Things to do in Kunyu

Buying daytime tickets for the evening show is such great value! The performers are incredibly dedicated. Despite the recent high temperatures in Hotan, they still managed to deliver such a fantastic performance for tourists – a huge thumbs up to all the performers and staff! The evening show is definitely worth seeing.

The Turdi Aji Manor in Hotan, Xinjiang is a seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units. It is located in the first company of Pishan Farm, the 14th Division of the Corps, 7 kilometers away from the farm. The manor was originally the old house of the Uyghur landlord Turdi Aji. It was built in 1915-1916 AD, with a total area of ​​2,500 square meters and a total construction area of ​​501 square meters. During his long business, Turdi Aji had visited mainland my country, Russia, Central Asia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries, and was familiar with the architectural art of the Central Plains of my country and foreign countries. After returning to his hometown, he built this villa-style residence. When the building (manor) was first built, there were 72 houses. Now only the main building of 10 houses and the outer corridors on the west and south sides remain. Turdi Aji Manor faces south and has a civil structure. It has the characteristics of both Uyghur dwellings and traditional Chinese ancient buildings. The whole building is built on a terrace. Two rooms have a beam structure with eight purlins and a single eaves. The other rooms have a flat roof with a water-out roof. There are wood carvings, painted caissons and murals in the room. The murals are of Han-style antique patterns, architectural drawings, vase flowers, Western clocks, and Arabic and Chagatai calligraphy, which have high artistic and historical value. Turdi Aji Manor is a product of the integration and development of multiple cultures. Its architectural art is unique. It has high value for the historical and cultural research of the Tarim Basin in modern times and is a historical witness to the integration of multiple cultures in southern Xinjiang.

Experience it yourself

Hotan Night Market is located in Hotan City, in the southern foot of Xinjiang. You can taste most of Xinjiang's delicacies, such as sizzling roasted lamb legs, roasted buns, red willow barbecue, and a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Experience a different exotic atmosphere.

Shache Let's take a break and look around. Amanisha Khan looks a bit like Tsangyang Gyatso. 15 yuan, not bad value. The attraction isn't big, about an hour's visit. There's a night market nearby.

Yulong Kashi River (formerly Yulonghashi River): Originated from the vast Kunlun Mountains, it flows into the Tarim Basin and merges with the Karakashi River in the west to form the Hotan River. The river is 325 kilometers long, with many tributaries and a drainage area of ​​14,500 square kilometers. The river is rich in white jade, green jade and black jade. It has been the main river for producing jade in Hotan since ancient times. It is also called the White Jade River because it produces Hotan jade. It is a river in the Hotan area of ​​Xinjiang, China.

The overall environment of the scenic area is so-so, and it operates under a commercial model... Since the scenic area is quite large, older people are advised to take the sightseeing bus. Younger people with enough time can rent bicycles, but only a small portion of the space is worth seeing!

Located on Kunlun Road in Hotan City, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Hotan Museum is a comprehensive national first-class museum integrating exhibitions, cultural education, and tourism. The museum covers a total area of ​​approximately 135,000 square meters, with a building area of ​​approximately 56,000 square meters. The exhibition areas include the Ancient Chinese Civilization Hall, the Hotan Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall, and the Folk Culture Exhibition Hall, showcasing a rich collection of ancient artifacts and artworks, serving as a window into understanding Hotan's history and culture.

In Hotan City, the buildings are in the traditional style of local ethnic minorities, but most of them are newly built or renovated. I went there in the morning, ignoring the time difference. Around 10:30, there were almost no businesses open. I entered from one side and came out from the other, mainly to look at the buildings. It is expected to be more lively at night. In such a large block, there is only one chef preparing ingredients for rice in the open air.

The presence of water gives the poplar forest its soul. The weather was great, perfect for taking photos – very satisfying! Instead of the 10-yuan-per-person shuttle bus, we opted for a 20-yuan-per-person horse-drawn carriage. The horses' hooves clattered, and we could take photos along the way – nice! Unfortunately, the carriage driver didn't speak our language, the road signs were unclear, and when we arrived at the drop-off point, they told us we only had 10 minutes! A bit confused, my first thought was that there were several stops, and they were giving us 10 minutes at each one? After taking photos at the viewing pavilion, the carriage was gone! After searching around and not finding it, we gave up and just followed the crowd! Later, we learned that both the carriages and the shuttle bus stopped at the food court, with only one boarding and one alighting point – not multiple stops as I had imagined (I didn't ride the shuttle bus, so I can't comment on the number of stops). There were also electric boats at the food court that could take you to the deer antler camp for a ride, but unfortunately, we couldn't agree among our companions and didn't take one – a pity! Although the horse-drawn carriage was still waiting for us there, I was worried about the ceiling the whole time, afraid it would leave before we got back, haha ​​😂. When we came out, I complained to the ticket window, "I came all this way, and you only give me 10 minutes for the carriage? What's the meaning of that?" I understand the carriage driver is in a hurry and wants to earn more money, but you can schedule the carriages, instead of having the same carriage for both ways. I don't know if they understood, but they didn't reply. Here's a panoramic view of the scenic area; only about a third is open now! In conclusion, the scenery is beautiful, but a reminder: if you're going to see a 3,000-year-old poplar forest 😀, don't expect every tree to have leaves 😛.