The History of Ningxia

 ·30,000 B.C.: Human started to live here, with Shui Dong Gou Remains as the proof
· 272 B.C.: King Zhaoxiang of Qin set Ningxia as one of the north prefectures, making Ningxia become a critical military point in Qin Country
· 206-220 B.C.: Ningxia became an important pass of China for trading and transport
· 755 A.D.: At the time of the ancient incident “An Lushan Rebellion”, Emperor Suzong of Tang
· 1038-1227: Western Xia Empire, one of the mysterious kingdoms, set Yinchuan as the capital
· 1287: “Ningxia” was first recognized in geography
· 1929: Ningxia Province was set up, at the time of the Republic of China (1912-1949)
· 1949: Ningxia was deliberated (23rd September)
· 1958: Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was set up ( 25th October)

　　The name of “Ningxia” was born since the subjugation of Western Xia Dynasty, which implied the signification of pacification of Western Xia Destiny and a peaceful tranquil Western Xia.　　Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has a long history. The stone artifacts, bone implements and burning trace excavated in the Old Stone Age site of Shuidonggou in the city of Lingwu indicates that human activity has existed since 30 thousand years ago in Ningxia terrain, which created the “Shuidonggou Culture” in the late Old Stone Age. Plenty of sites of “Microlithic Culture”, “Majiayao Culture” and “Qijia Culture” were found in Ningxia terrain after liberation. These sites indicate that the “residents” in Ningxia had entered the matriarchal society from the patriarchal society and the livestock industry and agriculture had been initiated. Besides, over 100 ancient habitation sites of the New Stone Age have also been found in Ningxia and many important discoveries of great archeological value have been made.



　　The Western Xia was a regime in medieval China ruled an area including most of Ningxia, which was ruled mainly by an ancient ethnic group known as the Dangxiang or Tangut. The Western Xia had a developed culture. Before its founding, it had created its own language, which was later known as the “Western Xia language”. The language was in use for over 460 years, making it the most widely used and longest surviving language during the Song and Yuan dynasties. There is a vast treasure of historical literature written in the Western Xia language. With develping its own traditional culture, it also absorbed the cultures of other peoples, especially the feudal culture of the majority Han in the central plains area. The rulers of Western Xia advocated Confucianism and developed Buddhism, making for a uniquely characteristic Western Xia culture. Western Xia made extensive advances in the areas of livestock breeding, farming and handicrafts. The management of farming and livestock breeding was very scientific and elaborate. It not only put to use irrigation ditches built in the Han and Tang dynasties, but also built new ones, such as the Mingwang Canal for irrigation. The canal is still in use today. In late Western Xia Dynasty, the Mongolian empire campaigned against the Western Xia, but met with strong resistance. It waged six campaigns against the Western Xia, and Genghis Khan participated in the Wester Xia capital of Xingqing (now the capital city of Ningxia--Yinchuan) for half a year, locked in fierce battle with the Western Xia army. The Western Xia did not surrender until Genghis Khan assembled his strongest army, and then only after very fierce bloody battles. The 189-year-long Western Xia was thus exterminated along with the Dangxiang people, leaving only an earthen mausoleum platform standing tall at the foot of Helan Mountain. It has stood there until today, more than 700 years later. It still inspires the imagination and speculation about the heyday of this mysterious dynasty in China.




　　The Yuan Dynasty was an important period in Ningxia’s development. In 1227, the Yuan Dynasty (the dynasty created by Mongolian empire Genghis Khan) beat the Western Xia Dynasty and sent groups of Central Asians, Arabs, Muslim soldiers, craftsmen and businessmen of Persia to today’s Ningxia area. Up to the late Yuan and early Ming Dynasty period, the ethnicity of the Hui in Ningxia had already been formed and also gradually entered into a relatively stable period. During the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong, the Hui residential area dominated the region. A reflection of the flourishing prosperity of the Hui at that time is the construction of two grand and delicately designed mosques during the Ming Dynasty—Weizhou Mosque in Tongxin County and Najiahu Mosque in Yongning County.　　After the foundation of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, four Hui autonomous prefectures and 10 autonomous counties were set up. Because the Hui was one of the minorities with a large population, the National People’s Congress agreed to establish the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In the past 50 years, the autonomous region has seen full and rapid progress in politics, economy, culture, education, social life, and other aspects, along with a stable religious life