The excavation work of Kashgar Moore Temple in Xinjiang launched this year

Xinhua News Agency, Urumqi, July 15th (Reporter Zhang Xiaolong, Sun Zhennan, Yang Hao) Archaeologists from the Central University for Nationalities and Xinjiang Cultural Relics and Archeology Recently launched a new round of excavation work on the site of the Kashgar Temple in Xinjiang. This is the 4 consecutive year of my country for active archaeological excavations for Buddhist sites built around the 3rd century AD.

On the 14th, Xiao Xiaoyong, a leader at the archeological team of the Moore Temple site and a professor of the Central University for Nationalities, told reporters that this year's excavation area was 500 square meters, which were mainly excavated in the area between the two buildings of the monks and the Great Buddha Hall. In addition, The southwestern area of ​​the Hui -shaped Buddhist temple and the southeast of the Morba Tower will be excavated or tried.

The site of the Moore Temple is located about 30 kilometers northeast of Kashgar City, Xinjiang. Two existing native sites standing on the desolate Gobi, that is, the tower is a round Moore pagoda and a square tower. Eclipsed by the wind and rain, the two tower residuals were about 12 meters. In 2001, the Moore Temple site was approved as the fifth batch of national key cultural relics protection units. In 2019, with the approval of the State Cultural Relics Bureau, archeologists led by Xiao Xiaoyong began to actively excavate the site of the Moore Temple.

"Among the unearthed Buddha statues, there are both giant Buddha statues bigger than real people, as well as dozens of centimeters of small Buddha statues. They not only have the style of Panda Luo, but also have both the Central Plains style. It is an important information for our study and evolution of Buddhist art." Xiao Xiaoyong Having said that in the past three years, the archeological team has cleared the base of the square tower, 2 base sites of the large monk house, 1 building base address of the rectangular large Buddha hall, and 2 built -in -shaped Buddhist temples. More than 10,000 pieces of bones, coins, and plaster Buddha statues, which were initially clear that Moore Temple was founded around the 3rd century.

Kashgar was known as Shule, one of the earliest transmission of Buddhism into my country, and one of the ancient Western Buddhist centers. It has a very important impact on the history of Buddhist development in Xinjiang and even my country. The site of the Moore Temple is a typical ground Buddhist temple in Guller.

"The archeological work of Buddhist relics in Xinjiang, clarifying the basic appearance of religious development in the history of Xinjiang, and it is of great significance to explain the historical facts of multi -religious coexistence in Xinjiang history." Xiao Xiaoyong said.

【Edit: Li Yan】

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