Above the caravanserai at Tash Rabat and on the right The Magao caves - caves of a thousand Buddhas, which date back to 366AD. It is at the Magao caves that Aurel Steyn discovered the oldest printed document in the world and removed many historic treasures relating to the times of the Buddhist monks.
Below is the now derelict Yar City an abandoned Buddhist city from the 7th C, near Dunhuang.
It is an area which has been ruled by different countries over the years and now is part of China. One of the main inhabitants are the Uyghurs who originate from Central Asia.
To get to Kashgar (immediately below) in Westernl China travellers had to cross the dangerous Taklamakan desert - many didn't survive the crossing. Kashgar is an oasis town which borders on 4 other countries. which was an important stop on the northern Silk Road.
