Aksu (also known as Ak-su, Akshu, Bharuka and Po-lu-chia. Modern Chinese 阿克苏, pinyin a ke su) was an ancient Buddhist kingdom located on the branch of the Silk road that ran along the northern edge of the Taklamakan desert in the Tarim basin. (The area lies in present day Xinjiang, China). A town of the same name survives today.

The pilgrim Xuanzang recorded that there were tens of Buddhist monasteries in the kingdom and over 1000 monks. He said the kingdom was 600 li from east to west, and 300 li from north to south. Its capital was said to be 6 li in circuit. He also stated that cloth made in the area was traded in neighbouring countries.

Aksu was strongly connected with Kucha, though its spoken language differed a little from standard Kuchean. It was positioned on a junction of trade routes; the northern-Tarim silk road, and a route north to the fertile Ili River valley.

Contents

1 Timeline 2 Neighbours 3 Literary sources 4 References

Timeline

• 630: Xuanzang visited the kingdom.

Neighbours

The kingdom bordered Kashgar to the south-west, and Kucha, Karasahr then Turfan to the east. Across the desert to the south was Khotan.

Literary sources

• The Chinese History of the Western Han records some information about the kingdom.
• Either the Old Book of Tang or the New Book of Tang records Xuanzang's information and a little extra.

References

• Puri, B. N. Buddhism in Central Asia, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi, 1987. (2000 reprint)