|  Apakhoja Tomb
ĦĦ ĦĦApak Hoja TombĦĦLies in 5 kilometers northeast
in Kashi city. It is important cultural relics
unit protected of Autonomous Region. It is a grave
of Muslim ,began to found in 1640 or so, it is
said that there are 72 persons in five generations
of the same family were buried in the tomb. The
first generation buried here was Islamic famous
Yusupu Hoja, a celebrated Islam missionary. after
he died, his eldest son Apaak Hoja carried on
the missionary work and became the leader of the
famous Islamic faction of , Baishan during the
17th century which seized the power of the Yarkant
Court for a time. Apak Hoja died in 1693 and was
buried here. Because of his reputation was greater
than his father, so later people called the tomb
as "The Apak Hoja Tomb". The tomb is
a group of beautiful and grand ancient buildings
including the Tomb Hall? the Doctrine-teaching
Hall ?the Great Hall of prayer? the gate tower?
a pond and orchard. The tomb is the main buildings
with 26 meters high and its bottom is 39 meters
long and the top is round, with a dome-shaped
top of 17 meters and covered with green glazed
tiles outside, the hall is very high, spacious
and columnless. Inside the hall, there is a high
trrace on which the tombs are arranged. All the
tombs are built of glazed bricks with very beautiful
patterns of blue flowers on a white background,
glittering, simple and elegant. The Great Hall
of Payer in the west part of the tomb, Ayitijiayi
by name, is the place where the Muslim believers
conduct service on big days. The Lesser Hall of
Prayer and the gate tower are outmost buildings
decorated with colorful paintings and elegant
brick carvings. Outside the tomb there is a crystal-clear
pond lined by tall trees making the place pleasantly
quiet and beautiful.
The legend goes that among the Hoja descendants
was one of the concubines of the Qing Dynasty
Emperor Qianlong. She was called Xiangfei (Fragrant
Imperial Concubine) because of the rich delicate
fragrance of flower sent forth by her body. After
she died, her remains was escorted back to Kashi
by her sister-in-law Sudexiaang and was buried
in the Apak Hoja Tomb. So, some people call the
tomb" the Tomb of Xiangfei." But according
to textual research, Xiangfei was none other than,
Rongfei, a concubine of Emperor Qianlong, and
she was actually buried in the East Tombs of the
Qing Dynasty in Zunhua County, Hebei Province
after she died.
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