IFreeing.

Places, connected

Cities and places across Xinjiang

From the Tian Shan to the Tarim Basin, this regional view places the magazine’s cities and selected sites in context. City markers are approximate orientation points; peaks indicate summits, not heritage boundaries or entrances.

Xinjiang · China
Ürümqi Changji Karamay Turpan Hami Ili Bortala Altay Tacheng Bayingolin Aksu Kashgar Hotan Kizilsu Ürümqi Grand Bazaar Bogda Grape Valley Yar City Tomur Kizil Caves Jiya

Simplified physical geography · orientation only

These places remain in the list without map markers because the available coordinates do not identify a reliable point.

Natural Earth
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Hotan.

Hotan City is read through a process and a street. In Jiya Township, beside the Yurungkash, atlas silk is tied and dyed before weaving. In Tuan Cheng, residents live above shops that sell that cloth, naan and instruments. A reputation for jade is not a test of every stone.

Hotan

A weaver at a wooden loom, silk warp threads rising into the frame.

Dye before the loom

In Jiya, atlas means tie-dye: silk is bound and dyed, and only then woven, in houses and in factories.

Shops below

Since 2016, Tuan Cheng's aywan houses have kept residents upstairs and put atlas, naan and instruments at street level.

Hotan

Hotan

Jiya

Jiya Township in Hotan City, where atlas silk is bound and dyed before it is woven.

Hotan

Tuan Cheng

A Hotan City neighbourhood of aywan houses, residents above and shops below.
Photo credits and rights
  1. At a loom in Jiya: the dyed thread is already in the warp before the cloth appears.Zossolino · CC BY-SA 4.0 Photo source ↗ Rights information ↗