This M.A. dissertation gives a comprehensive review of the research in the Gaochang city site in the past several decades and the conservation work conducted inside the site area. Based on the field investigation result, the author makes a good evaluation of these academic and practical activities and gives insightful suggestions on the future mitigation, conservation and management work. She hopes that this case study can be useful for site managers and conservators working in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

 The Gaochang city site is known as the largest ancient city site in Xinjiang. It continued to be used as an important political, economic and cultural center of the Gaochang state since the Western Han dynasty when it was first occupied by the Han military force as a frontier village. The city was also a place of key importance in terms of communication between different historic ethnic groups in aspects of politics, economy and religions. It stands at the core of the social development of Turpan and the Xinjiang region, and has always been viewed as a joint area between the West and inland China.

The research work in the past several decades is mainly focused on its history and written documents on paper and textiles. Therefore, archaeological work should be enhanced in the future. Most conservation work up to date is primarily about the building remains on the ground, site remains underground have always been ignored, needless to say any planning, mitigation or management work. The author suggests that local heritage managers should incorporate GIS system, environmental monitoring system, evaluation system, mitigation system, CRM excavation and management system systematically in their future work.