The trip of Chokan Valikhanov to East Turkestan (to the 155th anniversary of Kashgar expedition of Chokan Valikhanov)

Before the beginning of the graduate of Omsk cadet corps, the young lieutenant's journey, only a few Europeans had visited East Turkestan. It was the renowned Marco Polo in the 13th century, Jesuit monk Gaes in the 17th century. Then in the second half of the 19th century German traveller, apprentice of the great Humboldt, Adolf Schlagintweit, who disappeared during his bold expedition to Central Asia, came to Kashgariya. It is not hard to imagine the feeling Chokan Valikhanov stepped over the Chinese border with. Neither in Europe, nor in Russia had anybody any idea of what was happening in this huge and closed area of Asia. It is not surprising that the journey to Kashgar, from which the brave traveller brought unique scientific material, remained in the annals of Russian geographic science forever. During his stay in East Turkestan Chokan could not directly question people and make notes in his diary. He composed the picture of Kashgar's political life, the map of the area basing on the snatches of conversations, on people's memories about different political events, visiting public places, including mosques and bazaars. All that he learned about economy, political life, history, geography, ethnography of Kashgar was a result of hard work; a lot of information had to be memorised. While preparing a report on the Kashgar expedition ''On the condition of Altyshar or six Eastern cities of the Chinese province Nan-Lu (Small Bukhariya) in 1858-1859'', Valikhanov presented a comprehensive geographic review, made a note about the population, eastern system of town administration, economic and political condition of the region. Later the report on the Kashgar trip became the basis of ''Dzungaria essays'' published in the ''Notes of the Imperial Russian Geographic Society'' at the beginning of 1861. The data on East Turkestan, included in Chokan Valikhanov's report was actively used. The scientist's work was highly appreciated by both Russian and foreign orientalists, and it was soon re-published in English. Having finished writing the report at the beginning of 1860, Chokan arrived in St. Petersburg. High Petersburg's authorities in the face of ministers, officials and Emperor Alexander II himself treated him as a hero, brave traveller and outstanding explorer, who had discovered Asia for European science. For performing the important government task Chokan Valikhanov was appointed Staff-Captain and awarded with the order of St. Vladimir. He gained the fame of a brave traveller.

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