Gaotai Residence

"The Kite Runner" was filmed here. There is a scene where Hassan walks into the alley and is bullied. The high-rise houses have been slowly demolished, and fewer and fewer people live here. You can no longer see the scene in the movie where families stand on the rooftops to fly kites, because what you can see from the stands are the high-rise buildings rising from the ground in the city of Kashgar in the distance.

In winter, on a warm afternoon, the bleak north wind stopped, the reeds by the river were still, everything returned to silence, and the silence gave birth to warmth. This is how I felt when I first came to the Gaotai Residence in Kashgar. The Gaotai Residence is located on the edge of the old city of Kashgar, facing the East Lake Park. There is a Ferris wheel standing next to it, sighing in the cold wind. From a distance, the nearly thousand-year-old residence looks old and dilapidated, with traces of wind and sun everywhere, and the walls like broken wells and dilapidated walls are uneven. It is really "what can we do about the beautiful scenery, and who can enjoy the pleasant things in the yard", as if you are facing a 600-year-old man, living in a small house under the warm winter sun, lying on his side, looking down at the beam reflected by the camera lens. As it is undergoing repair, maintenance and renovation, you cannot go in now. I stood around and took a few photos. The houses made of earthen bricks stood alone in the cold wind, as if they could be blown away. They were not awe-inspiring at all, and there was absolutely no sense of incongruity.

Gaotai folk houses are built on a loess cliff more than 40 meters high and 800 meters long in the southeast of the old city. There are more than 600 households and more than 4,000 people living there. With each generation of the family population, a floor is added to the ancestral house, or it is extended to the surroundings. In this way, layer by layer, from generation to generation, a pattern of houses connected to houses and buildings connected to buildings has been formed, which has become a cultural relic protection unit where you can experience folk customs and feel the historical atmosphere.

This is the filming location of the Oscar-winning film "The Kite Runner". Most people who come here are probably looking for the

But what I saw at first glance was far from what I had imagined. The yellow and blue doors and window frames, as well as the colored glass, were long gone.

The pottery kiln we wanted to visit had already moved away, so we had no way to inquire about it.

The green lawn has become a construction site.

This is the only staircase leading to the residential area. We all symbolically walked up a few steps here. What day is it today? What will it be like when we meet again?

I just hope that one day this amazing residence can be prosperous again.

The high-rise houses at that time left a deep impression on me. Being in them was like being in the world of Aladdin in the Arabian fairy tale.

Now it is impossible to revisit the place. The small platform is closed and not open to the public. There are security guards on duty outside, and the engineering equipment and construction workers are reinforcing and renovating it inside. They said that no one lives here anymore and the residents have been resettled elsewhere. I walked around the dilapidated Gaotai residential area. There is no life except for the broken walls. I hope that after the renovation, it can be revitalized, but it will definitely not be the original Gaotai residential area.

This is the first time I felt that getting lost in the sunset is so intoxicating. This is an area that can make people lost in time and space at the same time. Walking through it, I never remember the way I came, or I don’t want to remember. I see a closed door at a certain turn. Every intersection seems familiar. I walk aimlessly. The flash of beauty in front of my eyes is the color of the Uyghur girl’s headscarf. When I look up again, I see my own shadow projected on the high loess wall. This seems to be the color, taste or style of Kashgar.

The Gaotai dwellings are like a microcosm of Kashgar. They enchant you with an exotic melody and disrupt your connection with the world in time and space. The pure colors and intoxicating spices, as well as the breath of the desert that is farther than the sea.

We crossed the park and came to the edge of the Gaotai residential area. There were signs of demolition all around... I took a picture of the house number. I wonder how much will be left of this place in the end?

Will it have the same fate as the old city? Be completely demolished and rebuilt?

We came to a kiln. There was a yard outside a house that specialized in selling pottery.

From here, the new civilization and the old civilization can be so close~

There is not much space left after the platform was demolished, and it doesn't take too much time to walk around. There are still some residents who stick around. I think they are sticking to their traditions. It doesn't matter whether it is right or wrong, it's just a choice.

I just hope that things like forced demolitions can happen as little as possible.

Compared to the outside areas, Gaotai Old Town is like another world, or like a black hole.

Being in it, it seems as if you forget who you are, forget the time, and forget everything.

Due to renovation, the original site of Gaotai Residence is no longer open to visitors

The fun of living in Gaotai Residence is getting lost in the maze-like alleys, and then suddenly finding your way around and seeing the light again.

It is impossible to guess the years they have gone through, only the mottled walls have drawn real tree rings for the houses here.

