Gaochang monastery, (near) Lukqun, Xinjiang, CN

Raw data

"Turfan/Gaochang: Turfan is an oasis city surrounded by mountains. It flourished as a center of Buddhism in East Turkistan until the fourteenth century. […] In the outskirts of the city, in Bezeklik, Toyoq, and Murtuq, many cave temples with wall paintings were constructed." (Kudara 2002a:100)

Gaochang - Lat 42.852778, Long 89.529167 - http://toolserver.org/~geohack/

"Gaochang (Chinese: 高昌; pinyin: Gāochāng) is the site of an ancient oasis city built on the northern rim of the inhospitable Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang, China. A busy trading center, it was a stopping point for merchant traders traveling on the Silk Road. The ruins are located 30 km southeast of modern Turpan.[1]
[…]
The Buddhist stupa of Gaochang ruins. […] Gaochang (Pronounced and written as Qara-hoja (قئارئاهوجئا) in Uyghur) is located in present-day Xinjiang Province, 30km from Turpan. The site is also known in early published reports as Chotscho, Khocho, or Qočo."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaochang

Input by: tmciolek, Dec 14, 2010

“By the 9th century AD, Gaochang had become the center of the Uighur empire. Buddhism was also a major religion, and numerous monasteries and temples were built.” - http://chinatour.net/gaochang-ancient-city-i-152.html

“Located about 50km (30mi) east of Turpan, the now-ruined city of Gaochang developed from a Han-era fort into the capital of a small independent kingdom, then a Tang prefectural capital (640), and finally a Uighur capital (Khocho or Qoco, ca. 840). The site was abandoned in the 14th century after repeated attacks from the Mongols. […] When Xuanzang visited Gaochang in 628 AD, he gave lectures in the large vihara (Buddhist monastery), seen here. It is located in the southwest corner of the city, between the inner and outer city wall. Its entrance (middle of photo) faces east.” - http://www.art-and-archaeology.com/china/turpan/ga01.html
Input by: tmciolek, Mar 06, 2013

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 03 May 2013

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 2 km from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Gaochang [monastery?], CN.

General location of the Gaochang [monastery?], CN.
Lat 42.852778, Long 89.529167
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=42.852778+89.529167+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Gaochang%20[monastery?],%20CN)&ll=42.852778,89.529167&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Gaochang monastery

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • China:Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates


5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition

  • [missing data]

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • [missing data]

12. Date-intermediate

  • MBM chrono-tag 0567-99p 0600-32c - tmciolek 06 Mar 2013
  • 0567-99p 0600-32c 0633-66c 0667-99c 0700-32c 0733-66c 0767-99c 0800-32c 0833-66c 0867-99c 0900-32c 0933-66c 0967-99c 1000-32c 1033-66c 1067-99c 1100-32c 1133-66c 1167-99c 1200=> dated-xl

13. Date-late

  • Gaochang "flourished as a center of Buddhism in East Turkistan until the fourteenth century." (Kudara 2002a:100)
  • MBM chrono-tag 1200=> - tmciolek 01 Mar 2013

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • Archaeological

16. Additional notes

  • [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

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