The Apak Hoja Mazar is a beautiful tiled masoleum that houses the tombs of five generations of one family. Built in 1640 it is central to a peaceful, sprawling complex on the city’s outskirts that includes a mosque, gardens and madrasa. The monument is also associated with stories of Fragrant Princess 香妃. She was a Uyghur concubine (1760-1788) of the Qing Emperor Qianlong, but stories about her life diverge. Some claim she is buried here, while others say she is in the Imperial tombs near Beijing, and still other stories surrounding her life have been lost in mythical ether. In the cool of the late afternoon, we ventured to see what is undoubtedly the finest example of Islamic architecture in Kashgar – a simpler and more rustic version of the Taj Mahal.
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