Kashgar is the westernmost city in China, at the point where the Silk Road's northern and southern routes met before crossing the Pamirs. It has been a trading city for more than two thousand years, and its old town is a dense low-rise quarter of mud brick and timber, with lanes that change direction without warning and houses that bridge the alleys overhead.
The crafts
What sets the old town apart from most restored quarters is that the workshops are working. Copper beaters hammer out pots and kettles in small open-fronted rooms. Hat makers block and embroider the four-cornered Uyghur cap. Woodworkers carve doors and pillars. Instrument makers assemble rawaps, dutars and dap drums. Bakers pull naan from tandoor ovens set into the wall of the lane. You can watch, ask questions, and buy directly, and the prices are usually lower than in the bazaars aimed at coaches.
Markets
The covered bazaar in the center sells dried fruit, spices, carpets, textiles and household goods. The livestock market on the outskirts, held weekly, is one of the largest in Asia and draws herders from the surrounding oases and mountains to trade sheep, cattle and camels. It is a genuine working market, busy from early morning and largely finished by noon.
Practical notes
The old town is walkable and the lanes are easy to explore without a map, though you will get lost, which is the point. Go in the late afternoon when the light is warm and the workshops are finishing. Photography is generally fine but ask before photographing people, especially women. The food here is excellent: samsa, polo, lamb kebabs, hand-pulled noodles and, in summer, enormous quantities of fruit.
