The Karakash or Black Jade River, also spelled Karakax (Chinese: 喀拉喀什河; pinyin: Kālākāshí Hé, [قاراقاش دەرياسى] Error: {{Langx}}: invalid parameter: |lat= (help), Қарақаш Дәряси), is a river in the Xinjiang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China that originates in Aksai Chin. It passes through the historical settlement of Xaidulla (Shahidulla or Saitula) and passes by the city of Khotan (Hotan) to flow northeast in the Tarim Basin. It merges with the Yurungkash River, the combined river taking the name Hotan River and flowing into the Tarim River.[1]
Course
The river begins above 19,000 feet (5,800 m) about 7 miles (11 km) northeast of Galwan Kangri peak in Aksai Chin. 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, where it turns sharply northwestwards, and crosses into Xinjiang 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 Karakash River is famous for its white and greenish jade (nephrite) carried as river boulders and pebbles toward Khotan, as does the nearby Yurungkash (or 'White Jade') River.[2] 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.[3]