Hotan

Hotan (Khotan) is an ancient oasis city on the southern rim of the Taklamakan Desert in far southern Xinjiang, one of the great stops of the southern Silk Road. For over two millennia it has been renowned for its nephrite jade, gathered from the beds of the White Jade and Black Jade rivers, and for its silk, carpets and atlas textiles. A predominantly Uyghur city, it preserves famous bazaars, mulberry-lined roads and desert Buddhist ruins. A railway now links it around the desert to Kashgar. For an international student, Hotan offers deep Silk Road history, distinctive Uyghur craft culture and dramatic desert landscapes.