The historical origins of the Dongxiang people lack direct and comprehensive documentation; only scattered records and fragmented legends exist. Even the Hezhou Gazetteer, which chronicles the region where the Dongxiang have lived for generations, offers no dedicated account of their history. Theories regarding their origins vary widely, with the most common attributing their ancestry to Hui (Semu) populations, Mongol lineages, or multiple ethnic groups.
The Hui (Semu) Ancestry Theory. This explanation is primarily derived from the oral traditions of the Dongxiang people. According to legend, their ancestors were the Sart people from Central and Western Asia who came to present-day Gansu Province as part of the Mongol army during Genghis Khan’s campaigns. After settling in the region, they gradually assimilated with local Han, Mongol, and other ethnic groups, eventually forming the Dongxiang ethnicity. For this reason, the Dongxiang people traditionally refer to themselves as Sarta ."
By the late 12th and early 13th centuries, the Mongol tribes had risen to prominence across the northern and southern reaches of the Mongolian Plateau. Under Genghis Khan’s leadership, the Mongol armies launched a series of major westward campaigns. During these conquests, large numbers of Hui (Semu) soldiers and skilled artisans from the Sart regions of Central and Western Asia were conscripted to serve the Mongols. In March 1227, Genghis Khan occupied the Gansu provience where the Dongxiang people currently reside. As part of his military strategy, Genghis Khan incorporated many Sart captives into a specialized cavalry unit known as the Tamachin (Tammachi). Among these individuals were weaponsmiths, naval engineers, gunners, merchants, nobles, and islamic scholars. The Mongol conquerors settled these Sarta people within garrisoned territories, grouping artisans by trade and naming their settlements accordingly. Place names that remain in present-day Dongxiang County, Gansu Province bear witness to the presence and occupations of these early Sart inhabitants. For instance, villages such as Mianguchi (silversmiths), Aleuchi (weavers), Tomuchi (blacksmiths), Yihachi (metal bowl makers), and Taomaochi (leatherworkers) all reflect their respective trades. Other toponyms such as Basuchi, Shaheichi, and Daruhuachi mean “guardians” or “defenders,” indicating a military presence. Physiological traits among the Dongxiang people also suggest links to Central Asian ancestry. Many Dongxiang men have prominent nasal bridges, deep-set eyes, long beards, and oval-shaped faces; Dongxiang women are often light-skinned. These characteristics further support the hypothesis of a genealogical connection between the Dongxiang people and the Sart people of Central Asia.
According to Dongxiang oral tradition, their ancestors are believed to have originated from the Western Regions (Central and Western Asia). It is said that six to seven centuries ago, forty Shaihei Gudubu (missionaries) came to Hezhou to spread their faith. Among them, thirteen settled permanently in present-day Dongxiang County. Their leader, Hamuze, was said to have made his home there, and areas such as Nalhuang, Sale, and Shilati are believed to be places where their descendants reside today.
Equestrian battle before the gates of Samarkand. From Rashid al-Din’s Jamiʿ al-Tawarikh
The Mongol Origin Theory. This theory, which traces the Dongxiang people's ancestry to the Mongols, includes two distinct versions:
Another theory holds that the Dongxiang people are descendants of Mongol soldiers during Genghis Khan’s western campaigns. Over time, these soldiers gradually transitioned from a military role to a civilian one. According to local legends, many Mongol troops were once garrisoned in Gansu during the reign of Genghis Khan. While most were eventually redeployed, a small contingent remained in what is now Dongxiang County. Later, Islam spread into the region from the northwest, passing through Qinghai and Xunhua before reaching Dongxiang County. Most of the Mongols who had remained in the area eventually converted to Islam and, over generations, formed what became known as the Dongxiang ethnic group. Several local place names are believed to reflect this historical legacy—such as Da Zi Di ("land of the Dazi," with "Dazi" being a derogatory historical term for Mongols), Zhayingtan ("campground of Mongol troops"), and Mading ("horse pasture" used by the Mongol cavalry).
