Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region: Resitan Historical and Cultural Block in Kucha

Resitan Historical and Cultural Block in Kucha
库车县热斯坦历史文化街区

Kucha county, called Qiuci in ancient times, was one of the 36 states in the Western Region. It is now a famous national historical and cultural city in Aksu prefecture of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region with an ancient street - Resitan Street - boasting unique ethnic folk customs.

Resitan means shopping mall and market in the Uygur language and Resitan Street, stretching 3.5 kilometers, has the greatest concentration of Uygur-style stores and shops in the county.

There are blacksmith workshops, tailor shops, calabash drawing shop, and dried food stores, as well as Xingjiang nang cake stores, mutton stores, and beef soup restaurants. The street is also famous for its weekly bazaar held every Friday and run exclusively by people of Uygur ethnicity.

Kucha was an important town along the ancient Silk Road in the Han Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). The four ancient cultures of Indian culture, Persian culture, Greek culture and Chinese culture interacted and fused with each other in the area, which resulted in the Qiuci culture.

The local residents are keen on decorating their timber doors to demonstrate the economic power of a family and showcase their sensitive appreciation. Every store is beautifully colored with its own unique characteristics and the colors of green, red, yellow, white and blue are used most frequently.