Mahmud Kashagari was a famous 11th Century Uigur scholar and linguist. Through a long period of research, he wrote a Dictionary of the Turkish Language in Arabic, which recorded lots of information about the culture and language of Central Asian peoples.

His tomb is located about 45 km southwest of Kashgar. The area is a wooded, tranquil place against the backdrop of the Karakoram Mountains. His tomb has existed for 900 years, and as it was renovated in 1985, the buildings are in quite good condition. Newly built next to the tomb is a small Mosque where Muslim travelers and local villagers can pray. Attached to the north side of the tomb is a small museum with an exhibition covering Kashagari’s lifetime and scholarly works. Also near the tomb is a small spring next to a huge, ancient poplar tree. The area is a nice spot to stop for an half-day trip. Also, if you are going to places further along the highway like Karakuri Lake, this is a good place to stop on the way back.

How to get there:Hiring a jeep to this area is the best way to get there. It should cost you around RMB300 round trip, but you may be able to haggle the price down to 200 or 250. Also, if you have hired a car to take you elsewhere along the highway, then you can ask your driver to stop for a while at the tomb.