Jirigala

　　   In Tajik, "Jirigala" means "post station" in Chinese. Along the ancient Silk Road from the Tashkurgan Valley to the Mintaka Pass, there are the remains of six ancient post stations. One of the better-preserved ones is the Dabuda Post Station. This station is a stone structure about the size of a single room, with its door facing east. The lower part of the house is square-shaped, while the roof has a pointed arch. In one corner of the interior is a hearth built from stones, and the walls are covered with soot marks from years of fires. In front of the stone house lies a lush riverside meadow, perfect for visitors, merchants, and herders to let their horses graze or relax.