Jiaohe

2200 years ago Jiaohe, 10km/6mi west of Turpan, was the capital of the Cheshi kingdom. After the 10th C it declined rapidly, and in the 14th C was razed to the ground by Genghis Khan's armies.

The Jiaohe site (Jiaohe Yizhi) measures 1km/1100yd from north to south and 300m/330yd from east to west. Remains from the Tang period (618-907) include a number of roofless houses, a large but collapsed temple and several roads leading to a main street.

Remains of Buddhist statues can still be seen in the temple niches.