st century BCE, although the name was subsequently changed to Shanshan
in 77 CE.
During the latter part of the Former Han and throughout the Later Han the capital of the kingdom of Shanshan
was known as Yüni 扜泥, which was located near the present town of Ruoqiang
.
The famous explorer and archaeologist, Aurel Stein visited the small oasis of Charklik in 1906, where he found a little village that was the official headquarters of a very large district, almost all desert, and including the salt lake known as Lop Nor. The district, however, only contained about five hundred households, even including the semi-nomadic herders and fishermen called 'Lopliks'. Stein says there is "conclusive evidence" that it was already the chief centre of the region when the Buddhist monk Xuanzang
passed through on his way home to China in 645 CE. Marco Polo
also passed through here in the 13th century - and referred to the region as "Lop".
on the difficult Southern Silk Route from Khotan
before crossing the much-feared salt pans of Lop Nor between them. An alternate route from modern Charklik heads south through the Qaidam
Desert which then turns northeast to Dunhuang, or south to Lhasa
. There is also an ancient route leading north across the Taklamakan Desert to Korla
. Northeast of the town of Ruoqiang is the importaqnt archaeological site of Miran
.
The modern town of Ruoqiang is described as "small, busy place" with only very basic accommodation available. It is a convenient jumping-off place to visit the ruins of Miran.
South of Charklik are the imposing Altun Mountains which contain a large nature reserve where the wild horse, Przewalski's Horse
, Equus przewalski, now extinct in the wild, is being reintroduced from stocks bred in zoos.
Ruoqiang
Ruoqiang, historically referred to Charkliq, Charkhlik, Qarkilik, or Chakliq, and alternatively spelt Jo-ch'ien, can refer to:*Ruoqiang County in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China...
, was an ancient kingdom located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
History
Charklik was the name for an ancient kingdom that was located in modern Ruoqiang CountyRuoqiang County
Ruoqiang is a county of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Western China and is under the administration of the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture...
in Xinjiang. It was part of the Kingdom of Loulan
Loulan
Loulan or Kroran was an ancient kingdom based around an important oasis city already known in the 2nd century BCE on the north-eastern edge of the Lop Desert. Loulan, known to Russian archaeologists as Krorayina, was an ancient kingdom along the Silk Road. In 108 BCE, the Han Dynasty forces...
from at least the 1st century BCE, although the name was subsequently changed to Shanshan
Shanshan
Shanshan is the Chinese name for a kingdom that existed roughly from 200 BCE-1000 CE at the north-eastern end of the Taklamakan Desert including the great, but now mostly dry, salt lake known as Lop Nur....
in 77 CE.
During the latter part of the Former Han and throughout the Later Han the capital of the kingdom of Shanshan
Shanshan
Shanshan is the Chinese name for a kingdom that existed roughly from 200 BCE-1000 CE at the north-eastern end of the Taklamakan Desert including the great, but now mostly dry, salt lake known as Lop Nur....
was known as Yüni 扜泥, which was located near the present town of Ruoqiang
Ruoqiang
Ruoqiang, historically referred to Charkliq, Charkhlik, Qarkilik, or Chakliq, and alternatively spelt Jo-ch'ien, can refer to:*Ruoqiang County in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China...
.
The famous explorer and archaeologist, Aurel Stein visited the small oasis of Charklik in 1906, where he found a little village that was the official headquarters of a very large district, almost all desert, and including the salt lake known as Lop Nor. The district, however, only contained about five hundred households, even including the semi-nomadic herders and fishermen called 'Lopliks'. Stein says there is "conclusive evidence" that it was already the chief centre of the region when the Buddhist monk Xuanzang
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
passed through on his way home to China in 645 CE. Marco Polo
Marco Polo
Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant traveler from the Venetian Republic whose travels are recorded in Il Milione, a book which did much to introduce Europeans to Central Asia and China. He learned about trading whilst his father and uncle, Niccolò and Maffeo, travelled through Asia and apparently...
also passed through here in the 13th century - and referred to the region as "Lop".
Description
Charklik was the last stop before DunhuangDunhuang
Dunhuang is a city in northwestern Gansu province, Western China. It was a major stop on the ancient Silk Road. It was also known at times as Shāzhōu , or 'City of Sands', a name still used today...
on the difficult Southern Silk Route from Khotan
Khotan
Hotan , or Hetian , also spelled Khotan, is the seat of the Hotan Prefecture in Xinjiang, China. It was previously known in Chinese as 于窴/於窴 and to 19th-century European explorers as Ilchi....
before crossing the much-feared salt pans of Lop Nor between them. An alternate route from modern Charklik heads south through the Qaidam
Qaidam
Qaidam Basin, also spelled Tsaidam is an hyperarid basin that occupies a large part of the Haixi Mongol and Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai Province, western China...
Desert which then turns northeast to Dunhuang, or south to Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
. There is also an ancient route leading north across the Taklamakan Desert to Korla
Korla
-Economy:Korla has long been the biggest centre in the region after Karashahr itself, having abundant water and extensive farmlands, as well as controlling the main routes to the south and west of Karashahr. Due to the discovery of oil in the Taklamakan Desert, Korla is now both more populous and...
. Northeast of the town of Ruoqiang is the importaqnt archaeological site of Miran
Miran
Miran may refer to:Places*Miran, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan*Miran, Kabul, Afghanistan*Miran, Wardak, Afghanistan*Miran People* Miran better known nickname of Mir Sadiq Ali Khan son of Mir Jafar*Miran Bux*Mahmoud Miran*Miran Shah...
.
The modern town of Ruoqiang is described as "small, busy place" with only very basic accommodation available. It is a convenient jumping-off place to visit the ruins of Miran.
South of Charklik are the imposing Altun Mountains which contain a large nature reserve where the wild horse, Przewalski's Horse
Przewalski's Horse
Przewalski's Horse or Dzungarian Horse, is a rare and endangered subspecies of wild horse native to the steppes of central Asia, specifically China and Mongolia.At one time extinct in the wild, it has been reintroduced to its native habitat in Mongolia at the Khustain Nuruu...
, Equus przewalski, now extinct in the wild, is being reintroduced from stocks bred in zoos.
External links
- A tourism Guide to Charklik. http://www.centralasiatraveler.com/cn/xj/cr/charklik-ruoqiang.html