Korla is the capital of the Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, which occupies an area of 478,700 square kilometers in the southern part of Xinjiang. Situated on the northern fringe of the Tarim Basin and the southern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, between latitude 414 and 424 north and longitude 852 and 867 east Korla, which is 471 kilometers from Urumqi, covers an area of 7,449 square kilometers at an average elevation of 933.2 meters.
At the beginning of the Han Dynasty, this prefecture was the place where eleven kingdoms (Ruoqiang, Loulan, Quli, Shanshan, Qiemo, Xiaowan, Shanguo, Wuli, Luntou, Weili, Yanqi and Weixu) of the thirty-six in the Western Region were located. During the Sui and the Tang Dynasties, the Yanqi Superintendent's Office and the Quli Superintendent's Office were established here. From the Five Dynasties to the Song Dynasty it was under the jurisdiction of Xizhou Huigu. During the Yuan Dynasty it was under the administration of Bieshibali Executive Chancery. During the reign of Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong, it was administered by Zhuledusi after the Mongolian Torgut Tribe conceded to the central government. In 1884, in the tenth year of the reign of the Qing Dynasty Emperor Guangxu, when the province of Xinjiang was founded, first Karashar Prefecture directly under the administration of the central government was established in the Korla area, and then was upgraded to Yanqi Prefecture. Under the People's Republic of China, the prefecture of Yanqi and Yanqi Administrative Area were set up.
During the Western Han Dynasty Korla was the territory of the Quli Kingdom, and then was annexed by the Yanqi Kingdom after the Eastern Han Dynasty. During the Qing Dynasty it was administered by a third-rank Uygur governor appointed by the Qing court, and under the Karashar executive minister. In 1917, the sixth year of the Republic of China, an office of the assistant magistrate of Yanqi was set up here and it was under the jurisdiction of Yanqi Prefecture. In 1930, the nineteenth year of the Republic of China, it was changed to an administrative Area. In 1939, the twenty-eighth year of the Republic of China, a county government was established here and it was under the administration of the Yanqi Administrative Supervisor's Office. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it was first under the administration of the Yanqi Prefectural Commissioner's Office, then under the administration of the Korla Prefectural Commissioner's Office and now it is under the administration of the Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture.
The city of Korla has a population of 220,000, with an urban population of 120,000. Of the whole population of the city, the Han nationality accounts for 63.28 percent, the Uygur 33.93 percent, the Hui 1.89 percent and the Mongol 0.64 percent.
Through opened to foreigners in 1986 Korla, until recently, had little of interest to offer to visitors. But with the opening of the spectacular Tarim Highway, the oilfield access road which now crosses the heart of the Taklamakan, Korla's strategic location at the northern edge of the desert is noteworthy.
Getting There
By Air
The Korla airport is 17 km to the Korla city area, it is an airport both for army and civil. There are airline connect Korla with Ulumqi, Beijing, Chengdu and Jinan, etc. For those tourists who left Xinjiang must notice that it would be more convenient by changing your plane in Ulumqi. Because there are fewer planes left Xinjiang than to Ulumqi from Korla. For more information please contact: 0996-2111226
By Train
There are three railways go across Korla, Lanxin (Lanzhou to Ulumqi), Nanjiang railway (Turpan to Kashi) and the west part of Lanxin railway (Ulumqi to Ala Mountain). So, there are trains from Korla to Ulumqi, Turpan, Kashi, Hami, Akesu, Lanzhou, Xian and Baoji, etc. To the railway station, you can take No. 1, 101 and 26 bus.
By Long-distance Bus
The freeway in Korla extended to all directions. It can reach Golmud to the south, Shihezi, Kelamayi, Yining to the north and Akesu, Kashi to the west. There are shuttle buses go and forth to Ulumqi every day. You can take No. 12, 19, 2(2-2) and 2(4-2) to the station. But for places of interest, there aren’t any bus reach there. Tourists should rent a bus if they want to enjoy those beautiful places. For more information please contact: 0996-2025566
Getting Around
There are very little public buses in Korla; you can take them only to the main places. The fee is RMB 1 once. But it doesn’t matter, you can take a taxi, you only need to pay RMB 5 for the first five km, and you can take circuit of the city for that.
Famous Local Dishes Top
Roast Lamb
Roast lamb might just qualify as a pinnacle of Xinjiang Uigur cuisine. The dish is very expensive as the main ingredient is a whole lamb and it is reserved for special occasions like receiving honored guests.
First, a large, fat lamb is chosen, slaughtered, and its skin is completely removed. Then the lamb is cleaned and salt is brushed on the inside and outside of the lamb. The lamb is covered with a mixture of egg, green onion, pepper and other spices including cummin (ziran in Chinese). When all of these steps are completed, the lamb is put into a hot pit to roast. On certain special occasions, the roast lamb is cooked with a piece of red silk covering its head and coriander or celery stuffed in its mouth. When fully roasted, which takes at least an hour, the meat is sliced up and served. The flavor of this dish is unforgettable and it is comparable with Beijing roast duck.
