Desert Clay Art Museum

Desert Clay Art Museum

The Desert Clay Art Museum is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Introduction The Desert Clay Art Museum greets a constant flow of visitors from home and abroad with large sculptures including the "Ancient Castle on the Silk Road," "Kalakho," "Princess Iron Fan," "Tang Seng Preaching Scriptures," "Maitreya Buddha," and "Guanyin Hall." The scenic area comprises 20 attractions with quite rich content, covering everything from ancient myths and legends to ethnic customs and local scenery, all summarized and presented. It uses the great achievements of historical figures, Uyghur folk legends, and curious anecdotes from Turpan as its narrative thread. Through four types of clay art—religion, folklore, music and dance, and treasured artifacts—it vividly and comprehensively showcases the historical panorama of Turpan, a key city in the Western Regions.

Covering an area of 30,000 square meters, the Flame Mountain Desert Clay Art Museum is situated against mountains and near water, and is also close to National Highway 312, making it easily accessible and blessed with a beautiful natural environment. The park features tall Islamic-style buildings that are classic and uniquely charming. Passing through an elaborately patterned archway over 10 meters high, built from earthen bricks, you’ll be greeted by the Ten Thousand Buddhas Palace, which consists of three domed structures. In the central hall stands a seated Buddha, and a 10-meter-tall painted Buddha that is majestic and imposing. It was enlarged based on a finely sculpted red-clothed Buddha unearthed in Yanqi, and is the largest seated Buddha in Xinjiang.

The murals in the left and right halls are based on the frescoes of the Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves in Baicheng and the Bezeklik Grottoes in Turpan, respectively. Selected images have been restored and painted, especially lifelike depictions of the King and Queen of the Gaochang Uyghurs and their patrons, which are exquisitely beautiful.

Turpan, Xinjiang