Gaochang Guxing stands in the Turpan Basin, a buried pearl on the Silk Road. The remaining city walls wind like a giant beast’s spine, and the rammed earth ruins shimmer with a solemn luster under the scorching sun. The Buddhist temple ruins, in a Kucha style, still reveal fragments of the vibrant colors of the Tang Dynasty, and the sound of camel bells and chanting seems to echo in the wind and sand. The core scenic area is based on the city ruins, with the remaining East Gate and South Gate walls, and the highest observation tower offers a panoramic view of the oasis. The temple ruins on the north side are particularly stunning, with scattered pottery shards and fragments of scrolls on the temple foundations, telling the story of this place being a center of Western Buddhism. The graveyard group on the west side showcases the unique funerary culture of Gaochang, with painted wooden coffins and wall paintings.
