Qigxin

CHINA, Xinjiang, Bayingolin

Qigxin is a town in the present day Xinjiang province, and was part of the ancient kingdom of Karasahr (present day Yanqi). The temple complex was built during the Jin dynasty (265–420). Karasahr was a major city, similar to Kucha and Gaochang, which were important Buddhist centers. Buddhism was highly regarded and had a large following in Karasahr, and Buddhist arts flourished here. There are few surviving sites with this one being the largest discovered. At the beginning of the 20th century, archaeologists from Germany, Russia, Britain, Japan, and other countries surveyed the site and carried out excavations. They removed large quantities of statues, moldings, and murals. The most famous find was a partially damaged manuscript of the play called Maitrisimit (Meeting Maitreya Bodhisattva), written in the Tocharian language using Brahmi script, which was unearthed in 1975. Qigxin was listed as a National Cultural Heritage Site in 2001.
The site consists of a stupa, temples, and caves. The stupa and temples are located at the eastern foot of Horo Shan. The stupa has collapsed and all that remains is rubble. The temples were constructed on the southern and northern banks of a spring, and are called the Great South Temple and Great North Temple. A total of 92 sites have been identified and numbered. There are 10 known caves located at the eastern foot of Horo Shan, approximately 2 km from the temples. The caves have mostly square main chambers with a central pillar. Almost all of the main chambers contain wooden platforms on which stood Buddha statues.