CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Monday, October 5, 2020 | 11 TRAVEL

Uzbek Muslims pray in the Mausoleum of Imam al­Bukhari, a Persian Islamic scholar and theologian, near Samarkand, Uzbekistan. PHOTOS BY REN QI / CHINA DAILY A Silk Road pearl shines

Uzbekistan offers much more than a distinct blend of East and West

By REN QI in Tashkent, Uzbekistan for the first time in 1219. It was father of Babur, founder of the Dynasty. Before that, this area [email protected] rebuilt and profited from the Silk Mughal Empire, which then ruled served as a medieval bazaar that Road. almost all the Indian subcontinent. was, quite literally, a crossroads at The modern cities of Uzbekistan, An earthquake ruined Tashkent When you talk with any Uzbek the center of the world. a country steeped in history, sparkle again in 1966, but it was reborn about the undoubted hero of their Legend has it that, when Genghis under the bright sun like pearls scat­ again as a model Soviet city. Actual­ nation, you will feel the honor and Khan’s troops rampaged across Cen­ tered along the ancient Silk Road ly, Tashkent became the fourth­larg­ respect in their hearts. You’ll see his tral Asia during his exploits toward thousands of years ago. est city in the Soviet Union at the face on everything from hotel­lobby Europe, the towering minaret that Braving the blistering sun and time, after Moscow, Leningrad and paintings and banknotes to candy keeps watch over the Kalon Mosque sandblasting winds, Chinese traders Kiev. packages. complex in Bukhara was the only began arriving in the city of Bukhara Consequently, you’ll find a A 30­minute walk in the Amir structure he didn’t destroy. during the Han Dynasty (206 charming mishmash of restored Timur Museum in the capital’s The moving mosque and med­ BC­AD 220). Some stayed, while 12th­century mosques and classical downtown helps you learn more ressa complex in the ancient Silk others carried on along the Silk Soviet architecture alongside blocky about the country. Road city is one of the world’s most­ Road to explore new markets. Brutalist buildings and statues of spectacular examples of Islamic art Known as a “shining pearl of the workers with bulging biceps. Late Paleolithic Era and architecture, with fine tiling Silk Road”, Uzbekistan’s fifth­largest The city’s heritage sites include Samarkand is another city of and mosaics, and two facades facing city is more than 2,500 years old. the Oq­Tepa District, the Mausole­ wonder. Located in southeastern each other accompanied by the Back when the ancient trading um of Abubakr Mukhammed Kaffal Uzbekistan, it’s one of the oldest spectacular earthen minaret. route was well trodden, long caravans Chachi, and such museums as the continuously inhabited cities in All of Uzbekistan’s cities have traveled to the city from across the Museum of Applied Arts and the Central Asia. And there is evidence incredible bazaars, but none trans­ globe, lured by the legend of a magi­ Museum of Fine Arts, which take of human activity in the area from port you to the old Silk Road quite cal oasis hidden between two deserts. you back in time. the late Paleolithic Era. like those in Bukhara. A network of According to some records, the first There’s also the World War II Some theories suggest the city interlinked domed market spaces caravans appeared on the Silk Road Memorial Park and the Defender of was founded between the eighth still dominates Bukhara’s old town. in 138 BC, when China opened its bor­ the Motherland Cenotaph. The Amir Timur Museum lies in central Tashkent. and seventh centuries BC. The most evocative are the Taki­Sar­ ders for trade. One of the first Chinese The city is lined with a grid of Prospering from its location on rafon (Money changers Bazaar), the envoys to cross what later became straight, wide streets and avenues. the Silk Road between China and Taki­Telpak Furushon (Capmakers Uzbek territory from north to south Its emerald­green parks, gardens Ten fast facts about the country the Mediterranean, Samarkand Bazaar) and the Taki­Zargaron was Zhang Qian, an envoy of Han and fountains infused with crystal remained one of Central Asia’s larg­ (Jewelers Bazaar). Dynasty Emperor Wu (156­87 BC). strands are spectacular. est