Turpan, means “fertile land” in Uyghur, is located in the center of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and has been the centre of a fertile oasis(with water provided by karez) and an important trade centre for located along the Silk Road’s northern route.
No place in China is hotter in summer than the Flaming Mountain in Turpan, which referred by a classical Chinese mythological novel, Journey to the West(For wishing to save people out of sufferings with the help of scriptures in the west, Longevity Monk started a long march from Chang’an (Xi’an) to pure land in the west. With the help of Monkey King, Longevity Monk overcame every difficulty in years and finally got the scriptures back to Chang’an.)At the foot of the Flaming Mountain and to the east of Turpan, lies Green Pearl City, an oasis shaded from the scorching sun by trees and grapevine trellises that cover 220 hectares and are crisscrossed by irrigation ditches.
The summer here is long and usually begins in April and end in August. June, July, and August are the hottest months with an average temperature above 38C (100.4F) and the recorded highest temperature is 49.6C (121.28F) in history. Despite its harsh weather conditions, Turpan is well known for its grapes, multi-colored watermelons, cantaloupes, apricots, and raisins.
Eons of wind erosion, frost, and rainwater have sculpted soft clay into marvelous shapes with very unique landscape. Flaming Mountain, the strikingly beautiful Tuyugou Canyon, and the Aikxun Yadan Spectacle are good examples of those natural wonders.
Attractions in Turpan include Xinjiang's largest ancient pagoda, which is called the Dorbiljin or Sugong Pagoda, the Jiaohe Ruins, the Gaochang Ruins, the Thousand Buddha Caves, and the Astana Tombs.