Turpan (also called Tulufan) is located about 220 km from Urumqi, and is one of the major historic towns along the ancient Silk Road. It lies on the edge of the gebi desert (not to be confused with the Gobi Desert of Mongolia) in a depression, some 80 metres (260 feet) below sea level, which cause it to be extremely hot (and dry) in summer during the daytime, and cold at night. One of the town’s earliest names, Huozhou (‘Land of Fire’), was derived from the intense summer temperatures, which reach well over 40oC (104oF) between June and August. Yet another appellation, ‘Storehouse of Wind’, refers to the blustering winds that often whip through the town for several hours in the afternoons. The winters here are also extreme, with temperatures of -10oC to -15oC (14oF to 5oF).

In 108 BC, Turpan was inhabited by farmers and traders of Indo-European stock who were later absorbed by the Uyghur people. Whoever occupied the Turpan oasis commanded the northern route of the Silk Road and the rich caravans that traversed through it. As a result, the town was a scene of constant battles and campaigns between rival forces, and control of the Silk Road route through Turpan passed from one hand to another. At the end of the 14th century, the Uygurs in the Turpan area were forcibly converted to Islam by an heir to the ruling Mongol Chaghatai Khanate who was loyal to Tamerlane the Great.

In the early 20th century, many Western explorers and archaeologists were attracted to Turpan’s ancient cities and Buddhist caves. The German Albert von Le Coq’s first expedition in 1902-1903 yielded nearly 2,000 kilograms (two tons) of treasures, which he transported back to Europe; on his second expedition a year later, he shipped off 103 crates. The other two German expeditions yielded 128 and 156 boxes respectively. The British archaeologist, Sir Auriel Stein, mopping up after von Le Coq in 1915, loaded over 140 crates onto 45 camels and dispatched the antiquities to Kashgar. Incalculable damage was also done to these monuments by the Uygurs themselves, who had by now become ardent Muslims and defaced most of the beautiful Buddhist artwork that remained.

Today, Turpan is principally an agricultural oasis town, famed for its grape products – seedless white raisins (which are exported) and wines (mostly sweet) - and ancient historical sites. Two-thirds of Turpan County’s population of 190,000 are Muslim Uyghurs.