Ruins of the Ancient City of Wushi'kate

Ruins of the Ancient City of Wushi'kate

The ruins of the ancient city of Wushi'kate are a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The ancient city of Wushi'kate means "Three-layered City" in Chinese. Located about 20 kilometers west of Xinhe County, it is a Han Dynasty site and believed to have been one of the major cities of the ancient Kingdom of Kucha. The city had three layers: an outer city, an inner city, and a central city. It was built with rammed earth, and while the outer city has been destroyed, the inner city remains relatively well-preserved. It measures 408 meters from east to west and 451 meters from north to south, with remaining walls that are 5 meters high and thick. The site once yielded a rare and valuable bronze seal with a reclining sheep knob and an inscription in intaglio reading "Han Governor of the Qiang."

Aksu, Xinjiang

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units