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Famous Local Snacks Top
Baked Mutton Kebabs
Baked Mutton Kebabs (Kaoyangrouchuan) can be found anywhere on the streets of any city or small market town throughout Xinjiang. Migrants from Xinjiang have made these kebabs famous throughout the rest of China's major cities but naturally, the best, most authentic kebabs are only available in Xinjiang.
Anyone who has travelled throughout China has seen the kebab vendors with their long metal stands filled with hot embers and a pile of uncooked meat on sticks. The meat is cooked over the heat with the vendor fanning the embers to quicken cooking. The kebabs are then seasoned with spice powder (either spicy or not spicy) and served. One kebab is not more than a mouthful. Prices can range from between RMB1 to RMB2 per kebab.
Roast Fish
Roast fish is a traditional snack dish in Kashi. It tastes quite good, without the smell you might think roast fish could have. The method of roast is very much like Mutton Kebabs. The fish is sliced open from head to tail and a wooden stick spears the fish along the same direction.
Uigur Rice
We call this dish 'Uigur Rice', but its name in Chinese is Zhuafan. In English, this actually means 'grabbed rice' for the fact that you can eat it with your hands. The main ingredients are rice cooked in mutton broth with spring onion, carrot, and a piece of mutton (or beef, chicken, duck meat instead) placed on top of the rice. Sometimes, raisins or almonds are also added for a little extra flavor. This dish is actually quite rich, but its richness gives it an undeniably delicious flavor. This rice will not only fill you up, it'll give you lots of energy and leave a delicious aftertaste in your mouth.
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Xinxhuan Hongmumen restaurant Top
Location: south Jianguo road, Korla
Tel: 0996-2860836
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Xinsheng Qingzhen restaurant Top
Location: railway business street, Korla
Tel: 0996-2159385
Sheep Snatching on Horseback
Sheep snatching on horseback is a traditional sport of several ethnic minority groups in Northwest China and is usually held at festivals or other occasions for celebration. The participants are required to have strong body, courage and good equestrian skills.
During the game, the horse riders are divided into several groups, with each group usually having more than ten people, waiting at an open field. A sheep without head and viscera has already been put at a designated place.
All those participants raced to snatch the sheep at the start of the game. The one that first snatches the sheep shall try all means, with the help of the teammates, to carry the sheep to the destination while the other teams use all kinds of methods to seize the sheep. The team that first takes the sheep to the destination will win the game.
The game usually held in summer and participated in by men. But in recent years, more and more women began to take part in this game.
Archery on Horseback
Archery on horseback is a traditional sports activity in the Korla. All people can take part in the competition regardless of the age or sex. Each participant shall get his own bow, 9 arrows and horse ready before the competition.
The 9 arrows will be shot in three rounds. In each round, the rider, with three arrows in a bag on the back, goes on an 85-meter journey on horseback, shooting the arrows at 3 targets, 25 meters away from one another. Failure to finish shooting the 3 arrows after the journey is regarded as a dishonor. The archer who has shot the most arrows on targets will be the winner.
The archery on horseback competition varies in scale, with the large one having as many as 100 participants, the medium one have 20-30 archers and the small one have 10-20 archers.
Horse Racing
Horse racing is the most exciting game at the Nadam, and anyone can apply to take part in the competition regardless his or her age. But in most cases, riders are boys and girls who are 6-13 years old.
Racehorses are divided into several age groups: two, three, four- and five-year-old horses, adult horses and stallions.
The competitions are not held on special tracks, but across the steppe. The distance varies according the ages of the horses. It can be between 15 and 35 kilometers.
After the competitions ends, awards will be given to the fastest ten horses, accompanied by songs about the horses.
Archery
Archery is a traditional sport of the Mongols and also one of the most important games at the Nadam. For ancient Mongols, archery is the symbol of men.
The bow is 100-150 centimeters long and is usually made of resilient wood, including bamboo, birch and plum. The string is made of cattle hide or muscle.
Archery falls into two categories: distance archery and target archery. Target archery is more popular and distance archery was once popular in the old times, but gradually died out.
In the target archery, two or more poles are erected and a whole piece of sheepskin or felt rug will be put up between the poles. The center of the sheepskin or felt rug will be marked.
The participants are required to shoot at the targets from 75-80 meters away and the one that has shot the most arrows on target will be the winner, getting the title of "Mergen" (super marksman).
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Other Entertainments and Activities Top
The HorseRacing Club
Location: Renmin road, Korla
There is a large club to held sports such as horse racing and horsemanship, etc.
Honghegu Ball room
Kangerle Yoga Center
Location: yangyou mansion
Nightclubs
Jinchi Club
Location: Binhe road
The Luna Palace Club
Location: east Renmin road
Hongfang Bar
Location: east Renmin road
259 Bar
Location: south Jianguo road
