Aksu (, ; ) is a city in and the seat of Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, lying at the northern edge of the Tarim Basin. The name Aksu literally means "white water" (in Turkic) and is used for both the oasis town and the Aksu River.
The economy of Aksu is mostly agricultural, with cotton, in particular long-staple cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), as the main product. Also produced are grain, fruits, oils and beets. The industry mostly consists of weaving, cement and chemical industries.
The land currently under the administration of the Aksu City is divided in two parts, separated by the Aral City. The northern part hosts the city center, while the southern part is occupied by the Taklamakan Desert.
Etymology
The name Aksu comes from the name of the Aksu River The ancient capital town of Nan ("Southern Town") was likely well south of the present town.
During the Han dynasty, Gumo is described as a "kingdom" (guo) containing 3,500 households and 24,500 individuals, including 4,500 people able to bear arms. It is said to have produced copper, iron and orpiment. The territory of Gumo was roughly situated in the counties of Baicheng and Wensu and the city of Aksu of nowadays.
Baluka
During the Buddhist era, it was known as Bharuka, Bohuan and Baluka, Bolujia (in pinyin), Po-lu-chia (in Wade–Giles).
The Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang visited this "kingdom" in 629 CE and referred to it as Baluka. He recorded that there were tens of Sarvastivadin vihāras in the kingdom and over 1000 Buddhist monks. He said the kingdom was 600 li from east to west, and 300 li from north to south. Its capital was said to be six li in circumference. Xuanzang reported that the "native products, climate, temperament of the people, customs, written language and law are the same as in the country of Kuci or modern Kucha", some to the east, "but the spoken language is somewhat different" from the Kuchean language, which is also known as Tocharian B and West Tocharian. He also stated that fine cotton and hemp cloth made in the area was traded in neighbouring countries.
Contested period
In the 7th, 8th, and early 9th centuries, control of the entire region was often contested by Tang China, the Tibetan Empire, and the Uyghur Khaganate; cities frequently changed hands. Tibet seized Aksu in 670, but Tang forces reconquered the region in 692.
The Tang general Tang Jiahui led the Chinese to defeat an Arab-Tibetan attack in the Battle of Aksu (717). The attack on Aksu was joined by Türgesh Khan Suluk. Both Uch Turfan and Aksu were attacked by the Turgesh, Arab, and Tibetan force on 15 August 717. Qarluqs serving under Chinese command, under Arsila Xian, a Western Turkic Qaghan serving under the Chinese Assistant Grand Protector General Tang Jiahui defeated the attack. Al-Yashkuri, the Arab commander and his army fled to Tashkent after they were defeated.
Tibet regained the Tarim Basin in the late 720s, and the Tang dynasty again annexed the region in the 740s. The Battle of Talas led to the gradual withdrawal of Chinese forces, and the region was then contested between the Uyghurs and Tibetans.
Aksu was positioned on a junction of trade routes: the northern Tarim route Silk Road, and the dangerous route north via the Tian Shan's Muzart Pass to the fertile Ili Valley.
Mongol era
thumb|Huang Qing Zhigong Tu, 1769, Uyghur commoners from [[Uqturpan County|Wushi, Kucha and Aksu.]]
In 1207–1208, Aksu submitted to Genghis Khan who founded the Mongol Empire. The area had been part of the whole Mongol Empire before it was occupied by the independent-minded Chagatai Khanate under the House of Ögedei in 1286 from the hands of Kublai's Yuan dynasty. After the decline of the Yuan dynasty and the split of the Chagatai Khanate in the mid-14th century, Aksu became a territory of the khanate of Moghulistan. Later Aksu fell under the power of Turkic and Mongol warlords. Like most of Xinjiang, Aksu fell under the control of the Khojas and the Dzungar Khanate. Along with Kashgar, Asku played an important role in east–west exchange.
Qing era
The Qing dynasty of China conquered the Dzungar Khanate during the final stage of the Dzungar–Qing Wars in the late 1750s. By 1760, the whole Xinjiang including Aksu became the territory of the Qing dynasty. The Aksu region was given immediate legitimacy by the Qing government, which also gave it the name Wensu Independent Department (溫宿直隸州) and appointed an imperial agent to supervise its activity. After the reconquest of Xinjiang, the Qing dynasty formed Aksu Prefecture as part of the new Xinjiang Province in 1884.
thumb|[[Baron C. G. E. Mannerheim (in the middle) in Aksu, 1907]]
British Army officer Francis Younghusband visited Aksu in 1887 on his overland journey from Beijing to British India. He described it as being the largest town he had seen on his way from the Chinese capital, with a population of about 20,000, besides other inhabitants of the district and a garrison of about 2,000 soldiers. "There were large bazaars and several inns—some for travellers, others for merchants wishing to make a prolonged stay to sell goods."
Modern era
After the fall of the Qing dynasty, Aksu County () was established by the Republic of China In 1913. Isma'il Beg, a Uighur, became the rebel Tao-yin of Aksu. After the outbreak of the Ili Rebellion, the Ili National Army forces led by Abdulkerim Abbas attempting to take Aksu were repelled by National Revolutionary Army defenders commanded by Zhao Hanqi after two bitter sieges in September 1945.
On 19 August 1983, Aksu County became Aksu City ().
Neighbours
The kingdom bordered Kashgar to the south-west, and Kucha, Karasahr then Turpan to the east. Across the desert to the south was Khotan.
Climate
Aksu has a cold desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWk) with extreme seasonal variation in temperature. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from in January to , and the annual mean is . Precipitation totals only annually, and mostly falls in summer, as compared to an annual evaporation rate of about ; there are about 2,800–3,000 hours of bright sunshine annually. The frost-free period averages 200–220 days.
Administrative divisions
Aksu City included 7 subdistricts, 3 towns, 3 townships and five other areas:
{| class="wikitable" align="center" style="width:50%; border="1"
|-
! Name
! Simplified Chinese
! Hanyu Pinyin
! Uyghur (UEY)
! Uyghur Latin (ULY)
! Administrative division code
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|Subdistricts
|----------
| Lengger Subdistrict
|
|
|
|
| 652901001
|-
| Yengibazar Subdistrict
|
|
|
|
| 652901002
|-
| Qizil Kowruk Subdistrict<br />(Hongqiao Subdistrict)
|
|
|
|
| 652901003
|-
| Yengisheher Subdistrict<br />(Xincheng Subdistrict)
|
|
|
|
| 652901004
|-
| Nancheng Subdistrict
|
|
|
|
| 652901005
|-
| Kokyar Subdistrict
|
|
|
|
| 652901006
|-
| Dolan Subdistrict
|
|
|
|
| 652901007
|----------
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|Towns
|----------
| Qaratal Town<br />(Kara Tal)
|
|
|
|
| 652901100
|-
| Aykol Town
|
|
|
|
| 652901101
|-
| Egerchi Town<br />(Igerchi)
|
|
|
|
| 652901102
|----------
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background:#d3d3d3;"|Townships
|----------
| Bextügman Township
|
|
|
|
| 652901201
|-
| Topluq Township
|
|
|
|
| 652901202
|-
| Qumbash Township
|
|
|
|
| 652901203
|-
|}