Suyab City

Suyab City

Suyab City, also known as Suche City or Suche River City, derived its name from its proximity to the Suche River. Its ancient ruins are located in Ak-Beshim, 8 kilometers southwest of Tokmok, Kyrgyzstan. Suyab was once one of the "Four Garrisons of Anxi" established by the Tang Dynasty to govern the Western Regions, and the claim that the poetic genius Li Bai was born here adds an even more intimate connection to this historic site.

Tokmok has a long history and, according to records, was part of Chinese territory since the Han Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, it was called Suyab, where the great poet Li Bai lived until the age of five before leaving the city. In 640 AD, the Tang Dynasty established the Anxi Protectorate, overseeing the Four Garrisons of Anxi (Kucha, Shule, Yutian, and Suyab), making Suyab the farthest westward garrison city under military control by successive Chinese dynasties. It remained so until the signing of the Treaty of Ili during the Qing Dynasty, after which the city was ceded to Tsarist Russia. The ruins of this ancient city are now located south of Tokmok. After more than 1,000 years of wind erosion, sand blasting, and rainwater scouring, this Tang-era city has eroded into a massive earthen mound. Climbing onto the overgrown ruins allows visitors to clearly see remnants of the 26-kilometer-long city walls built by Tang Dynasty troops.