STORY: Experts share new achievements in Turfan studies
DATELINE: Aug. 26, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:25
LOCATION: URUMQI, China
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the archaeological sites
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ERICA HUNTER, Scholar, University of Cambridge
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIA LIDONG, Researcher
4. various of scholars
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NOBUYOSHI YAMABE, Professor at Waseda University

STORYLINE:

Over 100 scholars from China and abroad gathered in Turpan, a city in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to attend a conference on the inheritance and development of Turfan studies from Monday to Wednesday.
   
Turfan studies is a very important branch of Silk Road studies. It is also a window to understand the diversity and integration of different civilizations in Turpan, also known as Turfan.

Experts shared their latest findings and visited archaeological sites.

Among the relics they visited was the Xipang Jingjiao monastery relics site. Texts including Buddhist and Taoist manuscripts in Chinese and Nestorian manuscripts in Syriac had been unearthed there.
   
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ERICA HUNTER, Scholar, University of Cambridge
"I have been very impressed by the extent of research in Xinjiang archaeological research and the commitment of scholars to excavating their sites.
I have always told scholars that they shouldn't just concentrate on the West and the Middle East. But to think of the richness that is here at Turfan. The Jingjiao church at Turfan tells us so much. It's a unique site, not just for China, but also for many other people."

Scholars also visited the Tuyoq Buddhist Grottoes, a site that can be traced back to the fifth century. 

A group of Chinese archaeologists conducted new excavations here earlier this year. Xia Lidong was among them.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): XIA LIDONG, Researcher
"There are several characteristics of the Tuyoq Buddhist Grottoes. The first one is that it spanned a long time. Secondly, the types of caves are very comprehensive. Thirdly, its origins are very diverse."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): NOBUYOSHI YAMABE, Professor at Waseda University
"This time I could learn many new things from our colleagues here. So I am very happy."

Turfan studies are interdisciplinary studies of Turpan's cultural heritage, and have attracted significant global attention. Over the past century, experts and scholars of various fields from across the world have contributed to Turfan studies.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China.
(XHTV)