Project Summary
The seminar traced portions of the two desert routes traders traversed during the Tang Dynasty known as the Northern and Southern Routes in the Taklamakan Desert. The trip began in Dunhuang, and followed the Northern Route to Kashgar and then traced a part of the Southern Route to Hetian. The cities of Kashgar and Dunhuang marked the two major trading towns on either rim of the Taklamakan Desert where the Northern and the Southern Silk Roads split as they edged around the vast desert in between. Major cities the group visited, in addition to the ones mentioned above, are Hami, Turfan, Jimsar, Korla and Kucha. Browse images from this seminar here.
Sites visited:
*The Yale Silk Road Database is an ongoing project; currently, some sites are not represented.
Shaanxi Historical Museum 陕西历史博物馆: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Beilin Bowuguan 碑林博物馆 (Shaanxi Provincial Museum): Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses 秦兵马俑博物馆: Xi'an, Shaanxi Province
Ningxia Museum 宁夏博物馆: Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Xixia (Tangut) Imperial Tombs (11th-13th centuries) 西夏王陵: near Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Helanshan贺兰山petroglyphs: Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Xumishan Caves (4th to 10th centuries) 须弥山石窟: Guyuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Guyuan Museum 固原博物馆: Guyuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
Maijishan Caves (4th to 10th centuries) 麦积山石窟: Tianshui City, Gansu Province
Binglingsi Caves (6th through 17th centuries) 炳灵寺石窟: Lanzhou Prefecture, Gansu Province
Haizangsi (1482) 海藏寺: Wuwei City, Gansu Province
Wen Miao (1437) 文庙 (Wuwei Museum): Wuwei City, Gansu Province
Leitai Han Tomb (2nd to 4th centuries) 雷台汉墓: Wuwei City, Gansu Province
Tiantishan (4th to 5th centuries) 天梯山: Wuwei City, Gansu Province
Dafosi (11th to 13th centuries) 大佛寺: Zhangye City, Gansu Province
Matisi 马蹄寺 (馬蹄寺) : Zhangye City, Gansu Province
Weijin liushiguo gumu (4th to 5th centuries) 魏晋六十国古墓
Jiuquan Museum 酒泉市博物馆: Jiuquan City, Gansu Province
Jiayuguan Fort (1372) 嘉峪关城楼: Jiayuguan Prefecture, Gansu Province
Mogao Caves (Dunhuang) 莫高石窟: Jiuquan City, Gansu Province
Hami Cultural Office Museum 哈密文物局: Hami, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Baiyanggou (7th to 10th centuries) 白杨沟佛寺遗址: Baiyanggou Village, Hami, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Turpan Museum 吐鲁番博物馆: Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Jiaohe Ancient City 交河古城: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Tuyugou (Tuyuq, Toyok) Caves (4th to 5th centuries) 吐峪沟石窟: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Shengjinkou Caves (7th to10th centuries) 胜金口石窟: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Gaochang Ancient City 高昌古城: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Asitana (Astana) Tombs (3rd to 8th centuries) 阿斯塔那墓群: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Bozikelike (Bezeklik) Caves (6th to 14th centuries) 柏孜克里克石窟: near Turpan, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Beiting Ancient City (8th to 10th centuries) 北庭古城: near Jimsar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Yanqi Ancient City (7th to 9th centuries) 焉耆古城: Yanqi country, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Kizil (Qizil) Caves (3rd to 5th centuries) 克孜尔千佛洞: Kucha, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Kumutula (Kumtura) Caves (5th to 11th centuries) 库木吐剌石窟: near Kucha, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Duldur-Aqur (6th to 9th centuries): near Kucha, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Senmusaimu (Simsim) Caves (3rd to 10th centuries) 森木赛姆石窟: Kucha Country, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Subashi Ancient City苏巴什古城: Kucha, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Silk Road Museum: Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Mor Pagoda (6th century) 莫尔佛塔: Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Sanxiandong Caves (2nd century) 三山洞: Kashgar, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Kumulabate (Kumlabat) Monastery (7th to 10th centuries) 库木拉巴特遗址: Moyu County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Khotan Cultural Museum 和田文博物馆: Hetian (Khotan), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Yotkan Ruins (3rd to 8th centuries) 约特干遗址: near Hetian (Khotan), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Mailikeawati (Melikawat) Ruins 买力克阿瓦提遗址: near Hetian (Khotan), Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Langru Ruins (4th to 10th centuries) 郎如遗址: Luopu County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Rewake (Rawak, Rewak) Stupa (7th century) 热瓦克佛塔: Luopu County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Akesipier (Aksipil) 阿克斯皮尔古城: Luopu County, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
Selection of Images
Binglingsi Caves, Lanzhou Prefecture, Gansu Province, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.
Jiayuguan Fort, Jiayuguan Prefecture, Gansu Province, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.
Emin Mosque, Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.
Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan. 
Jiaohe Ancient City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.Permission to publish any image from this collection in print or on the Web is granted at the discretion of the relevant copyright holder and requests may be forwarded to the Council on East Asian Studies, Yale University. Site technical questions and comments may be e-mailed to the Visual Resources Collection, Yale University.
Baisikou Shuangta (Baisikou Twin Pagoda Western Pagoda), Yinchuan City, Helan County, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.
Maijishan Caves, Tianshui, Gansu Province, Yale Silk Road Seminar 2006, © Mimi Hall Yiengpruksawan.