Ban Chao Memorial Park

Ban Chao Memorial Park

The Panguo City in Kashgar was the site of the castle where the Eastern Han Dynasty general Ban Chao stationed for as long as 17 years. Located on the banks of the Tuman River in the southeastern suburbs of Kashgar, the castle is also known as "Aisika" City. It was the palace city of Shule, one of the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. In 73 AD, Ban Chao made Shule his base and established Panguo City as the headquarters for his operations in the Western Regions, where he defeated the Xiongnu forces and accomplished the grand mission of unifying the Western Regions.

Scenic Spot Distribution:

In the early 20th century, the Frenchman Paul Pelliot conducted an on-site survey of the Panguo City ruins. At that time, two sections of earthen city walls still remained—the northern wall was 287 meters long and the western wall was 205 meters long, with the wall base being about 7 meters thick. The overall layout of the city was approximately trapezoidal, covering a total area of nearly 20 acres. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, most of the ancient city ruins were occupied by factories and other facilities, leaving only a section of about 8 meters long and nearly 3 meters high of the old city wall. In 1994, to commemorate Ban Chao, a renowned statesman, military strategist, and diplomat of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the local government built the Panguo City on the original ruins, covering an area of 14.5 acres. The site centers around a statue of Ban Chao, with 36 statues of brave warriors symmetrically arranged along the spirit way, backed by a large semi-circular relief wall that is 36 meters long and 9 meters high. Facilities include a main gate, an ancient pavilion, a stone memorial archway, sections of the ancient city wall, and a beacon tower.