Kucha

Also known as Kuqa, Qiuzi, Qiuci, Chiu-tzu, Chiutzu, Kiu-che, Kiuche, Kuei-tzu

Kucha ( , also: Kuche, Kuchar, Kuçar; , Кучар; , ; ) was an ancient Buddhist kingdom located on the branch of the Silk Road that ran along the northern edge of what is now the Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin and south of the Muzat River.

Key facts

Former country.conventional_long_name: Kucha
Former country.image_map_caption: Tarim Basin in the 3rd century
Former country.year_start: 2nd century BCE
Former country.event_end: Conquered by the Tang dynasty
Former country.year_end: 648 CE
Former country.s1: Protectorate General to Pacify the West
Former country.religion: Buddhism
Former country.demonym: Kuchean
Former country.currency: Kucha coinage
Former country.stat_year1: 111 CE
Former country.stat_pop1: 81,317
Former country.today: China

Article

39 sections

Contents

Etymology
History
Bronze and Iron Age
Chinese conquest under the Western Han Dynasty
Kucha during the Eastern Han Dynasty
4th- and 5th-century Silk Road
6th century
7th to 13th centuries
Modern Kucha
Modern Scholarship on Kucha
Archaeological investigations of the region
Kucha and Buddhism
Monks
Po-Yen
Po-Śrīmitra
Po-Yen
Kumarajiva
Tocharian languages
Neighbors
Culture, sights and cityscape
Cityscape
Ancient city (Tang dynasty)
Historical Description
Archaeological Discoveries
2016 Excavations
2017 Excavations
Sights and architectural heritage
Kucha Great Mosque
Kucha Royal Palace (库车王府)
Museums
Wèi and Jìn Tomb Museum
Kizil Caves
Coinage
Rulers
See also
References
Bibliography
Primary sources
External links

The former area of Kucha now lies in present-day Aksu Prefecture, west-central Xinjiang, China. Kuqa town is the county seat of Aksu Prefecture's Kuqa County. Its population was given as 74,632 in 1990.