The phrase "It's hard to leave your hometown" has gradually disappeared over time, just like the old city...

Gaotai Residence is across from the east gate of Kashgar Old Town. It is under renovation and not open to tourists. But Master He said that there is no staff on duty before 9 o'clock and you can enter. It was just dawn when we entered the residence. It was basically an abandoned old city. The oppressive feeling made us feel creepy. The two little girls held hands and walked a short distance and then dared not go any further.

The residential area we visited has been abandoned, and many houses have collapsed, becoming a ruin, with desolate scenery. Facing this ruin, one can't help but wonder what it used to look like and where the former residents have gone now. In fact, every ruin has its glorious time, and today's broken walls also bear witness to the history of a region. After wandering around the residential area for a while, we came out. In fact, we didn't find a good angle. The best place to view the residential area is opposite the residential area, where you can see the whole picture of the residential area, which is very large. I don't know if there are still local people living in the place we didn't visit. I look forward to the renovation of the residential area to be opened as soon as possible. The road to the residential area is paved with two kinds of bricks. The rectangular bricks mean that the road is blocked, while the hexagonal bricks mean that the road is unobstructed and can move forward. I have to admire the ingenuity of the locals.

Gaotai Residence is located next to the ancient city of Kashgar, with convenient transportation. The area here is much smaller than that of the ancient city of Kashgar, so it is naturally easier to get around.

Compared with the commercialization of the ancient city, this place is indeed worthy of the meaning of residential houses. Walking through various alleys, you can immerse yourself in the more lifelike southern Xinjiang style. Some of the buildings here are not inferior to the scenery and magnificence of the buildings in the ancient city. Many details can make people feel the wisdom and creativity of the craftsmen. Passing through the residential courtyards that are still inhabited, you can reach an abandoned residential site. From here, you can climb up to the observation deck and look out. In the near distance are the ancient and well-arranged residential houses, and in the distance are the modern Kashgar city views and Kunlun Tower. The combination of ancient and modern, the combination of tradition and modernity, complement each other here.

Gaotai Dwellings are known as the "Living Folk Museum of the Uyghur Nationality" and are said to be the essence of Kashgar. The houses here are built along the cliffs, mostly earthen houses. After generations of expansion by the Uyghur people, they have formed a huge scale with houses connected to each other and buildings stacked one after another.

Today, some of the Gaotai residential houses have been renovated and have become clean and tidy, allowing tourists to enter for visits, and the business atmosphere is quite strong.

There is a folk saying that if you haven't been to Kashgar, you haven't been to Xinjiang, and if you haven't been to Gaotai Dwellings, you haven't been to Kashgar. Gaotai Dwellings were first formed 800 years ago when Kashgar was under the rule of the Karakhanid Dynasty. Most of the craftsmen of the dynasty were concentrated here. Since there were many earthenware artists, the Uyghur name of this place was called Kuoziqiyabeixi, which means "high cliff earthenware".

Gaotai Residences is known as the "Living Museum of the Uyghur Nationality". It is a Uyghur ethnic settlement built on a loess cliff more than 40 meters high and more than 800 meters long at the northeast end of the old city of Kashgar. It was originally connected to the old city of Kashgar. Hundreds of years ago, a sudden flood on the Pamir Plateau washed out a large ditch, separating it from the old city. The houses are built with mud and poplar wood. After the wood is debranched, it is not planed and processed, but directly used to build and support the roof, attic and balcony.

Although the area is not large, there were nearly 600 households living here at its peak. Houses are connected to houses, buildings are connected to buildings, and these randomly built buildings have formed more than 50 alleys that are interconnected, crisscrossed, winding, and up and down. If there is no local to lead the way, outsiders are likely to get lost. In fact, the bricks of these alleys are paved with particular care. Hexagonal brick roads mean "the road ahead is unobstructed", and rectangular brick roads mean "this road is blocked".

When I came to Kashgar in July 2021, the Gaotai residential buildings were still dilapidated and were being maintained and rebuilt. This time I came, they were basically rebuilt and no tickets were required for the time being. There was already a strong commercial atmosphere inside!

Gaotai Residence is a Uyghur ethnic settlement built on a loess cliff more than 40 meters high and more than 800 meters long at the northeast end of the old city. It has a history of 600 years. After repair, it is now much stronger. The old city residences are mostly made of earth, brick and wood, and the walls are made of Caohe mud. It is winding and complicated inside, and it is easy to get lost. Gaotai residences are built along the cliff. When the family population increases by one generation, a floor is added to the ancestral house. This place is known as the Uyghur B&B Museum.

