China: A Buddhist monk transcribing scriptures. Mural from the Qigexing Caves, Xinjiang

The Qigexing Buddhist Temple Ruins (Uyghur: Xorquᶄ, Chinese: Qīgè Xīng Fúsì Yízhǐ; literally 'Seven-Stars Buddhist Temple Ruins') is a ruined compound of Buddhist religious sites located about 25-30 km southwest of the town of Yanqi, Yanqi Hui Autonomous County, Xinjiang, China.<br/><br/><br/> Qigexing was part of the ancient Buddhist Karashara Kingdom that is first mentioned in Chinese sources from the Han Dynasty as the Kingdom of Yanqi. In 94 CE , Qigexing was conquered by the Han Dynasty in its reconquest of the Tarim Basin.<br/><br/><br/>The first mention of Qigexing is in Chinese sources from the Han Dynasty as the Kingdom of Yanqi. The Buddhist monk Faxian visited Qigexing around 400 CE and mentions the presence of about 4,000 monks who were practicing Theravada Buddhism.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>The Buddhist monk Faxian was a member of the Qigexing community. /> The monk Xuanzang, who lived in the 7th century CE, reports the existence of 10 Buddhist monasteries with 2,000 monks in Qigexing.<br/><br/><br/>The Buddhist monk Faxian visited Qigexing around 400 CE and mentions the presence of about 4,000 monks who were practicing Theravada Buddhism. In 719 CE, the Tang Dynasty established a garrison in Qigexing in a similar manner as in Kuqa, Kashgar, and Khotan.<br/><br/><br/>The monk Xuanzang, who lived in the 7th century CE, reports the existence of 10 Buddhist monasteries with 2,000 monks in Qigexing. Archeological finds in Qigexing include the ruins of larger temple compounds as well as some cave temples. Sculptures have been found as individual figures as well as in friezes. by Albert Grünwedel during the third German Turfan expedition (1905-1907) as well as by Sergey Oldenburg during the Russian Turkistan Expedition (1909- 1910).