Senmusaimu monastery, (near) Kuqa, Xinjiang, CN

Raw data

Senmusaimu (Simsim) Caves 森木赛姆石窟: Kucha, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region
http://www.library.yale.edu/digitalcollections/yalesilkroad/seminar2009.html

"Simsim Caves
       Excavated during the Wei-Jin and Sui-Tang Dynasties. Simsim is the biggest caves temple in eastern territory of ancient Qiuci, 45 kilometers northeast to Kucha. In Uygur, Simsim means purling fountain. The listed 54 caves scatter on the circular hill about 700 meters in diameter, including eastern, southern, western, northern and middle parts. There are worship halls. Lecturing and monk's rooms here. The themes of murals are as same as that of the Kizil Caves in style. Among the caves in ancient Qiuci area, animal murals feature largely in the Simsim Caves."
http://www.china-silkroad-travel.com/CompanyUpgrade.php?CompanyUpgradebigtype=BxEAbgB/BXoEdVYQUSMPa1ZlADQ=&CompanyUpgradesmalltype=BxMHawJ6AXJSJQVPVCYLZVZpCzs=

"Thousand Buddha caves of Senmusaimu […]
They lie approx. 40 km northeast of Kutscha close of a hanzeitlichen signal station in the small valley of Kirisch Simsim. Most of them are verunstaltet and it are remainders of the former Wandmalereien to be only seen there."
http://www.worldlingo.com/ma/dewiki/en/Tausend-Buddha-Höhlen_von_Senmusaimu

Wang Weidong ed: SENMUSAIMU SHIKU NEIRONG ZONGLU. (A General Record of the Senmusaimu Grottoes). Beijing, 2008. 1, 126 pp. Numerous colour & b/w illustrations and drawings. 1 foldout. 26x18 cm. Paper.
[…]
Systematic listing and description of the caves comprising this little-known complex in China's Xinjiang province. Outline plans of each cave given, together with sculpture, carvings, murals and other contents. In Chinese.
http://hanshanhost.demonweb.co.uk/w/WANSS5.HTM

"Senmusaimu (Simsim) Caves (3rd to 10th centuries) 森木赛姆石窟: Kucha Country, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region"
http://www.library.yale.edu/digitalcollections/yalesilkroad/seminar2006.html

Input by: tmciolek, Dec 21, 2010

Final data (and their sources)

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Senmusaimu monastery, CN.

General location of the Senmusaimu monastery, CN.
Lat 41.9258 Long 83.1840
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=41.9258+83.1840+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Senmusaimu%20monastery,%20CN)&ll=41.9258,83.1840&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en

Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • China:Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Lat 41.9258 Long 83.1840 - based on the visual identification of the site in maps, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 4 Jan 2011.

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

12. Date-intermediate

[missing data]

13. Date-late

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • archaeological, stylistical

16. Additional notes

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

[missing data]

end of page

Page tags: 200m central-asia china mapped s spot tradition? western-china
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