Editing Ningxia (section)

==History==
The earliest human activity in Ningxia can be traced back to 30,000 years ago, with remains of the [[Shuidonggou|Shuidonggou Culture]] found in [[Lingwu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=历史的眷顾：古城宁夏六宗"最"_宁夏民风民俗_新疆旅行网 |url=https://www.xjlxw.com/xb/nx/mfms/8086.html |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.xjlxw.com}}</ref>[[Image:108 Dagobas.JPG|thumb|left|The [[One Hundred and Eight Stupas|108 stupas]] near [[Qingtongxia]].]]
As a frontier zone between nomadic pastoralists and sedentary farmers, Ningxia was a frequent seat of war and incursions by non-Chinese tribes. Ningxia and its surrounding areas were incorporated into the [[Qin (state)|Qin]] as the [[Beidi Commandery]] as early as the 3rd century BC. To pacify the region, the imperial government established military colonies to reclaim land. In addition, horse pasturages were founded under the Imperial Stud to safeguard the supply of army horses, as early as the Western [[Han dynasty]] (206 BC – AD 9).<ref name="Ho 2000" /> Throughout the [[Han dynasty]] and the [[Tang dynasty]] there were several large cities established in the region. The [[Liang Province rebellion]] at the [[end of the Han Dynasty]] affected Ningxia.

By the 11th century the [[Tangut people]] had established the [[Western Xia dynasty]] on the outskirts of the then-[[Song dynasty]]. Jews also lived in Ningxia, as evidenced by the fact that in 1489, after a major flood destroyed [[Torah scroll]]s in [[Kaifeng]], a replacement set was sent to the [[Kaifeng Jews]] by the [[Ningbo]] and Ningxia [[Jews in China|Jewish communities]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Xu |first=Xin | author-link = Xu Xin (Judaic scholar) |title=The Jews of Kaifeng: China History, Culture, and Religion |date=2003 |publisher=Ktav Publishing House |location=Jersey City, NJ |language=en}}</ref>

It then came under [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] domination after [[Genghis Khan]] conquered [[Yinchuan]] in the early 13th century. Muslims from Central Asia also began moving into Ningxia from the west. By the late 17th century, Ningxia had become a weaving centre, producing many early Chinese carpets.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Eiland |first=Murray L. |date=2003 |title=Carpets of the Ming Dynasty? |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/29757577 |journal=East and West |volume=53 |issue=1/4 |pages=179–208 |jstor=29757577 |issn=0012-8376}}</ref> The Muslim [[Dungan Revolt (1862–77)|Dungan Revolt]] of the 19th century affected Ningxia.

In 1914, Ningxia was merged with the [[Provinces of China|province]] of [[Gansu]]. In 1928, it became a separate province. Between 1914 and 1928, the [[Ma clique]] ruled the provinces of [[Qinghai]], Ningxia and Gansu; General [[Ma Hongkui]] was the military governor of Ningxia and had absolute authority in the province. The [[Muslim conflict in Gansu (1927–30)|Muslim conflict in Gansu]], which lasted from 1927 to 1930, spilt over into Ningxia. In 1934, warlord and [[National Revolutionary Army]] general [[Sun Dianying]] [[War in Ningxia (1934)|attempted to conquer]] the province, but was defeated by an alliance led by the [[Ma clique]].{{sfnp|Lin|2011|pp=37–39}}

From 1950 to 1958, a [[Kuomintang Islamic insurgency in China (1950–1958)|Kuomintang Islamic insurgency]] resulted in fighting throughout Northwest China, including Ningxia. In 1954, the [[Chinese government]] merged Ningxia with Gansu, but in 1958 Ningxia formally became an [[autonomous region of China]]. In 1969, Ningxia received a part of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, but this area was returned in 1979.

A number of Chinese artifacts dating from the [[Tang dynasty]] and [[Song dynasty]], some of which had been owned by [[Emperor Zhenzong]], were excavated and then came into the hands of Ma Hongkui, who refused to publicize the findings. Among the artifacts were a white marble tablet from the Tang dynasty, gold nails, and bands made out of metal. It was not until after Ma Hongkui died that his wife went to Taiwan in 1971 from America to bring the artifacts to [[Chiang Kai-shek]], who turned them over to the [[Taipei]] [[National Palace Museum]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0UzrAAAAMAAJ&q=in+1971,+his+widow+took+them+from+America+to+Chiang+Kai-shek+in+Taiwan.+They+were+later+acquired+by+the+National+Palace |title=China Archaeology and Art Digest, Volume 3, Issue 4 |publisher=Art Text (HK) |year=2000 |page=354 |access-date=28 November 2010}}</ref>