Mahmud Kashagari 's tomb is located about
45 km southwest of Kashgar. The area is a wooded, tranquil
place against the backdrop of the Karakoram Mountains.
His tomb has existed for 900 years, and as it was renovated
in 1985, the buildings are in quite good condition.
Newly built next to the tomb is a small Mosque where
Muslim travelers and local villagers can pray. Attached
to the north side of the tomb is a small museum with
an exhibition covering Kashagari's lifetime and scholarly
works. Also near the tomb is a small spring next to
a huge, ancient poplar tree. The area is a nice spot
to stop for an half-day trip. Also, if you are going
to places further along the highway like Karakuri Lake,
this is a good place to stop on the way back.
Mahmud Kashagari was a famous 11th Century
Uigur scholar and linguist. Through a long period of
research, he wrote a Dictionary of the Turkish Language
in Arabic, which recorded lots of information about
the culture and language of Central Asian peoples.
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