Kashgar High Platform Vernacular Dwellings

Kashgar High Platform Vernacular Dwellings

The Kashgar High Platform Vernacular Dwellings are a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

The Uyghur people have lived here for generations in these High Platform Vernacular Dwellings, where houses are built along the cliffs. As each generation grows, an extra floor is added atop the previous one, resulting in a stacked complex of interconnected buildings. Most of these homes are made of earthen materials, though many newer ones are constructed with bricks. Amidst these randomly built multi-level structures and overhanging rooms, over 50 winding, crisscrossing, and uneven alleyways have formed. Without a local guide, outsiders are bound to get lost.

Located at the northeast end of the Kashgar Old City, the High Platform Vernacular Dwellings are now a Uyghur ethnic enclave. Built on a cliff, the area has nearly 600 households. Viewed from the more modern new part of Kashgar across the river, the old city sits noticeably higher. The high cliff has existed for two thousand years, and over a thousand years ago, Uyghur ancestors settled here. It is said that the Eastern Han Dynasty generals Ban Chao and Geng Gong once walked these grounds. By the mid-9th century during the Kara-Khanid Khanate, the royal palace was established on the northern side of this high cliff. Historically, the northern and southern slopes of the cliff were connected, but were later separated by a flood. The northern slope is now home to the old city’s Kara-Khanid royal palace ruins, while the southern slope is where the High Platform Vernacular Dwellings stand today. Known in Uyghur as “Kozichiyabishi,” meaning “High Cliff Pottery People,” the area has developed unique vernacular architecture over a millennium. The narrow, winding alleys feature overhead passageways, small lanes, and workshops at every turn, with countless earthen buildings. Today, there are over 640 households and 4,000 residents spread across 57,000 square meters. The site preserves centuries-old homes and mosques. The High Platform Vernacular Dwellings are hailed by both Chinese and international visitors as a “living Uyghur folk museum,” embodying the essence of Kashgar as a historic and cultural city in China. It serves not only as an ideal place to experience traditional Uyghur handicrafts but also as a showcase of Uyghur artistry in environmental beautification, carving, and painting.

The houses are built from mud and poplar wood. The wood, stripped of branches, is used directly—without planing or processing—to frame and support the roof, floors, and balconies. The entire neighborhood appears rickety and loosely constructed. Yet, it is said that the houses are quite sturdy, with many having stood for hundreds or even thousands of years.

A core aspect of Uyghur residential culture is the deep attachment to home and homeland. Generations of Uyghurs live together, and as families grow, additional rooms occupy parts of courtyards, with further expansions built upward along the walls—sometimes adding one or even two floors. The houses follow the contour of the hillside, and indoor-outdoor spatial arrangements are not constrained by symmetry, making optimal use of the terrain and space in a staggered fashion. Later, ingenious “overhead passageways” emerged, spanning streets and alleys from the second floor, allowing passage without obstructing pedestrians below or residents above. In addition to the common “overhead passageways,” there are also “half-street buildings” that occupy half the street width. Hidden deeper in the alleys are “cantilevered buildings” constructed right above intersection points, resembling watchtowers or blockhouses when viewed from afar. These unplanned, randomly built multi-level structures form the deep, winding, and uneven alleyways of the High Platform Vernacular Dwellings. Walking along any path in these alleys, you’ll find residential courtyards with gates opening outward along the walls, all double-doored and lined up one after another. Stepping into a courtyard, you’ll see various designs—some large, some small, situated at different elevations with diverse spatial uses. Upon entering any courtyard, the first thing you’ll notice are trees and flowers beloved by the Uyghur people: mulberry, fig, pomegranate, apricot, grape, rose, rosemary, and oleander. Fruit trees provide shade, creating a serene environment. Larger courtyards often have abundant grapevines forming shaded trellises, offering both fruit and a cool retreat in summer. Most courtyards feature a front porch with a heated earthen platform (kang), covered with straw mats, felt, or carpets. In the summer heat, people often prefer sleeping on the kang.

Uyghurs have a deep love for flowers and plants. When there’s no open ground for gardening, they plant flowers in pots and arrange them throughout courtyards or on upstairs terraces. Virtually every available space accommodates flowerpots. It’s no exaggeration to say flowers bloom everywhere in the High Platform area. This reflects the Uyghur people’s appreciation for beauty and flowers, especially among Uyghur women, who share a profound bond with floral beauty. Their lives and identity are intertwined with flowers—they wear flower-adorned hats, scarves, and dresses, using fresh blooms to decorate themselves and natural plants as cosmetics. Entering the residents’ living rooms and main spaces, one can admire the interior architecture and style. Bedrooms are relatively simple; Uyghurs prefer sleeping on heated earthen platforms (kangs), which often occupy half the room. Unlike northern Chinese kang beds, these are made of solid earthen bricks, flat and thick, covered with straw mats, felt, carpets, and cotton mattresses of the same size. Open wall cabinets neatly store bedding. Walls are adorned with carpets as decoration.

Uyghur homes exhibit a strong traditional architectural style, shaped by Kashgar’s unique environment, natural conditions, Islamic cultural influences, and centuries of evolution.

