Open-air museum

Kuqa city in Aksu prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, was known as Kucha in ancient times. It was an important transportation hub along the ancient Silk Road. As one of the historical and cultural cities that boast the longest history and richest historical and cultural relics in Xinjiang, Kuqa is hailed as an "open-air museum." An old residential house is being renovated in a historical and cultural block in Kuqa, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (Photo/Zhou Peng) In recent years, the city has leveraged its local features and adopted innovative approaches to promote the protection and utilization of its historical resources, managing to preserve its historical charm while effectively utilizing its resources. With a history of over 2,000 years, Kuqa is home to numerous historical, artistic, and scientific treasures, including ancient dwellings and old buildings. The local government has been committed to the restoration of culturally significant old houses. In 2023, Kuqa launched a campaign to "save the old houses," in which Tsinghua Heritage Institute for Digitization (THID), a Beijing-based institute focusing on conservation, interpretation, presentation, digitization and communication of cultural heritage, conducted a comprehensive survey of all ancient dwellings in the old towns of the city.…