[The Name Of Shachau Dates From A.D. 622, When It Was Founded By The First
Emperor Of The T'ang Dynasty.
Formerly, Shachau was one of the Chinese
colonies established by the Han, at the expense of the Hiongnu; it was
called T'ung hoang (B.C. 111), a name still given to Shachau; the other
colonies were Kiu-kaan (Suhchau, B.C. 121) and Chang-ye (Kanchau, B.C.
111).
(See Bretschneider, Med. Res. II. 18.)
"Sha-chow, the present Tun-hwang-hien (a few li east of the ancient
town).... In 1820, or about that time, an attempt was made to re-establish
the ancient direct way between Sha-chow and Khotan. With this object in
view, an exploring party of ten men was sent from Khotan towards Sha-chow;
this party wandered in the desert over a month, and found neither
dwellings nor roads, but pastures and water everywhere. M. Polo omits to
mention a remarkable place at Sha-chow, a sandy hillock (a short distance
south of this town) known under the name of Ming-sha shan - the 'rumbling
sandhill.' The sand, in rolling down the hill, produces a particular
sound, similar to that of distant thunder. In M. Polo's time (1292),
Khubilai removed the inhabitants of Sha-chow to the interior of China;
fearing, probably, the aggression of the seditious princes; and his
successor, in 1303, placed there a garrison of ten thousand men."
(Palladius, l.c. p. 5.)
"Sha-chau is one of the best oases of Central Asia.
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