Islam is the foundation of the religion of Asia today. But it was not always so. Very few people know about the history of Christianity in Asia, despite the fact that the chronicle of Western Christianity is well known.
It is known for certain from the chronicles that Christianity came to Asia from Persia. After the adoption of the Christian faith by the emperors of Rome, persecution of Christians began in Persia and they were forced to move to the East. The people who brought Christianity to Asia were called Nestorians.
In 1165, a letter was circulated in Europe received from Presbyter John, who was considered the leader of the Nestorians. He wrote that the Nestorian settlement in the east was flourishing. The letter became very popular and was translated into several languages. In 1177, Pope Alexander III sent his emissary Philip to John with a message. The pope's messenger never returned from his dangerous journey.
It is known from the notes of the famous traveler Marco Polo that on his way through Central Asia he met many Mongols and Turks who professed Christianity. They considered themselves to be the Assyrian Church of the East. At one time the Uyghur was the patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, under the name of Mar-Yavalag III. Later, it became a step towards the West, initiated by its local khans, wishing to conclude an alliance with France and England and other European states against Islamic countries. Yes, and all local rulers tried to maintain good relations with the Assyrian Church of the East and the Assyrians to maintain ties with the West.
In 1203, Genghis Khan married the daughter of the Kerait tribe Yasunsoen-begi, who belonged to the Assyrian Church of the East. Genghis Khan's wife continued to profess the Christian religion and how she could support fellow believers. Thanks to this, Christians had a significant influence on Chinkhiskhan. Chinkhiskhan's sons Jagatay and Oktay also patronized Christians, and Jagatay even converted to Christianity in Samarkand. Under Khan Oktai, the Assyrians had great freedom in choosing their religion. There was even an Assyrian physician in the khan's retinue, and Christians held high positions at the headquarters of Oktay. Christian advisers were then under the Mongol khans, and were next to the governor of Northern Transcaucasia.
However, the West deceived the Asian rulers - they did not wait for the help of European countries. The result of the betrayal of the West was the adoption of Islam by the population of Asia. Repressions immediately fell upon the Assyrian Christians, who by that time were already a prosperous craft and trade urban stratum. Later, during the reign of Timur, on his order, they began to destroy the Assyrian Christians in a vast territory - from the Mediterranean Sea to China. There is a legend that Timur's cruelty is connected with the fact that the Assyrians baptized Timur's wife in order to increase their influence over the ruler. However, Timur, having killed her, unleashed all his anger on the Christians. Only three groups of Christians were saved from the brutal massacre: one fled to India on the Malabar coast, the second group ended up in Cyprus, and the third escaped to the mountains of Kurdistan
Why, then, were the Christians who had previously been favored by the rulers subjected to such cruel persecution? It turns out that the reason lies in the very teachings of the followers of Muhammad. Jihad is an integral part of Islam - a frantic struggle against evil in the world around us. It so happened that Muslims saw this evil in Christians. Therefore, in the Asian Islamic countries such an active struggle was waged against Christianity.
Despite the fact that Central Asia belongs to the regions where Islam is professed, traces of Christianity have been preserved there. For example, a monument of medieval architecture - a stone fortress Tash-Rabat, located in the Kara-Kayun gorge, surrounded by snowy peaks and inaccessible Tan-Shan ridges. At an altitude of 3600 meters, not far from the border between China and Kyrgyzstan, this unusual object is located. Not far from it was one of the main caravan routes of the Great Silk Road. This road connected the Fergana Valley with the oases of Kashgar and the shore of the beautiful Issyk-Kul Lake. Christians, despite the harsh climate and the wayward nature of the highlands, have taken root in these parts.
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Historians and archaeologists still argue about why it was here, in a sparsely populated area, that the majestic and mysterious Tash-Rabat was built. It is believed that there is no such object in terms of the complexity of its structure and size in the areas from the Caspian Sea to the Gobi Desert. According to scientists, Tash-Rabat was a Christian monastery, which also served as an inn for caravans. True, some researchers insist on the defensive purpose of this structure. There are also written sources related to the history of the Asian Middle Ages, but they do not provide answers to numerous questions. Thus, interest in the mystery of this amazing bastion does not fade away.
The gorge in which Tash-Rabat is located was called "the black valley, where there is little snow." The cliffs surrounding the valley protect it from snow during winter, although frosts sometimes reach -50 degrees. In summer, there are often night frosts, and the highest summer temperature does not exceed +20 degrees. And since the gorge is stretched in the direction of the south, one of the slopes of the gorge is always illuminated at any time of daylight.
Tash-Rabat stands on the "morning" slope facing the sun. The building is oriented to the four cardinal directions, the entrance of the fortress is facing east. The first rays of the sun illuminate and warm the facade of the building, at the same time maintaining the circulation of warm jets of air under the heavy arches of the interior, ridding them of dampness. In winter, the function of heating was performed by bonfires, heating all the rooms and halls of the fortress. Under the building there is a labyrinth of underground passages and even an underground prison (zindan). On the outside, there are corner towers that most likely perform a guard function. It remains a mystery what could have protected the fortress, which was located away from the caravan route, in a narrow, practically deserted gorge, reliably protected by an impassable swamp? Maybe its mysterious inhabitants? I must admitthat for medieval architecture this building stood out for its thoughtfulness and ingenious execution.
And of course, there are many legends about such a mysterious structure. One of them is very similar to a plot from the Bible. For the sins of people, the Lord sent a flood to Earth that killed many people, among the saved were two righteous people - a son and a father. They began to build a temple at the top of the mountain where they had escaped the flood. True, the son did not work until the construction was completed, he left with the caravan, following the girl he liked, and the feeble old man continued his hard work. Pilgrims passing by helped the old man to lay large stones. A saint came from Rome with his followers. They were powerful heroes and were able to quickly complete the construction of an impregnable fortress. Remaining in it, Christians led a very modest life, educated and healed people, gave shelter to strangers.
For about a millennium, Christianity was gradually dissolving in the Islamic world of Asia. Small Christian communities survived after this period in the Tan-Shan mountains and on the shores of Issyk-Kul, taking advantage of the favor of successive rulers and the good attitude of local residents. And the Tash-Rabat fortress served for a long time as a refuge for Christians, as well as for all people, regardless of religion, in need of protection and rest on the passes of the central mountain range of the majestic Tan-Shan.
But maybe this is just a legend, and the real history of the mysterious fortress Tash-Rabat has remained hidden behind the curtain of millennia!