The Gaotai Dwellings, also known as "Kuoziqiyabeishi", are located on an earthen platform of more than 40 meters to the east of the ancient city of Kashgar. It is currently in the process of being closed for reconstruction. The alleys and rooms are repeatedly connected together like in the Avanti animation, and it is famous for its earthenware workshops, but it has been completely closed, so here is just a brief introduction.



The overall feature of this place is that houses are stacked on top of each other, and as such, the structure of the houses has gradually become unstable. The gardens built by generations are beautiful but as fragile as glass, and are currently being restored and protected.

Gaotai dwellings, a legendary place, an ancient nation, and a rich history. With a dream for many years, I came to Kashgar and saw the Gaotai dwellings that I had dreamed of. I was shocked and proud of them. At present, all residents have been relocated, and some dwellings are being demolished, which makes me sad. I hope there is a way to preserve the national heritage...

There is a Uyghur alley on the loess cliff in the southeast of the old city of Kashgar. The Uyghur name is: Koziqiyabeixi Lane, which means earthenware on the cliff. This high cliff, which is hundreds of meters long and located at the highest point in the old city of Kashgar, has existed for more than two thousand years in history. In the middle of the ninth century AD, during the Kashgar Khanate, the royal palace was built on the north side of this high cliff. The south and north sides of the cliff were originally connected, divided into north and south ends. It is said that hundreds of years ago, a sudden mountain torrent from the Pamir Plateau washed out a large gap in the high cliff area, and since then, the north and south were cut off, divided into two independent high slopes. Now the high-rise residential buildings are built on the south slope.

Gaotai Residence is a 600-year-old Uyghur ethnic settlement in Kashgar, Xinjiang. It is a carrier of long-standing history and cultural heritage, and a major landscape in Kashgar that showcases ancient Uyghur residential architecture and folk customs. Gaotai Residence is not only an excellent place for Uyghur traditional handicrafts, but also a palace for Uyghur environmental beautification, sculpture and painting art. The current Gaotai Residence is being repaired, rebuilt and beautified. From a distance, it looks like a ruin of broken walls. Perhaps after the reconstruction is completed, we will be able to see an ancient vernacular building with ethnic charm and exotic style like the old city of Kashgar.

After more than two thousand years of ups and downs, this place is indeed in ruins!

It's a very old house, you can come and have a look.

I live within walking distance of the filming location of The Kite Runner. I think it is very unique. It is under renovation, but it is still good to feel the atmosphere. Anyway, I rarely see similar places in the inland.

Compared with the old city, the buildings of Gaotai residential buildings are more ancient, but due to collapse and other reasons, they are not allowed to be visited now. It is said that you can choose to visit in the morning when the police are not at work.

Gaotai Residences is an ancient aboriginal residence in Kashgar. Because they are very old and all made of mud, landslides often occur. When we arrived, tourists were not allowed to enter and a large area of repairs were being carried out.

The night scene of Gaotai residential buildings, East Lake Park in Kashgar, and the iconic sculpture "Pamir Eagle" in Tashkurgan County.

As the pulse of ancient Kashgar, Gaotai Residence is a must-see. The peculiar house structure is built on the cliff, one family next to another, and the roads in the area are crisscrossed, like a maze. Due to years of disrepair, the scenic area is currently not open to the public. The foundation reinforcement and exterior repair are underway. I sneaked into the city along the path next to the home of an old Uyghur lady who was cutting grass, but some of the dangerous houses inside were also demolished and rebuilt.

The sunset we encountered beside the Gaotai residential area and the most beautiful local children

The houses are made of mud and poplar wood. The wood is delimbed and not planed, but used directly to build and support the roof, attic and balcony. The whole block looks shaky and loose. But it is said that the houses here are very solid, and many of them have a history of hundreds or even thousands of years.

Unfortunately, since 2016, Gaotai Residence has been off-limits, police are guarding each intersection, and the surrounding buildings have been demolished. I only walked around Gaotai Residence to feel the long river of history.

There are two ancient cities in Kashgar. In addition to the one we are familiar with and has been renovated, there is also a "high-platform dwelling" that is currently off-limits.

The residential buildings on Gaotai have not been rebuilt yet, and from a distance they are indeed much more dilapidated than the old city of Kashgar, but that is why we want to take a closer look. It is like a fortress, high up in the air held by red soil, and of course the main gates cannot be walked through, so we had to go around the outer perimeter of the city and look for small paths.

