| Emin Minaret | Grand Mosque | Local girls |
At the southern foot of the tianshan Mountains, Turfan oasis, 260 feet below sea-level is hte lowest part and driest depression on the face of the earth. As early as 52 B.C., it has established as an important Silkroad passageway and garrison town by Han Dynasty.
Turfan has a rich ancient past. Many civilizations, cultures, and religions put down roots here. Under the strong Tang Dynasty ruled both China and Tarim Basin, Turfan enjoyed its golden age. After the fall of Tang in 790 A.D., it was invaded by Tibetans from the south. By the middle of the ninth century, a nomadic people from the Altai mountains, the Uighurs ruled Turfan for next few centuries. They managed to survive the Mongol terror by cooperating with the conquerors during the 13th century. The Islamic conversion took place at the end of the 14th century. All the Buddhist, Manichaean and Nestorian temples and monasteries were destroyed or abandoned. since then the entire reion became Muslim and has remained so to this day.
