LOCATION AND AREA

Turpan Prefecture, with a total area of 69,700 square kilometers, lies in the Turpan Depression at the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains in the middle of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The city of Turpan, situated between latitude 42°15'to 43°35'north and longitude 88°29'to 89°54'east in the middle of the depression, covers an area of 16,000 square kilometers. The city proper is 184 kilometers from Urumqi.

HISTORY

Turpan was called Gushi in ancient times. It was the place where the State of South Cheshi and the South Cheshi Court were set up during the Han Dynasty. During the Earlier Liang Dynasty, Gaochang Prefecture and Tiandi County were established here, which were under the Jurisdiction of the Shazhou (Dunhuang) Administrative Division. During the Northern Wei Dynasty, the State of Gaochang was founded here by the ancient Rourna nationality. During the Tang Dynasty, Xichang Prefecture was set here, which was later renamed “Xizhou Prefecture.” During the Song Dynasty, it was called “Gaochang Huigu” and later “Uygur” with a regent as the governor. During the Yuan Dynasty, the Hezhou Administrative Department was established under the jurisdiction of the Bieshibali (Five Cities in Turkic) Executive Chancery. At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the Department of the Director General (Wanhu Daluhuachi) was established to administer Liucheng, Huozhou and Turpan. During the Ming Dynasty,, Liucheng and Huozhou were incorporated into Turpan. During the Qing Dynasty, it was under the Bizhan Executive Minister of Shanshan, which was under the jurisdiction of the Gansu Administrative Department. In 1779, the forty-fourth year of the Qing Emperor Qianlong, it was under the jurisdiction of the Leading Minister of Turpapn. In 1884, the tenth year of the Qing Emperor Guangxu, it was under the jurisdiction of an assistant general of the governor of Anxi Prefecture of Gansu Province. In the twelfth year of Emperor Guangxu, the Turpan Department was established and directly under the governor of Dihua Prefecture. In the second year of the Republic of China (1013), Turpan County was established. After liberation, it was first under the jurisdiction of Dihua prefecture, then directly under the Autonomous Region; it now belongs to the city of Urumqi and Turpan Prefecture.