Experts Question China's Claim of Ancient Buddhist Temple in Xinjiang

Chinese experts claim the ruins of a Buddhist temple near Kashgar, Xinjiang, were built by a 7th-century Chinese empress. They argue the site, known as Mo’er, shows Chinese influence in the region's history. However, foreign scholars contest this, asserting the temple's architecture reflects Indian styles, not Chinese. They note that the area was part of the Gandhara Buddhist culture, influenced by Kashmir and Pakistan. Critics argue that China’s reinterpretation serves its political agenda to assert historical claims over Xinjiang .