The Tangut Xia: A Kingdom Forged Between Empires

Nestled along the fringes of modern Qinghai Province, the Tangut people—a fierce and numerous ethnic group—began their gradual migration eastward during the 10th century. By the late 900s, their leader Li Jiqian capitalized on the chaos of China’s fractured Five Dynasties period, securing patronage from the powerful Liao Dynasty in the northeast. This alliance allowed the Tangut to expand into the Ordos region, laying the groundwork for a new kingdom.

In the early 11th century, the ambitious Li Yuanhao, after securing victories against the Northern Song Dynasty, declared the founding of the Western Xia (Xi Xia) Empire in 1038. The name “Xi Xia”—literally “Western Xia”—reflected both their territorial claims and their cultural aspirations, positioning themselves as heirs to the “Xia” legacy, a symbolic nod to China’s mythical first dynasty.

A Desert Kingdom with Silk Road Wealth

Stretching across the arid landscapes of modern Ningxia, western Gansu, and northern Shaanxi, the Tangut Xia controlled critical segments of the Silk Road. Though their territory was small and sparsely populated, their strategic location ensured economic prosperity. The kingdom maintained a modest standing army of 60,000–70,000 troops, relying on a policy of “serving the great” (shì dà)—shifting allegiances between the Liao, and later the Jin Dynasty, to survive as a tributary state.

Culturally, the Tangut were deeply influenced by Han Chinese traditions, particularly Confucianism, yet they developed their own script and Buddhist-infused identity. Their capital, Xingqing (modern Yinchuan), became a hub of trade and scholarship, blending Tibetan, Chinese, and Central Asian influences.

The Mongol Storm: Genghis Khan’s First Strike

Genghis Khan’s encounter with the Tangut Xia began as a pretext. In 1205, a Mongol detachment of 3,000 cavalry invaded under the guise of pursuing a fugitive, Sang Kun, who had allegedly fled to Xia. When the Tangut denied harboring him, the Mongols—unfamiliar with walled cities—resorted to improvisation. Their initial siege of a small frontier fort revealed their inexperience: after days of confusion, they cobbled together rudimentary siege engines, massacred the defenders, and razed the settlement.

The subsequent attack on Qilinguosha City was a brutal lesson. Confronted with layered walls, moats, and arrow volleys, the Mongols retreated, only to return with adapted tactics. Using feigned retreats and concentrated arrow barrages, they overwhelmed the defenses, slaughtering the inhabitants. The fall of Luosi City, which surrendered without resistance, cemented Genghis Khan’s belief in Xia’s vulnerability.

Psychological Warfare and the Siege of Wulahai

In 1209, Genghis Khan launched a full-scale invasion, targeting Wulahai City. His campaign blended terror and ingenuity. After weeks of stalemate, he demanded 1,000 cats and 10,000 swallows from the defenders. When the baffled Tangut complied, the Mongols tied flaming rags to the animals, sending them panicking back into the city. The resulting fires and chaos allowed the Mongols to breach the walls.

Yet the victory was hollow. The densely populated, irrigated farmlands of Xia were alien to the steppe warriors. Facing logistical strain and Tangut counterattacks, Genghis Khan withdrew in early 1210—but not before sparing Wulahai as a future foothold.

Legacy: The Tangut Xia’s Erasure and Historical Echoes

The Tangut Xia’s fate was sealed in 1227, when Genghis Khan—dying from wounds sustained in his final campaign—ordered their extermination. The kingdom vanished, its cities razed, its script nearly forgotten. Yet its role in Mongol history was pivotal: the Tangut wars taught the Mongols siegecraft, preparing them for the conquest of Jin China and beyond.

Today, fragments of Tangut culture endure in Ningxia’s Buddhist art and reconstructed scripts, a testament to a civilization that once straddled the Silk Road’s crossroads. For historians, the Tangut Xia remains a case study in resilience, adaptation, and the brutal calculus of empire.