Although the two cities are separated by only a road, the living conditions of the residents in Gaotai are obviously much worse. The walls are broken and the red bricks above the head seem to fall at any time. There are swarms of flies beside the ditch. We saw a mother squatting on the roadside with two children washing things. They smiled brightly when they saw the camera. Looking around, there were only three of them in the huge open space.

We climbed the steep slope into the city. It was said that many people had moved to the old city, and this place was waiting to be demolished, so we didn’t meet many people on the road. Even if we did, they would look at us with an expression of “Why are you here?”

From the several explanatory signs on the wall, we can see that there used to be many residents here who made pottery, iron, and carpentry. This is also true from China-TravelNote’s travel notes. Unfortunately, they all moved away. Some went to the old city of Kashgar, and we don’t know where the others went.

In fact, we walked in the city for about an hour, but when we went back to look at the photos, we found that we didn't take many. It seemed like a dying place, which made people feel sad and heavy as they walked, and they didn't have the energy to pick up the camera and press the shutter.

Gaotai Residences are located on a high loess cliff across the road from the east gate of Kashgar Old Town. It is said that this is where the Uyghurs have lived for generations. The houses were built along the cliff, generation after generation, with rooms connected to each other, and buildings connected to each other, layer upon layer, to form the current scale. Between these randomly built buildings, there are alleys that are connected in all directions and crisscrossed, like a huge maze, where you can get lost if you are not careful. Unfortunately, when we arrived, the Gaotai Residences were being demolished and renovated, and the original residents had basically all moved away, and it was not open to tourists.

This yellow earth dwelling, located opposite the east wall of the ancient city, stands majestically on a loess platform. It should be the most original dwelling in the urban area of Kashgar, and can be called the predecessor of the current Kashgar Ancient City. However, due to the long time of construction, many houses have collapsed. The repair plan has been launched, all residents in the city have been relocated, and tourists are no longer allowed to visit. It is estimated that in a few years, this will be another Kashgar Ancient City.

Gaotai residential buildings are very different from what I imagined. Tourists are not allowed to walk up to them. Since the residential buildings are built layer by layer and the walls are mainly made of bricks and soil, after hundreds of years of wind and rain, the walls of most houses here have cracked and are at great risk of collapse. It is said that the damage to Gaotai residential buildings has been accelerated due to the lack of timely maintenance and a large number of tourists visiting. Now the residential buildings are under renovation and maintenance, and visitors are not allowed. It is completely like a demolition site. I hope that the renovated Gaotai residential buildings can regain their former glory.

Not far from the old and new cities of Kashgar, there is a vacant lot with a group of simple buildings standing slightly above it. These are the "high-rise dwellings" with a long history in Kashgar. More than 2,000 years ago, the center of Kashgar was surrounded by these high-rise dwellings.



Most of the houses in Gaotai are two-story buildings, and some are three-story. Generally, the lowest floor is the bedroom, which is warm in winter and cool in summer, but the ventilation and lighting effects are poor. People prefer to move around in the second-story room. There is a half-height platform on the second floor, and some have pavilions and corridors built on it in the form of wooden structures.

Since we couldn't go in, we could only continue walking along the outer edge of the ancient city. Not far away, we found a family with only an old lady living there. The young people in the family had moved away, and she was reluctant to leave the place where she had lived all her life. Although the family conditions were very poor and the water and electricity were cut off, the inseparable feelings made the grandma choose to stay.

My companions found what is said to be the last earthenware workshop still in use in Gaotai. At its peak, fifty or sixty households in Gaotai made a living from earthenware. There is another legend about earthenware. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, when Ban Chao went on an expedition to the Western Regions, he set up a famous maze in Kashgar to repel the enemy. The props used in the maze were thousands of earthenware bowls.

Gaotai residential buildings are a major landscape in Kashgar that showcases the ancient Uyghur residential architecture and folk customs. The houses are relatively primitive. How should I put it? In fact, I feel that the experience is average. There will be very enthusiastic Uyghur women or children who will pull you into their homes to visit. There will be fruit plates and other decorations inside to cooperate with you to take photos, and then charge a certain fee. At the same time, they will also sell hats and handicrafts made by themselves. Of course, you will also meet some very simple families. I remember that we climbed up to the second floor of their house to visit. After coming out, we gave the children a lipstick as a gift. We were very happy.

