Niya Site: Ruins of Ancient Jingjue Kingdom

Niya Site is located in the southern edge of Taklimakan Desert, about 100 kilometers north of Minfeng County, Hotan, Xinjiang Autonomous Region, in the lower reaches of Niya River. With the Buddhist pagoda as the center, Niya Site extends 25 kilometers from north to south and 5 to 7 kilometers from east to west, and there are about 100 houses, yards, cemeteries, pagodas and other relics scattered.
In this long and narrow area, Buddhist temples, houses, cemeteries, farmland, forests, canals and smelting sites are scattered all over the place. From the remaining buildings and cultural relics, we can still feel the prosperity of the country.
 

Why visit Niya Site

Archaeological value: Niya site is one of the largest ancient cultural sites in Xinjiang, which is well-preserved and with great academic research value. Through the study of all kinds of relics and cultural relics in the site, archaeologists can deeply understand the architectural style, technology and agricultural production in Xinjiang during the Han and Jin Dynasties. For example, the exquisite silk unearthed, with its complex organizational structure, gorgeous colors and complicated patterns, showed superb textile skills at that time, and also reflected the close economic and cultural exchanges between Jingjue Country and the Central Plains.
 

Facts of Niya Site

The Niya Site, located in Minfeng County and Taklimakan Desert in Hotan area of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was the ancient site of the Jingjue Kingdom in the Han and Jin Dynasties. The national first-class cultural relic brocade armguard called Wu Xing Chu Dong Fang Li Zhong Guo unearthed here is regarded as one of the greatest discoveries in China archaeology in the 20th century.

There are fields, courtyards, cemeteries, Buddhist pagodas, ditches, pottery kilns and other sites in the Niya site, and various cultural relics such as coins, utensils and wooden slips have been unearthed. Cultural relics have witnessed the governance of the Central Plains Dynasty over the Western Regions, and confirmed the exchanges and exchanges between ethnic groups in Xinjiang and the Chinese cultural identity, which is the epitome of the pluralistic and integrated pattern of the Chinese nation.
 

About Jingjue Country

Jingjue Country of Han Dynasty was only a small country with more than 400 households and more than 3,000 people, but it was located at the crossroads of the Silk Road and played a decisive role. It was once prosperous in the south of the Silk Road. During the Han Dynasty, the Jingjue Country reached its peak by virtue of the Silk Road. However, after the 3rd century AD, this prosperous country suddenly disappeared, leaving only the ruins of Niya buried by the wind and sand.

How was Niya Site discovered?

With Taklimakan Desert in the north and Kunlun Mountains in the south, Jingjue Country depends on the water source of Niya River for survival. Jingjue Country accepted the jurisdiction of the Han Dynasty.
During the Han Dynasty, the Jingjue Country reached its peak by virtue of the Silk Road. However, after the 3rd century AD, this prosperous country suddenly disappeared, leaving only the ruins of Niya buried by the wind and sand. In 1901, when British explorer Stein secretly excavated cultural relics in Xinjiang, he accidentally discovered the ruins of this ancient city, and unearthed a large number of precious cultural relics such as wooden slips, Han bamboo slips and textiles. Stein's discovery shocked the world, and the Niya site entered the world archaeological field of vision.
 

What to See at Niya Site

At the Niya site, more than 1,000 pieces of Qulu language wooden slips have been unearthed, covering medical, religious, legal, trade, cultural and other aspects of social life. Medically, ancient Indian and ancient Greek medical technologies were spread here. Literally, the culture and art of ancient India and ancient Greece are deeply loved by some poets in the western regions. Religiously, the Jingjue Country is a key node in the spread of Buddhism to the east, and Buddhism has an important influence on the daily life of local people. In agriculture, local residents learned the techniques of farming, irrigation and sericulture reeling in the Central Plains. In business, there are many kinds of goods here, and trade is developed.

Best Time to Visit Niya Site

The best time to visit Niya Site is April to October, and April to May and September to October is most recommended to visit the Niya Site. During these time, the temperature is comfortable with lesser winds and sands. And if you plan to visit Niya Site in summer, please get prepared for the heat in the desert. To visit Niya Site, please check the weather forecast in Hotan in advance and prepare enough things.