Turning to the history of Tuyugou, we can know that it is an ancient village with a history of 1700 years, and it is also the oldest existing Uighur village in Xinjiang. Today, Tuyugou has become a must-see attraction for tour groups in Turpan. However, compared with the Flame Mountain, it is still one of Ma's favorite monuments when he stayed in Turpan. It has simple architecture and simple folk customs.
Tugu communication often starts from the Great Muslim Temple, which is a mosque with green minarets and worship halls. Although the overall scale is not as gorgeous as Aitig Mosque, it looks a little more exotic because of its more distinctive architectural style.
Locals say that this mosque is the latest building in Tuyugou village. Although the concept of time is weak after reconstruction, it is still the spiritual home of the nationalities in the western regions.
Walking up the slope from the street of the mosque, you can see houses piled with red soil, some of which have been abandoned and some of which are still inhabited by local people. In any case, these earth walls and buildings still look indestructible because of long-term baking at high temperature.
These houses have a very distinctive structure, that is, many windows can be seen in the building, even a small wall will open several windows, which are mainly used for ventilation and heat dissipation after asking the local people.
It is these original khaki buildings and characteristic window opening designs that are said to have passed on the history of 1000 years in Tuyugou village, especially those earthen houses preserved so far in Qing Dynasty, which have become an excellent place for many tourists to study Xinjiang earthen houses. Seen from a height, these khaki houses also set off yellow, blue and green mosques very beautifully.
Walking deep along the canyon of the village, you can also see the Thousand Buddha Cave in Tuyugou, which is known as one of the three major Buddhist grottoes in Xinjiang. Now it is closed because of the damage of cultural relics. We can only appreciate the vicissitudes of this grotto through words. Tuyugou Thousand-Buddha Cave was first excavated in the Sixteen Kingdoms Period of Jin Dynasty, and in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, it became a highly praised Buddhist shrine in Gao Changguo, a powerful western region at that time.
In the Tang Dynasty, the Thousand Buddha Cave in Tuyugou reached its peak, and each cave niche was painted with the classic mural art of that time. Unfortunately, it was destroyed and fragmented by many thieves in the later period.
According to the Tang Dynasty document "The Picture of the Western Zhou Dynasty" unearthed in Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, Tuyugou was once a fairyland on earth. Through the description in the scripture, we can know that there were many temples in Tuyugou that spread with the mountain, backed by dangerous peaks and facing Qingxi, surrounded by trees, densely covered with Buddhist temples, fluttering Buddha music and fireworks.
However, it is said that there are still eight damaged murals in the existing Thousand-Buddha Cave, and these preserved murals still witness the artistic charm of ancient China, which is also known as an important moment for China Buddhism to spread eastward.
It can be said that although Toulugou Scenic Area has been developed into a tourist area with many tourists, the old people and children living here are still smiling, and the whole village still maintains a peaceful atmosphere, as if time is staying here.
How to travel to Tuyugou: There is no bus or shuttle bus to Tuyugou scenic spot in Turpan city. If you want to visit, renting a car or joining a group is the most suitable choice.