Hi all, I'm planning a trip to
Xinjiang this June. Have
anyone got any info about
Minfeng? How long does it
take to get to Minfeng from
Koria (Kuerle) ? (Thru Cross-
Desert Highway?) Thanks.
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Hello! Law,
Since it seems no one answers, I'll try to give you a little
help.
Last October I made the trip from Hotan to Kuqa through the
highway. Minfeng is a very little town with the only one
street. It is just a midway stop from Korla (Kuerle) to
Hotan. The buses on the highway are running at night, for
the reason you can imagine (the climate). I think it takes
one night and a half day to get Minfeng from Korla (Korla -
Luntai - the highway - Minfeng). You know the length of the
highway is 540 Km, from Luntai to Minfeng.
I am curious to know why you want to visit Minfeng. Its
Ughur name is Niya, famous for the ancient town Niya in the
desert 130 Km north of the new town. The ancient town (or
ruins) had been under sands for more than 1,000 years
untill Aurel Stein "discovered" it in January, 1901. To
reach the ruins visitors need at least one day by jeep and
two days camel-back.
Another important site near Minfeng is the Grand Mazar, or
mausoleum. It is said the buried saint is the fifth-
generation grandson of the Prophet Mohammed. This mazar
perhaps is the holiest one for the Ughur Muslims in south
Xinjiang. They believe that seven pilgrimages to this mazar
are equivalent to one Hadji, the pilgrimage to Mecca. This
mazar is about 100 Km north of Minfeng. Once again, it is
hard to reach there. Pilgrims trekked to the mazar every
August.
If you are going to those two sites, you'll need a local
travel agency (in Urumqi or Kashi) to arrange the trip.
Y. T.