# Four Great Mazars of Ili (伊犁四大麻扎)

Ili, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region · Northwest, China · Guidebook rating: 3/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/four-great-mazars-of-ili
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Address:** Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
- **Getting there:** Charter a car from the county seat
- **Good for:** History & Culture

## About Four Great Mazars of Ili

The Qapqal Mazar, Hongnahai Mazar, Yining County Sultan Wais Khan Mazar and Huocheng County Tughluk Timur Khan Mazar are collectively known as the 'Four Great Mazars of Ili.'

## Tips from the guidebook

- 1. Tughluk Timur Khan Mazar: Located 15 km northeast of Huocheng County, this mazar was built in the Yuan dynasty and is the oldest Islamic building in Xinjiang. It is the tomb of Tughluk Timur, seventh-generation descendant of Genghis Khan and first khan of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate, and of his wife. One of his achievements was converting 160,000 of his Mongol subjects to Islam. The building covers 150 square metres and is 14 metres high. Its walls are decorated with geometric patterns of purple, white and blue glazed tiles, and the lintel bears the Arabic inscription 'The Light of Islam.'
- 2. Hongnahai Mazar: A historic building with Mongol cultural features, rebuilt in 1912. It holds the tomb of Saraj al-Din Yusuf Abibakri Saqaq, author of 'The Key to Knowledge.' He followed Genghis Khan on his western campaigns and earned outstanding military distinction. The mazar lies beside the Chinese–Kazakh border. The nearby Ang'erti Scenic Area is newly built and not yet widely developed, so the scenery remains unspoiled.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 865. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
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