Looking at the Gaotai residential buildings from afar, there was a security guard at the entrance who stopped us and said that they were under repair and suggested not to visit. We said we would go in and take a look and would not go far, so he let us go. The houses in the Gaotai residential buildings looked a bit shabby, they were all old houses, ordinary homes, and many of them had a small sign at the door, indicating that they were designated homes for visits. I forgot what it was written specifically. We passed by an old lady's house, which was shabby, dark and damp. The old lady said that everyone in her family had gone out to work, and she was the only one living here. She also allowed us to visit the second floor of her house.

Anyway, without a roof...it really is considered a dangerous building.

It's closed for renovation, so I can only see it from a distance. I think it must be great 😄

Going out of the east gate of Kashgar Old City, the dilapidated houses in the distance are Gaotai dwellings, which were once the settlements of the Uyghur people for generations. With a history of 600 years, they can no longer withstand the pressure of the years. Now Gaotai dwellings are covered with wounds and in a dilapidated state.

When you enter the Gaotai dwellings, you can still see the simple and comfortable life of the Uyghur people in the past from the shadows of history.

Also serving as the filming location of "The Kite Runner", perhaps the sincerity of "For you, thousands and thousands of times" can no longer be found, but those who come here are left with empty thoughts.

The government is relocating residents here, and now it looks run-down and full of garbage.

I wonder what it will look like after the renovation? Another tourist bazaar?

Tourists are no longer allowed to enter the Gaotai residential area. You can only see it from a distance on the Tumen Bridge. It is said that no police on duty can enter before 7 a.m., but it is still dark outside at 7 a.m. in Xinjiang...

I don't know why it's not open to the public! I was chased out by the security guard (the security guard was very good and just said that I was not allowed to visit). I didn't get to see the authentic Uyghur residential area, which was a pity.

As soon as we arrived, we smelled a strange smell. Under the gray sky, the broken bricks and eaves looked extremely desolate. Gaotai folk houses are closed and not open to visitors. It is said that the houses are in disrepair and there is a risk of collapse. We are not allowed to enter, and there are police guarding the two main entrances. It seems that only a few people live in the folk houses. We can only walk around the folk houses. We found a family that inherits intangible cultural heritage. When we were curious, the old man on the roof waved to us. Although we couldn't speak the language, we still went in. The first floor is the living room. It was the first time I approached the Uyghurs' living room. The dark space and the mess of eating and living together. I climbed upstairs carefully with a small wooden ladder. It turned out to be an earthenware kiln. Although we just looked at it without consumption, the old man still saw us off devoutly. In daily life, men may work and women rest, but I can't see their anxiety about life. Gaotai folk houses, like many ancient villages, are very interesting to tourists. They think they are unique, different, and charming. They linger, sigh, and praise them, but the young people living there are fleeing. The young and strong have left, and the old are reluctant to leave. There are still residents there, and people can visit and tour, but the dilapidated state has already begun to show. Will such a place disappear, and can it be better preserved and protected?

With the rise of the new Kashgar Old Town, Gaotai residents have moved to the new Kashgar Old Town. This closed and abandoned old town has become dilapidated, and many buildings have become dilapidated. However, during the day, some craftsmen who are reluctant to leave their hometown will return to their old homes to continue the traditional handicrafts passed down by their ancestors for thousands of years. Naughty children will follow their elderly grandmother back to the dilapidated home, playing around with curiosity, and looking at their grandmother sitting silently in front of the old house with a big red × painted on it with some confusion...

The buildings on the earth cliffs are staggered and stacked. The whole "castle" seems shaky and loose, but the houses are connected and the buildings are interlocked, and they are tightly embraced together. I can no longer guess their history, only the mottled walls draw the real rings of the houses here.

The phrase "it's hard to leave one's hometown" has, like the old city, gradually disappeared from the minds of the new generation of Gaotai residents as time goes by.

I am still amazed that there are still residents living on this high platform. They live and multiply here peacefully and stick to this magical land.

When I got to the entrance of Gaotai Residence, I found out that it was forbidden to visit. I heard that it was for maintenance. I don’t know when the door will be closed or open.

Opposite the old city is the Gaotai residential area. Now the Gaotai residential area has been sealed off and tourists are not allowed to enter. There are still a few families living inside. You can only look up at the residential area from the foot of the platform. A friend sneaked into the Gaotai residential area and took a few photos, but was still driven out by the police.

It is a more primitive Uighur settlement than the old city of Kashgar, and is basically built entirely of raw earth. Unfortunately, since most of the houses are already dilapidated, tourists have been banned from entering since last year. During the day, there are assistants guarding each entrance. The government is also persuading residents to move out as soon as possible. From a distance, the high-rise residential buildings are stacked layer by layer, crisscrossing, and have a sense of desolation and decay after experiencing the baptism of wind and rain.

