The Historical Development of Ningxia Plain

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region has a long history. Stone tools, bones and fire traces unearthed from Shuidonggou Paleolithic Cultural Site in lingwu city show that there were human activities in Ningxia as early as 30,000 years ago, and they created Shuidonggou Culture in the late Paleolithic period. After liberation, many sites of "microlithic culture", "Majiayao culture" and "Qijia culture" were discovered in Ningxia. These sites show that from 67,000 to 34,000 years ago, the "residents" in the north and south of Ningxia had entered the patriarchal clan society from the matriarchal clan society and began to engage in animal husbandry and agricultural production, which was closely related to the Central Plains. There were nomadic tribes in Shang and Zhou Dynasties, called Hu (Northern Emperor) and Qiang (Xirong), and later called Ghost Rong (Xun Yu and Hunzhou). When I was in Zhou Xuanwang, I did a household survey in Taiyuan (now Guyuan area). The survey showed that there was not only a large population, but also an administrative system. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the southern part of Guyuan belonged to the Qin Dynasty, and the remaining areas were inhabited by Yi Qurong, Yan and other tribes. In 22 1 year BC, Qin destroyed six countries and recovered Hetao. At that time, Ningxia was a northern county, and a large number of subjects from six countries moved here to reclaim land and build canals for irrigation. It laid the foundation for agricultural development in Ningxia Plain. The Qin Canal, dug in the Qin Dynasty, is still in use today. During the period of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, a large number of immigrants poured into Hetao area of Ningxia. It also brought advanced farming techniques to the Central Plains. In order to expand cultivated land, a new Han canal was dug.

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Three Kingdoms split and the Central Plains was at war. Ningxia has become a place where Qiang people, Huns, Xianbei nomads and deer compete with each other. In 407-43 1 year, Helian Bobo, the Hun, rose, established Daxia and became one of the sixteen countries. Guyuan, Lingwu and Yinchuan in Ningxia are all under its jurisdiction. Li Yuan destroyed Sui and Jian Tang Dynasties, and the whole country was divided into fifteen roads. Ningxia belongs to Guannei Road. In Lingzhou, south of Lingwu County, there are more than 60,000 troops stationed in Doudufu and Shuofang. Become the political, military, economic and transportation center of northwest China. During the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, Ningxia's economy also developed greatly.

At the end of the Western Jin Dynasty, Helian Bobo, a Hun, established a local political power in 407-43 1 year, with its capital in Tongcheng (now Jingbian County, Shaanxi Province), which governed Ningxia.

In the Tang Dynasty, the whole country was divided into ten roads, and Ningxia belonged to Guannei Road. In the Tang Dynasty, the Taishou Prefecture and the Shuofang Provincial Government were established in Lingzhou (now southwest of lingwu city). During the Anshi Rebellion, Tang Suzong ascended the throne in Lingwu in 756.

In A.D. 1038, Yuan Hao officially proclaimed himself emperor, with the title of Xia. Because in the western part of the Northern Song Dynasty, it was different from Lianxia, one of the sixteen countries, so it was called Xixia in history. Xingqing House, now Yinchuan, is not only the political and economic center of Xixia, but also the hub of water conservancy irrigation. In Xixia, animal husbandry flourished. Most of the horses used in the Song Dynasty were purchased from Xixia. Genghis Khan also got many camels from Xixia. Xixia handicraft industry is also very developed, mainly tanning, spinning wool and making carpets. The Chengtian Temple Tower, built in Liang Zuo, still stands in Yinchuan, showing the superb architectural skills of Xixia people.

In A.D. 1227, after the Xixia Kingdom was destroyed by Genghis Khan, Yuan set up the Ningxia government road here and began to move into the Hui nationality. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, Ningxia became a frontier fortress.

In A.D. 1368, Zhu Yuanzhang ordered farmers to return to farming, acknowledging that the tiller has his field and the tiller enjoys it. Later, imperial edicts were issued, stipulating that farmers in Ningxia and other places should own their own land and never levy taxes. The government also organized troops to build water conservancy projects, and placed a large number of Hui people in Lingzhou and Guyuan as "garrison" people. Around A.D. 14 12, the population doubled and the grain reserves increased. Storage in Ningxia and other places can support local 10 annual salary. However, after the mid-Ming Dynasty, there was a war, and Ningxia's economy was greatly damaged.

The Yuan Dynasty set up Ningxia Road and began to move into Hui people. In the Ming Dynasty, Ningxia Wei was established, and a large number of Hui people were placed in Lingzhou and Guyuan areas as "garrison households".

Jianning Xiafu in Qing Dynasty. During the Qianlong period, a major earthquake occurred in Yinchuan, and the original site was seriously damaged. Emperor Qianlong allocated huge sums of money to rebuild his homeland and built a new city in the suburbs, which was called the new city. After Qianlong, "Ningxia went to Pingliang for more than a thousand miles, and I knew all about it", and became the largest Hui community in China. In the early years of the Republic of China, Shuofang Road was established, and 1929 was changed to Ningxia Province, which governs the existing cities and counties in Inner Mongolia except Guyuan and Alashan Zuo Qi, Alashan Right Banner, Ejina Banner and Dengkou County.

1September 23, 949, Ningxia was liberated, and the original name of Ningxia Province was still used. Its jurisdiction is the same as that of the Republic of China. 1954, Ningxia province and Alashan Zuo Qi were revoked. Alashan Right Banner, Ejina Banner and Dengkou County were placed under the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the rest were merged into Gansu Province. 1958 10 10 On October 25th, the white area of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was established, which governs Yinchuan, Wuzhong Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Xihaigu Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Jingyuan and Longde counties in Gansu Province. From 65438 to 0969, five communes in Alashan Zuo Qi and Alashan Right Banner of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region merged into Ningxia. 1979, these areas were transferred back to Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.