Kuqa travel guide
库车
Ancient Kucha was founded in the early 2nd century BC and was once one of the most important states in the Western Regions. It rose and fell several times before being annexed in 860. Kuqa was the capital of Kucha,…
6 places · In the guidebook: pages 880–887
Kuqa, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region · AI illustration for China Trip
The feel of the place
- Ancient Kingdom of Kucha
- Ancient Kucha was founded in the early 2nd century BC and was once one of the most important states in the Western Regions. It rose and fell several times before being annexed in 860. Kuqa was the capital of Kucha, and Kucha music and dance is perhaps the most brilliant legacy left by the ancient kingdom. Today, Kuqa is best known for its white apricots and Kuqa waist knives.
- Kumarajiva
- Kumarajiva was an eminent monk of the Later Qin during the Sixteen Kingdoms period. Together with Paramartha of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and Xuanzang and Amoghavajra of the Tang Dynasty, he is known as one of China's four great Buddhist translators. His father was the national preceptor of Kucha, and his mother was the younger sister of the King of Kucha. He entered the monkhood at the age of seven, later studied under famous teachers and travelled widely across southern Xinjiang. He followed Lü Guang of the Later Liang to Chang'an. After the Later Qin destroyed the Later Liang, the Later Qin ruler, a devout Buddhist, provided Kumarajiva with the best conditions and 800 assistants and disciples, launching the first large-scale translation of scriptures in Chinese history. He translated 74 sutras, including the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra, the Vajracchedika Prajnaparamita Sutra and the Lotus Sutra, laying the foundations for the development of Buddhism in the Central Plains. After his death, he was buried at Caotang Temple in Chang'an.
Working Hours
Office hours for Kuqa City's government departments: 10:00–14:00 and 16:00–20:00, Beijing Time.
Transport
Because Kuqa is not the prefectural capital, most vehicles run from Aksu or Korla and pass through Kuqa. You can wait at the long-distance bus station for a passing bus, which will usually pick up passengers when someone along the way gets off. There are more buses to Aksu or Korla.
Things to see
In ancient times, the Kucha region was not only the political, economic and Buddhist centre of the Western Regions, but also an outstanding representative of the region’s music and dance. Xuanzang’s “The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions” describes the Qiuci Kingdom (屈支国) as skilled in “music and strings, surpassing all other kingdoms.” The development and spread of Kucha music and dance not only had a major influence on music, dance, acrobatics and theatre in ancient Central China, especially during the Sui and Tang dynasties, but also won fame in Japan, India, Arabia and other countries. Su Jiipo (苏祗婆), the renowned musician of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, was a native of Kucha, and his celebrated composition, the “Pipa Melody” (琵琶曲), was designated as court banquet music during the Tang dynasty.
Kuqa Grand Mosque
The Kuqa Grand Mosque is said to have been founded in the 16th century, when a leader of Islam in Xinjiang travelled from Kashgar to Kuqa to preach. The complex comprises a prayer hall, a minaret and the Moon-Watching Tower, and it features a rich Uyghur architectural style, with space for several thousand worshippers. Climb the minaret for a view over the whole city. The carvings, murals and calligraphy inside the prayer hall are exquisitely elaborate.
1–2 hours · ¥15
Kuqa Palace
Kuqa, known in ancient times as Qiuci, was a key hub on the Silk Road and the political, economic and cultural centre of the ancient Western Regions. This glorious history has left Kuqa with many precious ancient sites and exquisite cultural relics. Kuqa Palace was first built in 1759. Twelve Kuqa kings, all enfeoffed by the Qing government, lived here in succession, and its architecture blends Uyghur, Han and other ethnic cultural characteristics. The palace was home to the last prince and princess in China. Sadly, the old prince has passed away, but the princess still lives in the palace. In many ways, Kuqa Palace is a microcosm of Qiuci culture. Here you can appreciate the profound depth of that culture, learn about the rise and fall of the Kuqa royal family, and trace the socio-economic development of Kuqa.