Although my friend repeatedly emphasized that the buildings of Gaotai residential buildings are unsafe, and if you are caught sneaking in, you may be educated by the police uncle. I still couldn't resist the temptation of my friend and decided to get up early in the morning to find out. After all, this is the place closest to local life, and the residential buildings in the morning must be particularly quiet. I got up at 7:30 and took a taxi to the parking lot of Gaotai residential buildings before 8 o'clock. I walked up a slope next to it and entered the residential buildings. You can see the auxiliary police station at the bottom of the slope. It is said that they will go to work at 9 o'clock and stay until 10 o'clock in the evening. You can enter the residential buildings along the gentle slope. The buildings on both sides do look rougher and more dilapidated than those in the old city scenic area. They should not have been rebuilt. At first glance, it looks really old and shaky. If it is a rainy day, I don't think I dare to shuttle through it casually.

The place where the locals lived, because the houses had become dilapidated after many years, the government arranged new residences for them, and now no one lives there.

Gaotai Residence is just opposite the east gate of Kashgar Old City. It is built on a high platform on the edge of a cliff. It is now under renovation. It is rather dilapidated and not open to the public. There are staff guarding the entrance. If you want to visit, you need to go before the staff go to work. Although it is rather dilapidated, it is much quieter than the old city and worth visiting.

Gaotai Residences currently does not charge admission, but after entering, you will find that it is very dilapidated. There are not many people living there now, and there are few tourists.

It's a pity that the scenic spot is still closed in August 2018, but don't worry! Normal contestants can take a detour to the south of [Tuanjie Road] to see many details of the houses. Photographers can also take the Ferris wheel on Tuman Road, southwest of Gaotai House, to get a bird's-eye view~

It is only separated from the old town by a street. We didn't find the main entrance at first, so we walked up the dirty stairs next to it. As soon as we got up, we were driven out and told that we couldn't enter here. I asked why, and where could we enter? The answer was that we couldn't enter 24 hours a day, and he couldn't explain why because he didn't speak Chinese. It was really disappointing. We came from a long way, but we were not allowed to enter. I was stubborn and didn't give up so easily, so I walked along the outer wall to see if there were other paths to sneak in. There was indeed a way to sneak in, but the residents inside would notify the security guards that someone had entered. So, we could only look from the outside. The last female security guard we met, who knew some Chinese, told us the reason very kindly, but the reason was really far-fetched. She said: The houses inside have been in disrepair for a long time, and they were afraid that some houses would collapse and tourists would be in danger. Waht? But there are obviously many residents living inside.

Coming out of the Grand Bazaar, across the river is the high-rise residential area.

It is not allowed to enter the Gaotai residential area now.

There are armed police guarding the intersections, and there are signs indicating that visitors are not allowed to visit due to upgrades.

We walked around the perimeter of Gaotai Residence and learned from a local that all the residents in Gaotai Residence are Uyghurs, and there have been several accidents. For the safety of tourists, they are no longer allowed to go in. It is understandable, but a bit regrettable.

Gaotai Residential Area is a slum area in Kashgar, and many buildings are already dilapidated. The most impressive thing here is visiting a famous local pottery artist. I remember seeing this sentence in "Legends of Kashgar": In Kashgar, family inheritance of skills is very important in Uyghur families. Whether it is making naan, grilling skewers, making knives or gourd painting and other skills, many of them are passed down in the family for more than three generations or even more. I came to the home of this pottery artist. Although the conditions were very difficult, I could read his persistence and kindness from the conversation with him.

The Xinjiang-style building complex is where Uyghur residents have lived for generations. As the family population gradually increased, each generation of residents would expand or add to the original houses. They did it without any rules and did it haphazardly, just making the best use of the terrain and space, making this area a maze of streets and alleys.

Of course, because many houses are built with raw earth and wood, they have fallen into disrepair over the years and have now become dangerous buildings. The state also began to demolish and renovate them a few years ago, and visitors are no longer allowed to enter the Gaotai houses.

There are still many families in Gaotai who have not moved out, and several of them are clay craftsmen who have inherited the craft for generations. It is such a pity to think that such a place is about to disappear.

This is the real old city. Many of the buildings are already dilapidated and many residents have moved away. Tourists are no longer allowed to enter. Some craftsmen are still staying inside. Have you seen the floor tiles inside? If it is a hexagon, it means that the road can be connected in all directions. If it is a rectangle, it means it is a dead end. It is really ancient wisdom. When this place is renovated, the real old city will no longer exist.

