The Karakash or Black Jade River, also spelled ''Karakax'' (, , Қарақаш Дәряси), is a river in the

Xinjiang Xinjiang, SASM/GNC: ''Xinjang''; zh, c=, p=Xīnjiāng; formerly romanized as Sinkiang (, ), officially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China (PRC), located in the northwes ...

autonomous region of the

People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

that originates in the disputed Aksai Chin region administered by China. It passes through the historical settlement of Xaidulla (Shahidulla or Saitula) and passes by the city of

Khotan Hotan (also known as Gosthana, Gaustana, Godana, Godaniya, Khotan, Hetian, Hotien) is a major oasis town in southwestern Xinjiang, an autonomous region in Western China. The city proper of Hotan broke off from the larger Hotan County to become ...

(Hotan) to flow northeast in the Tarim Basin. It merges with the Yurungkash River, the combined river taking the name

Hotan River The Hotan River (also known as the Khotan River or the Ho-t'ien River) is formed by the union of the White Jade (Yurungkash) and Karakash (Black Jade) Rivers, which flow north from the Kunlun Mountains into the Taklamakan Desert in northern C ...

and flowing into the Tarim River.

Course

The river begins above about northeast of Galwan Kangri peak in the disputed Aksai Chin region administered by China. It flows north to Sumnal (15,540 ft), then turns sharply eastwards, flowing at the foot of the Karatagh Range (skirting just north of the Soda Plains of Aksai Chin). Just beyond Palong Karpo, it reaches the foot of the

Kunlun Mountains The Kunlun Mountains ( zh, s=昆仑山, t=崑崙山, p=Kūnlún Shān, ; ug, كۇئېنلۇن تاغ تىزمىسى / قۇرۇم تاغ تىزمىسى ) constitute one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending for more than . In the bro ...

, where it turns sharply northwestwards, and crosses into

proper. At this location it receives another headwater now called the 'East Karakash River' (which was once regarded as the main headwater). The combined river flows past the towns of Sumgal, Fotash, Gulbashem, until it reaches Xaidulla (Shahidulla). The river then turns sharply northeastwards near Xaidulla, and, after passing through Ali Nazar cuts through the Kunlun mountain range near the Suget or

Sanju Pass The Sanju, or Sanju-la (), with an elevation of , is a historical mountain pass in the Kun Lun Mountains in Pishan County, Hotan Prefecture, Xinjiang, China. During ancient times, it was the last on a series of difficult passes on the most com ...

. It passes by

to its west, running parallel to the Yurungkash River, which it joins near Koxlax (some 125 km north of Khotan (). The combined river is called the

, which flows into the Tarim River.

History

The Karakash River is famous for its white and greenish

jade Jade is a mineral used as jewellery or for ornaments. It is typically green, although may be yellow or white. Jade can refer to either of two different silicate minerals: nephrite (a silicate of calcium and magnesium in the amphibole group ...

( nephrite) carried as river boulders and pebbles toward

, as does the nearby Yurungkash (or 'White Jade') River. This river jade originates from eroded mountain deposits of which the most famous one is near Gulbashen, in southwestern Xinjiang (formerly Chinese Turkestan). Black nephrite is also abundant in the Karakash River but these deposits are rarely reported in the primary nephrite finds. The Karakash Valley was also a caravan road for the north–south trade between

Yarkand Yarkant County,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also Shache County,, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency also transliterated from Uyghur as Yakan County, is a county in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous ...

(

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

) and

Leh Leh () ( lbj, ) is the joint capital and largest city of Ladakh, a union territory of India. Leh, located in the Leh district, was also the historical capital of the Kingdom of Ladakh, the seat of which was in the Leh Palace, the former ...

over the

Karakoram Pass The Karakoram Pass () is a mountain pass between India and China in the Karakoram Range. It is the highest pass on the ancient caravan route between Leh in Ladakh and Yarkand in the Tarim Basin. 'Karakoram' literally means 'Black Gravel ...

Leh District Leh district is a district in the union territory of Ladakh, India. With an area of 45,110 ''km'2'', it is the second largest district in the country smaller only to Kutch. It is bounded on the north by Gilgit-Baltistan's Kharmang and Gh ...

Ladakh Ladakh () is a region administered by India as a union territory which constitutes a part of the larger Kashmir region and has been the subject of dispute between India, Pakistan, and China since 1947. (subscription required) Quote: "Jammu a ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Karakash River
OpenStreetMap, retrieved 6 August 2021. Rivers of Xinjiang Geography of Ladakh Sites along the Silk Road Aksai Chin

Course

History

See also

References

External links