The Western Xia was a multi-ethnic regime in Chinese history dominated by the Dangxiang ethnic group, which ruled present-day Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, and Shaanxi from 1038 to 1227. Li Yuanhao, the founder of Western Xia, was the leader of the Dangxiang clan, and under the rule of the Song Dynasty, he proclaimed himself emperor and established the Xia state, known as Western Xia in history.
In addition to the Dangxiang ethnic group, there were also many ethnic groups such as Han, Uighur, Tubo, Shatuo, Xianbei, and Qiang. The culture of the Tangut was also diverse, and in addition to the Tangut script created by itself, it also used a variety of scripts such as Chinese, Uighur, and Tibetan.
The Dangxiang people are the main ethnic group of the Western Xia, and their origin is variously theorized, and it is generally believed that they were a branch of the ancient Qiang people, or a descendant of the Xianbei people.
The Dangxiang people first lived in the Songpan Plateau in Sichuan, and later migrated to northern Shaanxi, Gansu and other places, forming a number of tribes. The social organization of the Dangxiang clan is a tribal alliance system, each tribe has its own leader, and the leader of the alliance is elected by each tribe. The economy of the Dangxiang ethnic group is mainly based on agriculture and animal husbandry, and is also engaged in ** and handicraft industries. The military strength of the Dangxiang clan is very strong, they are good at riding and shooting, and they have rich experience in warfare.
The costume of the Dangxiang clan is mainly leather, with men wearing long robes and women wearing skirts, high hats or turbans, and broad waists. The food of the Dangxiang people is mainly meat, but they also eat pasta and dairy products, and they like to drink wine and tea. The marriage system of the Dangxiang clan is monogamous, and sometimes there are cases of polygamy. There are many customs of the Dangxiang clan, such as burning incense to worship ancestors during the New Year, giving gifts during festivals, and cremating the dead.
The other ethnic groups of Western Xia are mainly the following:
Han nationality: The Han nationality is the second largest ethnic group in Western Xia, mainly distributed in the eastern and southern regions of Western Xia, such as Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi and other places. The Han people were the main agricultural producers and cultural disseminators of the Tangut culture. The Han nationality enjoyed a certain political, economic and cultural status in the Western Xia, and many Han people served as the **, scholars, and literati of the Western Xia.
Uighurs: The Uighurs were the third largest ethnic group in the Western Xia, mainly found in the western and northern regions of the Western Xia, such as Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and other places. The Uighurs were the main pastoral producers and commercial operators of the Tangut. The Uighurs were a nomadic people, and their social organization was a tribal federation, each with its own leader, and the leader of the alliance was elected by each tribe. The Uighur economy is dominated by animal husbandry, and is also engaged in ** and handicrafts.
Tubo: The Tubo people are the fourth largest ethnic group in Western Xia, mainly distributed in the southwestern regions of Western Xia, such as Qinghai, ** and other places. The Tubo were the main border defense force of the Western Xia and the main hostile force of the Western Xia. The Tibetans are a nomadic people, and their social organization is a tribal unit, each tribe has its own leader, and the leader of the alliance is elected by each tribe. The economy of the Tubo people is mainly based on animal husbandry, and they are also engaged in agriculture and **.
Shatuo people: The Shatuo people are the fifth largest ethnic group in Western Xia, mainly distributed in the northern regions of Western Xia, such as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and other places. The Shatuo tribe was the main ally of the Western Xia and the main military force of the Western Xia. The Shatuo are a nomadic people, and their social organization is a tribal alliance, each tribe has its own leader, and the leader of the alliance is elected by each tribe. The economy of the Shatuo people is mainly based on animal husbandry, and they are also engaged in ** and handicrafts.
Xianbei people: The Xianbei people are the sixth largest ethnic group in Western Xia, mainly distributed in the northeastern regions of Western Xia, such as Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places. The Xianbei were the main hostile forces of the Western Xia and the main threat to the Western Xia. The Xianbei are a nomadic people, and their social organization is a tribal alliance, each tribe has its own leader, and the leader of the alliance is elected by each tribe. The economy of the Xianbei people is mainly based on animal husbandry, and they are also engaged in agriculture and **.
Qiang: The Qiang are the seventh largest ethnic group in Western Xia, mainly distributed in the southwestern regions of Western Xia, such as Sichuan, Yunnan and other places. The Qiang were the main marginal ethnic groups in the Western Xia and the main agricultural producers in the Western Xia. The Qiang are a semi-nomadic and semi-agrarian people, and their social organization is a tribal alliance, each tribe has its own leader, and the leader of the alliance is elected by each tribe. The economy of the Qiang people is mainly based on agriculture, and they are also engaged in animal husbandry and **.
Personally, I believe that the ethnic relations of the Western Xia are a typical Chinese-style ethnic relations, which embodies China's national concept of pluralism and unity, and also reflects China's ethnic policy of peaceful coexistence. I hope that through this article, you will be able to have a more comprehensive and profound understanding of the ethnic groups of Western Xia, and you will also be able to have a broader and more open vision of the Chinese ethnic groups.