Standing outside the old city, it looks desolate and dilapidated. From a distance, there are no residents. When I approached, it was indeed closed to visitors. The houses here are very different from those in the old city. It must be the former slums.

It has a history of about 600 years. The Kashgar government has reinforced and renovated it many times while preserving its original appearance. Otherwise, it would be a bit scary to live in such a pure adobe house. There are not many residents in Gaotai Residence now, and it has evolved into a landscape that showcases the architecture and folk customs of the Uyghur people. In Gaotai Residence, almost all houses with open doors can be visited.

Looking at the half-demolished high-rise residential buildings and standing in front of the pile of ruins, I feel very complicated inside. History is passing away and new light is ahead. I don’t know whether this is good or bad. Perhaps we cannot judge the future from now, but I hope time will go slower and slower, so that this fleeting history can exist longer and longer.

Today, Gaotai residential houses are no longer open to tourists, but some residents still live in them, most of whom are native residents of Kashgar from generation to generation. If you pass by their door or stop by, they will definitely warmly invite you to sit in their home. It’s okay, just sit for a while. The hospitable Uyghur uncle handed me a freshly cut watermelon. Although we couldn’t even communicate in simple language, all the awkwardness was resolved when I took the watermelon.



Gaotai Residences, a place that carries the dream of living for generations, now many residents have moved to the modern high-rise buildings opposite, and only a few residents still live inside. You can't go in, and there are guards around to prevent tourists from climbing, so I can only ask about the daily life of Gaotai residents. It is said that many small crafts are well continued and preserved in it, blacksmiths, potters, carpenters... These are Gaotai residents who rely on their skills to support their entire families and stick to it.

During the renovation period, tourists are not allowed to enter, so I just took a few photos outside! To be honest, it is not an exaggeration to describe the surrounding area of Gaotai Residence as dirty and messy. Although there is a garbage collection truck, there is still so much garbage that it overflows and is all over the ground. I guess we are really pure tourists taking photos and checking in.

After asking the driver, I learned that you cannot enter the Gaotai residential area, but you can still walk around the outside. If you take the Ferris wheel in the central park, you can overlook the panoramic view.

Because the houses are built on the cliffs and have been in disrepair for a long time, there are many safety hazards. Tourists can only take a peek from the outside. Looking up from the outside, you can see that the houses are connected to each other, and the buildings are connected to each other, layer upon layer, and in the middle, there are alleys that are connected in all directions and crisscrossed, like a huge maze. Some people say that if there is no local to lead you, it is easy to get lost. We are not so lucky to experience the maze.

There is a suspension bridge next to the Gaotai Residence, connecting the ancient settlement and the rapidly developing prosperous world. Therefore, fewer and fewer people live in the Gaotai Residence. However, there are still nostalgic Uyghurs who are reluctant to leave. The old people in the alley sit and chat leisurely, the old man who makes pottery enthusiastically greets you in his unskilled Chinese to come in and appreciate his work, and the children laugh and play happily. Time seems to have stopped here, and everything is still the same; time seems to have traveled here, reproducing the details and scenes in "The Kite Runner". What is particularly strange is that although it is obviously shabby, you don't feel decadent. Even if it is gradually eliminated by time and development, it still maintains calmness and dignity, just like the pottery they fired.

Gaotai residential buildings are located in the northeast corner of the ancient city, facing the Ferris wheel. If you have enough time, you must find an angle to take a photo of the residential buildings and the Ferris wheel in one photo.

The houses are made of mud and poplar wood. The wood is delimbed and not planed, but used directly to build and support the roof, attic and balcony. The whole block looks shaky and loose. But it is said that the houses here are very solid, and many of them have a history of hundreds or even thousands of years.

The houses follow the mountain, making full use of the terrain and space, and are scattered in an orderly manner. They are not bound by symmetry at all. They reveal the liveliness and freedom of the national soul. The clever "overpass building" is similar to that in Hong Kong. I guess Hong Kong's design is inspired by here. It is directly connected to the houses across the street without affecting pedestrians on the narrow road. The "half-street building" that occupies half of the street. The "hanging building" at the intersection. These seemingly unplanned and randomly built buildings make the residential alleys twisted and zigzag, up and down. I came early, and many places in the alley were empty, for fear of getting lost and unable to get out.