cities. One of Uzbekistan’s oldest struc­ Zhang and his companions wrote In the sleepy part of the town, one 1 Uzbekistan is one of two doubly largest independent state. It’s almost Modern Samarkand is divided tures is the fifth­century, walled for­ about three prosperous kingdoms: can still spot traditionally clad farm­ landlocked nations in the world. The the same size as Spain or the US into two parts — the old city and the tress town right in the center of Bukhara, Fergana and Samarkand. ers carting their commodities other is Liechtenstein. One has to state of California. new city, which was built during the Bukhara. All are now territories of Uzbekistan. through a maze of earthen houses, cross at least two countries to reach 8 Uzbekistan is home to two nation­ days of the Russian Empire and It was the residence of the emirs So, if you’re intrigued by the all the way through the bazaar’s any coastline from the country. al parks and nine nature reserves. The Soviet Union. of Bukhara when it was an emirate ancient Silk Road but don’t have the grinding crowds. 2 The region that’s currently Uzbek­ oldest national park in the country is The old city includes historical state (from 1785–1920), and walking time to travel its length from China It’s impossible to fully compre­ istan was once part of the Persian Zaamin National Park, which was monuments, shops and old private through the archway today offers to Turkey, you’ll find three of the hend the Silk Road’s incredible size Empire. It was also under Mongol con­ established in 1926. houses. glimpses into the ancient lives of route’s most important cities in and history without understanding trol under the rule of Genghis Khan in 9 The first people known to have Its counterpart includes adminis­ people who made their homes along Uzbekistan — Khiva, Bukhara and its farthest­reaching and most­suc­ the 13th century. occupied the region that’s now trative buildings, cultural centers the ancient Silk Road during its ear­ Samark were key stop­offs for trad­ cessful empire — Amir Timur (1336­ 3 Uzbekistan hosts the world’s larg­ Uzbekistan and other parts of Cen­ and educational institutions. liest times of trade. ers and have all been painstakingly 1405), sometimes known as est opencast gold mine. tral Asia were the Persian nomads For most inbound travelers, the You can start your Silk Road jour­ restored to their former glory. Tamerlane. 4 The Aral Sea was previously the known as the Scythians in the first most awe­inspiring and must­see ney by arriving at Islam Karimov Think glittering minarets, volup­ Timur was considered one of the world’s fourth­largest lake. But it has millennium BC. sight in Central Asia is Samarkand’s Tashkent International Airport, tuous domes and mesmerizing greatest military leaders and tacti­ been shrinking since the 1960s. 10 Uzbekistan’s economy relies Registan — a central square flanked which is Central Asia’s third­busiest. mosaics. cians in history. He was an undefeat­ 5 Uzbekistan is home to five UNES­ heavily on cotton. Before 2014, nearly by the most ornately tiled, mosaic­ To travel between the cities, you With a little planning, you can ed commander and founded the CO World Heritage sites. 200,000 students had a two­month clad medressas (historical Islamic can try the high­speed train, which squeeze them all into a week. But of Timurid Empire (from the 1400s­ 6 Uzbekistan has the highest popu­ break from their studies every year to schools) that glitter at dawn and connects Tashkent, Sirdaryo, Jiz­ course, most tourists start their Silk 1600s) in and around modern­day lation of all the five former Soviet pick cotton. dusk in shades of the Silk Road — zakh and Samarkand. Road adventure from the Uzbek Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia. Union Republics in Central Asia. azure, lapis lazuli, indigo and gold. Or you can take Uzbekistan Air­ capital, Tashkent. It is worth mentioning that Timur 7 Uzbekistan is the world’s 56th­ REN QI The larger­than­life architectural lines if you want to visit some border Genghis Khan destroyed the city is also the great­great­great­grand­ gems were built during the Timurid cities, such as Bukhara or Khiva.

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