Overview
The Zhang Qian Silk Road Cultural Scenic Area is located on the east side of Shule County, connecting National Highway 315 in the south, Kunbas Road in the west, and Jianshe East Road in the north. It was built to commemorate Zhang Qian's historic mission to the Western Regions.
Shule County is located in southwestern Xinjiang and northwestern Kashgar Prefecture, in the middle part of the Kashgar Oasis on the western edge of the Tarim Basin. It enjoys convenient transportation and is an important part of the integrated development of the Kashgar metropolitan circle. The county covers 2,102.55 square kilometers, governs 3 towns, 12 townships, 228 villages, 21 communities, and 2 farms, with a permanent population of 400,000. Multiple ethnic groups live here harmoniously, with the Uyghur population as the main body. Known as the "Golden Corridor", the county is crossed by G3012 Expressway, National Highway G315, and provincial roads S214, S310, and S311, making it a key route from Kashgar to Hotan, Ali in Tibet, and the southern counties of Kashgar.
Shule County has a temperate continental arid climate. According to data from 1990 to 2018, the highest temperature reached 39.6C and the lowest was -25.2C, with an annual average of 12.0C. There is a clear distinction between winter and summer, and day-night temperature differences are large. January is the coldest month and July the hottest. Average annual rainfall is 72.2mm, mainly from July to September, while evaporation is 2537.8mm. The frost-free period averages 212 days and sunshine totals 2870.6 hours per year.
The historical background of the Zhang Qian Silk Road Cultural Scenic Area in Shule County is closely related to Zhang Qian himself.
Zhang Qian was a diplomat and explorer of the Western Han Dynasty, famous for opening the route to the Western Regions and pioneering the Silk Road. In 138 BC, he was sent by Emperor Wu of Han to the Western Regions to seek an alliance with the Yuezhi against the Xiongnu. Although his original mission was not fully achieved, his journey opened exchanges between the Han Dynasty and the states of the Western Regions and promoted East-West cultural communication.
Shule County, located in Kashgar Prefecture of Xinjiang, was once the site of the ancient Shule Kingdom, one of the thirty-six states of the Western Regions. It has a recorded history of more than 2,000 years. Zhang Qian once arrived here during his journey, and Zhang Qian Park was built in memory of this historic achievement. The county also has many ancient ruins and tombs and has long been an important transport hub on the Silk Road.
