A 5 km-long necropolis on the desert plain just outside Gaochang, containing more than a thousand tombs of the city's nobility and officials from the 3rd to 8th centuries. The dry, salty soil and burning heat have preserved bodies, silks and even Tang-era food offerings to a remarkable degree.
Three tombs are open to visitors. The most interesting includes two naturally mummified bodies displayed in their original chamber and the famous duck-and-fish silk painting in situ. A small adjoining museum explains the broader cemetery and displays additional artefacts. Tickets are usually combined with Gaochang and Bezeklik on full-day tours.