Kashgar, Southern Xinjiang | Following 'The Kite Runner' into the Gaotai Residences
I have finally arrived at the Gaotai Residences on the other side of the Anywhere Door
Kashgar—a dream of the Western Regions
Stepping into Kashgar, it's as if I see the footsteps of Xuanzang, hear the bugle of Ban Chao, and the bustle of the Eastern Cairo market
In the long river of history, there are legends, there are stories
Let's walk into the filming location of 'The Kite Runner'—the Gaotai Residences in Kashgar
About 85% of the scenes in the movie 'The Kite Runner' were shot in the Gaotai Residences, but the Gaotai Residences are not a traditional tourist spot, but rather a place where the local Uyghur people have lived for generations.
❤️Why did 'The Kite Runner' choose this small Chinese city for filming?
Because 'The Kite Runner' encountered difficulties in selecting filming locations, at that time Afghanistan was in the midst of war, and it was not possible to shoot in Kabul as planned, so the production team chose the Gaotai Residences, which are very similar to the cityscape of Kabul, as the location for outdoor shooting.
✅Highlights of the Gaotai Residences
1️⃣Preserved complete earthen architecture ruins area
If you want to see old Kashgar buildings, locals will recommend the Gaotai Residences.
This is the only remaining earthen architecture complex in Kashgar, which has been restored over several years and reopened to the public in 2023. Although the scenic area is not large, it is filled with the rich folk culture of Kashgar, more simple and primitive than the ancient city of Kashgar
Many residents' courtyards in the Gaotai Residences have been passed down through six or seven generations to the present, retaining many old houses from hundreds of years ago.
For hundreds of years, as generations have lived here, the houses have been built up layer by layer, getting higher and higher.
With each new generation born, the old house is raised by one level. Some residents, due to the small living space, make full use of the walls of two houses to build one or two earthen rooms that span across the alley, forming the uniquely scenic over-street buildings or half-street buildings, which do not affect the pedestrians walking below, nor the residents living above.
2️⃣Intangible cultural heritage workshops
There are many inheritors of intangible cultural heritage here, who support their families with their craftsmanship, such as pottery, weaving workshops, blacksmithing, printed and dyed cloth, etc. The old grandfathers sit at their workstations, where they have been for decades, even their grandfathers' grandfathers were doing the same thing in the same place, the heritage is vividly embodied here.
🎫Ticket: No tickets required, no reservation needed
📍Location: Opposite the eastern district of Kashgar Old City
"Less than Kashgar is equivalent to not going to Xinjiang, less than Gaotai houses are equivalent to not going to Kashgar." Gaotai houses are located in the northeast of the old city of Kashgar, Xinjiang, and look from a distance like a huge ancient castle, giving people a mysterious feeling. The Gaotai residence is known as the "Uighur living museum", attracting countless Chinese and foreign visitors. Entering the Gaotai residence is like entering the "Xanadu", and you will be amazed at the buildings that the Uighurs have boldly built. Upstairs, building middle building, cross street building, building connected, against each other, forming a unique style of one step at a time.
Gaotai houses are opposite the east gate of Kashgar, not within the traditional ancient city. Before, people living here had no money to buy land in the ancient city to build houses. The house is next to the house, the wall is next to the wall, there is no generation of children born, and they will become a family when they grow up. They are covered with a layer on it. It is dense and layered. It is the most like Afghanistan in Kashgar. It also triggered many safety hazards. It was closed for a period of time and repaired and protected. Later it reopened, and there should be no one living inside, but it is very historical. From this bridge, the whole picture of the Gaotai houses can be seen most, and there is the Internet celebrity Kashgar TV Tower behind it.
The door that is basically open in the Gaotai residence can be walked in to take pictures. There are also various small shops inside. You can stroll around and drink tea, coffee or something. It is very comfortable and slow. The blue door of the earth wall is very popular. [View]
这里值得去。高台民居是建设在一个高地上,古代是穷人的居住地,一家人在一块宅基地上随着家庭人员增加,不断加盖,过去基本上是一家三代居。后发现高地上有陶土,慢慢开烧制土陶生活。如今土陶具有鲜明民族特色,成为独特的非遗工艺品,很漂亮!
满满的历史记忆,让人不舍离去的地方。