As the family population increases, they build a new floor on top of the ancestral house. This way, one generation after another, the houses are connected to each other, and the floors are stacked one after another. Most of these houses are made of mud, but there are also many newly built brick houses. Why haven't people thought of adding a few floors to the courtyard houses in Beijing? But several generations have been crowded in a house of a few square meters or dozens of square meters. Or they split up and built or bought a new courtyard and lived independently. Uyghurs still like to live together as a family, helping each other and making life lively.

On the lawn not far away, painters from the mainland were sketching. Without entering the dwellings and understanding the culture here, simply depicting the appearance of the dwellings cannot reflect the unique spirit of this nation. Looking at the Gaotai dwellings from afar, this unique place, which has been upgraded to a national 5A-level scenic spot, is a place where the soul of the nation rests.

No one is allowed to enter. There are guards at the door. The entrance is also blocked. I can only take pictures from the outside. I feel the vicissitudes and dilapidation.

Again, this is a unique place that can be viewed from a distance, but is also suitable for approaching and entering.

Opposite the Kashgar Grand Bazaar is the Gaotai Residence. You should not need to buy a ticket to enter here, but we did not go. The air quality and water quality here are not very good. The weather is still quite hot.

You can see it on the way from the old city of Kashgar to the Grand Bazaar. Because it was noon and the sun was scorching, I didn't go close and just looked at it from a distance. I heard that there are many traditional craftsmen inside. If you have time, you should go and see it, but I don't know if you are allowed to go in now.

The so-called Gaotai residential buildings are the only part of the southeast corner of the old city of Kashgar that has not been renovated. The overall style is not much different from the renovated old city of Kashgar, but many of them have become dangerous buildings. During the day, there are security guards at various intersections to prevent visitors from entering. But I found that at least before 10 a.m. (there is a two-hour time difference between Kashgar and the mainland) there is no one guarding before the official start of work, and you can enter and exit freely. I went in and took a brief observation. It was very dilapidated and the environmental sanitation was even worse. Personally, I suggest that visiting the old city should focus on visiting the renovated old city, and stop at the Gaotai residential buildings.

After 2000 years of ups and downs, it still stands tall and waits for a new look!

It is a Uyghur settlement area. The high-rise houses are being demolished, and the outer part has collapsed, which shows the vicissitudes of life here.

Laofuzi: "More than a thousand years of past events·Arab history has a long history 3⃣️" - Xinjiang Kashgar Gaotai folk houses 16·9·29 "Imperial Street·Empty niches" The houses are connected and simply built. The palace is in the breeze. Kuziqiyabeishikong, with a heavy cultural atmosphere. Layer upon layer, alleys and alleys, the remaining footprints of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Simple and rainproof. Red clay cellar, alleys. The dynasty is bright and the pattern is tilted, and the sound of the lonely string is familiar. Hundreds of meters of land, the bends are still there, and the mud river pavilions are green! April 15th of the Wuxu Year

In the northeast of the old city of Kashgar there is an area of older streets and high-rise houses.



It is located on a 40-meter-high loess cliff. The houses are stacked up and down, and the alleys are crisscrossed and deep, leading to all directions. The Uyghur residents once lived here for generations, and the centuries-old houses and mosques are preserved.



Unfortunately, when we arrived, non-residents were prohibited from entering the Gaotai residential area because the houses were in disrepair and in danger of collapse.



Looking from afar, the rammed earth dwellings on the high slope are already dilapidated. The collapsed old houses and collapsed walls are full of traces of time and look desolate and depressed.



Thinking of the history of this nation being forced to leave its homeland and wander around, the melody of "Tilekuyi" seemed to ring in my ears, sad, rapid, and striking at my soul.

It is very recognizable. Among a circle of concrete brick houses, you can see its earthen walls standing on a high foundation at a glance. There are crushed straws in the thick earthen walls, and I have obsessive-compulsive disorder and want to dig them out... There are no routes or signs in the houses.

The Gaotai dwellings, which have a history of more than 2,000 years, are ancient and mysterious.

Have the opportunity to see the most primitive Uyghur people, talk to them cordially, and see the ancient houses.

When I went there, it was during the 19th National Day. It was said that the interior was under renovation. There were inspectors at each entrance and exit to prevent tourists from entering. I walked around the periphery and saw many children playing in the fields. I believe the interior must be more exotic and mysterious, full of the sense of the movie "The Kite Runner"~

It embodies human civilization and wisdom, and is the most representative of traditional handicrafts and history.

It is actually a traditional Uyghur settlement. All residents are Uyghurs. It is said that they have lived here since the Eastern Han Dynasty. The houses are rather dilapidated and are being renovated. I took a look around and it is quite unique.