The Dandan Oilik Ruins

　　   Guide         The Dandan Oilik Ruins are located in the desert about 90 kilometers north of Damagou Township, Cele County, Hotan, and are highly renowned with a strong air of mystery. They are a coveted destination for cultural relic researchers and adventure travelers, and have been designated as a national-level cultural heritage protection site.    Introduction        In terms of building materials, the remaining walls and temple towers were constructed from sun-dried mud bricks, some of which also incorporated fired bricks. Houses were built using poplar wood, with walls made of woven reeds — tightly bundled reeds tied onto sticks, then coated with a layer of wall plaster mixed with straw. Both the interior and exterior of the walls were whitewashed before beautiful murals were painted on them. The site has yielded artifacts such as Buddha statues, murals, pottery, ancient scripts, and gardens consisting of rows of poplars, apricot trees, and plum trees.

　　      The surrounding area features continuous, towering sand dunes, while the ruins themselves lie in a relatively low-lying zone dotted with dead poplar trunks. Judging by the location of the ruins, they may have been an oasis at the far end of the Damagou water system or one formed by a branch of the Keriya River. Analysis of unearthed relics suggests that the ruins likely date back to the Han to Tang dynasties, roughly contemporaneous with the Yotkan Ruins.      　  

　　        Hotan, Xinjiang