TASHKORGAN: SMALL TAJIK TOWN IN OLD SILK ROAD

After around 7 to 8 hours journey by minibus from Kashgar via the most panoramic highway, Karakoram Highway (the modernized old Silk Road route), I finally arrived in the small town, named Tashkorgan. It is the southest town in China terittory bordered by Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Tashkorgan or the Han-Chinese called it, Tashiku'ergan, it is small town which inhabitant by mostly Tajik ethnic. Again, I feel like I am not in China teritorry when I am walking around the city and meeting some local people here. Only the Chinese characters written on most buildings remind me that I am still in China

Tashkorgan, small Tajik town in Chinese territory

Residences building in Tashkorgan mostly adopted Sovyet architecture

Due to its location is in between of the high mountain range, Tashkorgan has the coldest temperature during winter. The temperature could drop drastically up to 20 degree below zero.

A signboard in Tashkorgan, written in Uyghur, Chinese and Latin Alphabets

Tajik boys are coming home after the school

The Tajiks in Tashkorgan

The Chinese character, the only things remind me I am in China

A Tajik restaurant written in Chinese Characters

Guess, what is it??

Unlike in the rest of Xinjiang, in Tashkorgan, mostly are Tajik ethnics. The Tajiks are totally different from Uyghur. They are more related to the Iranian. The Tajik language is even close to Farsi language, unlike the Uyghur language which is rooted to Turkic language family.

Public school in Tashkorgan

An intersection in Tashkorgan

Homecoming!!

Panorama view around Tashkorgan

Tashkorgan City Centre

A tajik women dress up in Tajik traditional clothes

Although Tashkorgan is only small town in China, but it is well known worldwide by some travellers and backpackers who want to trace back the Old Silk Road. It is passed through the internasional highway between China and Pakistan.