Subashi lies about twenty kilometres north of Kucha, on the gravel plain where the mountains meet the Tarim basin. It is an ancient settlement site, occupied from around the third century until it was abandoned in the ninth, and it is divided into two halves by a river that runs through the middle of it.
What is there
The site is mostly low mud-brick and rammed-earth remains, eroded by wind and water into soft shapes, so it takes a little imagination to read. On the western bank stand the remains of a large Buddhist monastery complex with a stupa, the base and lower walls of halls, and the outline of courtyards and cells. On the eastern bank there are further stupas, the traces of streets and buildings, and sections of wall. Ceramic fragments, coins and manuscript fragments recovered here are now in museums, and the site was clearly a substantial religious and commercial centre in its day.
Why it is significant
Kucha was one of the great oasis kingdoms of the northern Silk Road and a centre for the translation of Buddhist texts into Chinese. The monk Kumarajiva, one of the most important translators in Chinese Buddhist history, was born here in the fourth century, and the monasteries around Kucha were among the largest in Central Asia. Subashi is one of the principal surviving sites of that world, and it is closely linked to the cave temples at Kizil further up the valley.
Visiting
The ruins are spread over a large area on both banks of the river, and there is a walkway and a bridge connecting the two halves. Because the remains are low and the plain is bare, the site is at its best in low, angled light - early morning or late afternoon - when the shadows give the mud walls definition. There is an entrance fee. Allow two hours to walk the whole site, and wear a hat and carry water, since there is no shade at all.
Getting there
Subashi is reached by road from Kucha, a short drive of about half an hour, and is normally combined with the Kizil caves and the Kucha museum on a full day out. Kucha is served by rail and road from Urumqi and Korla. Because both sites are archaeological and exposed, plan the day so that one is visited in the morning and the other in the late afternoon, avoiding the middle of the day.
