Atlas of China
Shikshin Temple 七个星佛寺遗址Qīgèxīng Fósì Yízhǐ
4A scenic area · National heritage site · Bayingolin, Xinjiang
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Days to budget
- Half a day
- City
- Bayingolin
- Region
- Xinjiang
- Type
- Heritage
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
About Shikshin Temple
The largest Buddhist site of the ancient kingdom of Karasahr (Yanqi), founded in the Jin period and abandoned only when Islam reached the area around the 15th century. The mud-brick remains of 93 buildings, including temple halls up to about 25 m across, stupas and monks' cells, spread over a ridge beside 11 cave shrines with traces of painting, making it the only site in Xinjiang that keeps stupas, halls, caves and living quarters together. Sculptures and murals removed by early-20th-century expeditions are now in museums in Berlin, London, Paris, Tokyo and elsewhere, and a site museum stands by the ruins.
How to get to Shikshin Temple
In Qigexing town about 25 km south-west of Yanqi, and about 35 km by road from Korla.
Nearby
Also within 20 km: Bogedaqin Ancient City 博格达沁古城 (10 km).
On the map
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