Hotan 和田市

Setting and landscape

The city sits in the southwest of the Tarim Basin (塔里木盆地) on an alluvial plain built by two rivers: the Yurungkash (玉龙喀什河), which Chinese call the White Jade River, and the Karakash (喀拉喀什河). The desert lies to the north and the Kunlun Mountains (昆仑山脉) to the south, and the land falls from south to north at 1,300 to 1,450 metres above sea level. The climate is arid desert, with windblown dust on more than 220 days a year.

History

Hotan was the ancient kingdom of Yutian (于阗), counted among the earliest Buddhist states and a bridge by which Buddhist learning reached China from India. In 648 it became one of the Four Garrisons of Anxi (安西四镇) under Tang influence, and around 1006 the Kara-Khanid ruler Yusuf Qadir Khan conquered it, after which the oasis became Muslim. The monk Xuanzang (玄奘), who passed through in 644, recorded its carpets, felt and silk. The present city was carved out of Hotan County in September 1983.

What to see and buy

Hotan Tuancheng (和田团城) was once the run-down 'Pigeon Lane' (鸽子巷), a flower, bird and fish market. The city rebuilt it under a shanty-town renewal scheme while keeping the old street pattern, and People's Daily reports that the second phase added displays of naan bread, traditional instruments and dance. A Xinhua report singles out its 'aywan' (阿以旺) style of architecture.

Local pride rests on the 'three treasures of Hotan' (和田三宝): Hotan jade, Hotan carpets and Hotan silk, the last known in Uyghur as etles (艾提莱斯). The light-coloured jade is called 'mutton fat' jade; the carpets are hand-woven from local wool; and atlas silk, the tie-dyed fabric of traditional Uyghur women's dress, is still woven here, some of it by traditional methods.

Getting oriented

Urumqi (乌鲁木齐), the regional capital, is about 1,500 kilometres away to the northeast. National Highway 315 passes through, and Hotan Station is on the Kashgar–Hotan Railway (喀和铁路).

Highlights

• Hotan Tuancheng 和田团城: Rebuilt old 'Pigeon Lane' quarter, noted for its aywan-style architecture.
• Hotan jade 和田玉: Nephrite; white jade is recovered from the White Jade River's deposits, and the light-coloured grade is called 'mutton fat' jade.
• Hotan carpets 和田毯: Hand-woven from local wool, one of the city's 'three treasures'.
• Atlas silk 艾提莱斯: Tie-dyed silk used for traditional Uyghur women's clothing, still woven in Hotan.