The Old City of Kashgar is like a living cartoon and Open Museum of Xinjiang Uighur folk customs. The old urban area of Kashgar is located in the centre of Kashgar, covering an area of 4.25 square kilometers, with about 126,800 inhabitants. The streets and lanes of the old city are crisscrossed, the layout is flexible and changeable, the winding paths are quiet, most of the dwellings are civil and brick structures. Many traditional dwellings have a history of over a hundred years. They are the only labyrinth-like urban districts in China characterized by Islamic culture.
For over a century, the ancient city of Kashgar has been best known by travelers for its Silk Road charm, mud-brick houses and friendly Uyghur neighborhoods. It is a restful oasis whether you come from the dry deserts of the east or the dangerous mountains of the west. Kashgar Old City history has been resilient in the face of passing time, but there are few places in the world that are immune from modern development.
In 2009, Kashgar City carried out a centralized transformation of the old urban area, investing 839 million yuan to reinforce and renovate 9722 Uygur traditional dwellings in the old city area of Kashgar; in 2014, Kashgar City invested 150 million yuan to improve the landscape quality and market radiation of the old city, improve tourism service facilities, management and operation. In November 2014, the old city of Kashgar passed the 5A-level evaluation of landscape resources organized by the National Tourism Administration.
On July 20, 2015, the National Tourism Administration officially awarded the title of 5A-level tourist attraction to the old city of Kashgar.
The names of the old streets and alleys all follow the old Uighur names, and each has its own meaning. For example, Yagh Bazar, a street means the oil market; Kozichi Yarbeshi, a pottery making quarter; “Zagar Baziri” goldsmiths and silversmiths market; The “Bulak Beshi” lane, which means “Bulak” in Uygur, meaning “spring” as the lane is circular with nine springs in the center and many more….
To understand and discover the way of life, culture, custom and the people one need to walk and wander in the old city for long and long hours.