Xīnjiāng Uyghur Autonomous Region

Xīnjiāng is a vast province, constituting 16% of China's land area, of deserts and arid plains interspersed with towering mountain ranges. This strategically important area includes the famed Silk Road trade routes established during the Han dynasty, and today the ruins of Buddhist cities are dotted across the deserts along with the Chinese garrison towns to protect the vital trade routes.

The images in these galleries were taken on three different trips in 2003, 2004 winters and summer 2007.