Hongnuo Sea Mazha

Hongnuo Sea Mazha

Hongnuo Sea Mazha

Hongnuo Sea Mazha, at an elevation of 1400 meters, is one of the four most famous Mazha sites in the Ili region. It is located at the northern foot of Shanuohai Mountain in the southwestern part of Qapqal Xibe Autonomous County, at the confluence of the Hongnuo Sea River and the Baidet River. To the south are towering mountain ranges, while to the north lies the green oasis plains. The Mazha is situated within the Hongnuo Sea Valley, hence the name Hongnuo Sea Mazha. The site faces south and is divided into inner and outer courtyards, forming a rectangular shape that stretches from north to south, enclosed by earthen walls. In the southern part of the courtyard, there are numerous earthen mounds resembling a small cluster of tombs, while the north houses a separate, smaller courtyard. This smaller courtyard is square-shaped, covering an area of about 300 square meters, with walls approximately 1.7 meters high. At the center of the courtyard stands the main tomb structure, which features a unique design resembling a pavilion when viewed from afar. It consists of four sloping tiers and four slanted ridges, lacking a central ridge but topped with a lotus-shaped glazed tile roof. The four sloping roofs are all inlaid with glazed tiles, and the four slanted ridges are made of bluish-gray carved bricks decorated with exquisite floral patterns such as sunflowers. The building has a brick-and-wood structure, with a domed ceiling in the style of a Mongolian yurt. Inside is the burial mound. The total area is 1000 square meters. The construction date of the tomb is unknown. There are two theories about the identity of the person buried here: one suggests it is the tomb of Erājuddīn Abū Yaḥyā Yūsuf ibn Abī Bakr al-Sakkākī (1100–1228), while another claims it is the resting place of the Uyghur poet Abū Yaʿqūb Aḥmad al-Sakkākī (1393–1449). The Mazha is well-preserved and quite renowned, but as it is the tomb of a Uyghur figure, local customs prohibit outsiders and tourists from entering.