The High Platform Vernacular Dwellings have several distinctive features:

First, the layout of the residential courtyards is free and flexible. The arrangement of indoor and outdoor spaces is determined by practical needs rather than symmetry, making full use of the terrain and space. The dwellings here include single-story houses, two-story, three-story, and even seven-story buildings. Some structures have three floors on the cliff top and four below, accessible from either level. The owner’s ingenious design maximizes the terrain—three floors on the cliff top can be entered from above, while the four lower floors can be accessed from the third level or via interconnected staircases leading to any floor.

Second, the courtyards are highly enclosed. This design meets the needs of Uyghur family life while adapting to the local environment, providing shelter from wind and rain.

Third, the exteriors are simple yet varied. Uyghur buildings typically have minimal decorative molding on their outer walls, featuring clean and smooth surfaces. The main gates are usually double-doored, sturdy and dignified, often adorned with copper or iron trims engraved with patterns. Two large door knockers are hung for locking. The exterior walls along the street are made of adobe, coated with wheat-straw plaster, maintaining their appearance for decades or even centuries. Some are painted with white lime.

Fourth, the interior spaces are divided into the owners’ living quarters, reception areas, and rooms for children or extended family members. Instead of wooden beds, most residents sleep on heated earthen platforms (kangs), which occupy about half or two-thirds of the room. Unlike northern Chinese kang beds, these are solid earthen platforms. The walls feature open shelving units with multiple tiers for storing daily necessities. The reception area often includes Islamic-style decorative cabinetry with arched niches of varying sizes and layers, adorned with traditional Uyghur gypsum floral borders. Some niches are inlaid with intricate gypsum lattice patterns, displaying white floral designs against a blue background—striking artworks with distinct ethnic character. Homes and living rooms also display Hetian carpets. Larger courtyards often have verandas with columns carved with floral motifs, and the railings below are hand-turned by carpenters, featuring circular wooden bars of varying thicknesses and lengths. The verandas include heated earthen platforms covered with felt or carpets, and grape trellises extend over them, with vines climbing to the rooftop—creating a perfect spot for cooling off.

Fifth, the long history of the High Platform Vernacular Dwellings means some ancient homes are hundreds of years old, with certain residences passed down through seven or eight generations. The structure, roof, walls, doors, windows, and even colors remain largely unchanged. Each home tells the story of a family’s lineage, growth, prosperity, decline, and legacy. Many homes have been inhabited by seven or eight generations. Due to the Uyghurs’ strong sense of clan, the culture places great emphasis on attachment to family and homeland. Some larger courtyards house 10–20 rooms across multiple floors, with extended families sharing the space for generations—true four-generation households. After exploring the alleyways and understanding Uyghur residential culture, visitors can also discover an even older attraction: the primitive, handcrafted clay pottery workshops. About 17 or 18 ancient workshops still operate here. The Uyghur name for this area, “Kozichiyabishi,” means “High Cliff Pottery.” The unique vernacular architecture and ancient pottery workshops are the two most culturally and visually significant sites on the High Platform.

The cliff stands over 30 meters above the ground, offering a commanding view, fresh air, and protection from floods and storms. For over a thousand years, Uyghur ancestors settled here as early as a millennium ago, and over time, more Uyghurs came to build homes on the cliff. Using local soil, they mixed clay—specifically a fine, sticky type called “seggiz” by the Uyghurs, which is ideal for pottery. Around 800 years ago, a potter discovered this “seggiz” soil and built the first pottery workshop on the cliff. Soon, many other artisans followed suit. In the past, pottery products were deeply intertwined with Uyghur daily life. Essential items included mud bowls (“tawak”) for meals, clay basins for dough and food, earthen washbasins, water pitchers (“kup”), washing pots (“wuruk”), laundry tubs (“taisitek”), water buckets (“kuzha”), as well as oil lamps, candle holders, cradles, and even bird traps—all crafted from clay, totaling over a hundred varieties for all aspects of life. In those times, pottery played an indispensable role in Uyghur life, making invaluable contributions.

On the loess high cliff at the southeastern edge of the Kashgar Old City lies a Uyghur residential alleyway, known in Uyghur as “Kozichiyabishi Lane,” meaning “Clay Pottery on the High Cliff.” This high cliff, the highest point within the old city, stretches hundreds of meters and has existed for over two thousand years. It is said that the Eastern Han Dynasty generals Ban Chao and Geng Gong once walked here. By the mid-9th century during the Kara-Khanid Khanate, the royal palace was built on the northern side of the cliff. Originally, the northern and southern parts of the cliff were connected, but according to 94-year-old local potter Mamat Ashim, a massive flood from the Pamir Mountains centuries ago created a rift, separating the cliff into two disconnected slopes—the current north and south. The High Platform Vernacular Dwellings now stand on the southern slope.

The High Platform Vernacular Dwellings are home to 603 households and over 2,450 residents, all of whom are Uyghur. Visitors are expected to respect Uyghur customs and traditions.

The High Platform Vernacular Dwellings sit on rugged terrain with a dense network of crisscrossing, maze-like alleyways. Many of the century-old homes here are simple two- or three-story buildings, often with stairs lacking railings, and some structures are even dilapidated.

Address: Kozichiyabishi Lane, Yawag Street, Kashgar City

Phone: 0998-2832210