2 hours · ¥55
Big and Small Dragon Lakes
The Big and Small Dragon Lakes lie about 120 kilometres north-northeast of Kuqa Station. The Big Dragon Lake is an alpine lake formed from Tianshan snowmelt. Its broad waters are crystal clear, like a mirror. Surrounded by mountains, with snow-capped peaks, spruce-clad slopes and green meadows dotted with herds of cattle and sheep, it is breathtaking. Legend has it that the Queen Mother of the West once bathed here. Four kilometres away is the Small Dragon Lake, which sparkles like a flawless gemstone and echoes its larger sibling. The two lakes are famed for their scenic beauty. When summer arrives and gentle rain falls, the green spruces and grasses on the hillsides, set against the snowy peaks, form layer upon layer of beauty that refreshes the spirit and makes you linger.
0.5–2 hours · ¥20
Kucha (Qiuci) Ancient City Ruins
The ancient Qiuci Kingdom was the political centre of the Western Regions and a vital waypoint on the Silk Road, linking East and West. Today, a millennium of history has washed away the city's former splendour, leaving behind a desolate, faintly recognisable ruin. Only three walls of the old city can still be made out; the west wall has vanished entirely.
0.5–1 hour
Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon
The Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon is known as one of the ten most beautiful canyons in China. Located in Aiyi Township (阿艾乡), Kuqa City, on the southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang, it is made up of huge red-brown rock formations, which local people call “Kezier Ya,” meaning “red cliff” in Uyghur. Although the canyon lies in arid inland terrain covered in fine sand, clear springs gurgle through it, their waters flowing in and out of sight, a true marvel. On a cliff about 1.4 kilometres from the canyon mouth, a deep cave has been found; its walls bear remnants of murals and Chinese characters, adding a sense of mystery to the canyon.
2–3 hours · ¥45
Getting there & around
Getting There and Away
Kuqa belongs to Aksu Prefecture. Aksu is the prefectural capital and has good transport links, but most of the sights are concentrated around Kuqa, so this section covers only transport to and within Kuqa.
Air
Flights currently operate to Urumqi, Korla, Xi’an and Chengdu, but schedules are not fixed.
Rail
The Southern Xinjiang Railway has a Kuqa station, but as an intermediate stop, Kuqa has no trains originating here.
Road
Kuqa is 751 km north of Urumqi, 280 km east of Korla, 258 km west of Aksu and 921 km from Yining.
Getting Around
Local buses include Routes 10, 8, 6 and 5, which pass the railway station and the long-distance bus station. Kuqa is divided into the Old Town and the New Town. The Old Town has more local character and is home to a large Uyghur community; horse carts within the area charge ¥1 per person. City taxis start at ¥5. If you want to hire a car for sightseeing, the price is negotiable.
Kuqa Airport
Air- Phone:
- 0997-7772999
Kuqa Long-Distance Bus Station
Kuqa Long-Distance Bus Station- Address:
- Tianshan Road
- Phone:
- 0997-7122379
Where to stay
If you want to save money, there are many guesthouses (招待所) on the streets, charging ¥50–100 per bed.
Kuqa Hotel
Kuqa Hotel- Address:
- No. 266 Middle Tianshan Road, Kuqa City
- Phone:
- 0997-7999999
Shopping
Hami’s melons, Turpan’s grapes and Kuqa’s apricots are regarded by Xinjiang people as the “immortal fruits,” and Kuqa’s most famous is the white apricot. Smaller than other apricots, with yellowish-white flesh, it is praised as “Kuqa white apricots taste sweeter than honey” (库车白杏赛蜜糖). Apricot season runs from June to July. Even if you miss the honey-sweet white apricots, you can still enjoy delicious dried apricots and fragrant apricot kernels. Dried apricots and kernels are the most characteristic Xinjiang specialties, and you will find them from different places at every bazaar in southern Xinjiang, but Kuqa’s apricots are not to be missed.
Apricot Gardens
Whether it is apricot season, the time of green apricots, or simply sitting beneath a blazing pomegranate tree, Kuqa people call it “apricot garden” (杏园子). Kuqa’s apricot gardens are a great place to sing, dance and eat hand-grabbed mutton (手抓肉). In Kuqa, apricot season is also known as “the season of love,” and it is said that far more couples marry during this time than usual.
Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 880–887. Translated from the Chinese edition; names and prices follow the guidebook. · Plain text version