This legend is considered to have some basis in historical fact. In 1226, during Genghis Khan’s campaign against the Western Xia, the Mongol army captured Jishi Prefecture (modern-day Xunhua area). Following this, present-day Dongxiang County became a significant military settlement for the Mongol forces. During the reign of Möngke Khan, Dongxiang County further developed as a key military stronghold, strategically positioned to control access to Tibet from the west. In the Yuan Dynasty, when Kublai Khan pacified the regions of Kham and Tibet and established the capital in Beijing, royal clans, the Office of the Myriarch (Wanhu Fu), and the Pacification Commission for Tibet (Tubo Xuanweisi) were all stationed in Dongxiang County. By the late 13th century, during the reign of Temür Khan, Ananda—Kublai Khan’s grandson and a Mongol prince stationed in the Tangwu region (which includes present-day Dongxiang County)—converted to Islam. Historical records state that among his more than 150,000 followers, the majority also embraced the Islamic faith after his conversion.
Another theory suggests that the Dongxiang people are descendants of a group of Mongols from the era of the Yuan Dynasty, specifically from the Ulus of Ögedei Khan. These Mongols are believed to have converted to Islam under the influence of neighboring Muslim communities. Their new faith brought them into conflict with the mainstream Mongol population, which largely practiced Buddhism at the time. Branded as religious traitors, they were forced to migrate eastward. According to legend, they crossed Xingxing Gorge and moved further inland, arriving first in Zhenfan (present-day Minqin County, Gansu Province). From there, they split into two groups. One group settled near the Helan Mountains and in the Hetao region, eventually becoming today’s Muslim Mongols of Alxa Left Banner in Inner Mongolia. The other group migrated southward, crossing the Yellow River into the Hezhou region. Over time, as they became geographically and culturally isolated from the broader Mongol community—and because the Arabic script used in Islamic religious practice differed from traditional Mongolian script—they continued to speak a form of Mongolic language but ceased to use the Mongolian written script.
The Multi-ethnic Integration Theory. This theory holds that the Dongxiang people originated primarily from the Hui population in the Dongxiang region, and gradually formed through long-term integration with local Mongol, Han, and Tibetan communities.
According to legend, the formation of the Dongxiang ethnic group initially included some Muslim migrants from the northwest. Later, Mongols and some Han Chinese who settled in the region also converted to Islam. It is said that during the Hui uprisings in Shaanxi and Gansu—specifically in the third year of the Tongzhi reign (1864) and the twenty-first year of the Guangxu reign (1895)—a significant number of Han Chinese adopted Islam. Post-1949 investigations conducted after the founding of the People’s Republic of China confirmed that the Dongxiang people are composed of various ethnic origins, including Hui, Han, Tibetan, and others. Among them, those bearing the surnames Ma and Mu are mostly of Hui descent. Many Dongxiang people with surnames such as Wang, Kang, Zhang, Gao, and Huang trace their ancestry to Han Chinese. In Tangwangchuan, for instance, Han and Dongxiang families with the same surnames still maintain clear generational ranks and genealogical records. Place names in Dongxiang areas—such as Tangwangchuan, Wangjiajie, Zhangjiacun, Gaojiazhuang, and Miaoling—reflect the historical presence of Han Chinese settlements. The name “Suihui Valley” (“Following the Hui”) also suggests a history of ethnic integration. In addition, Dongxiang families bearing the surname Yang in the locality known as Yangzhijia claim Tibetan ancestry. The inclusion of Mongol lineage within the Dongxiang population has also been documented and supported by scholarly research.
According to both legend and historical records, it is generally believed that the Dongxiang ethnic group was formed during the latter half of the 14th century through the integration of various ethnic groups residing in the Dongxiang region. The primary ancestral components are thought to be the Semu people and Mongols who had embraced Islam. Since the 13th century, the Dongxiang County had been a garrison and agricultural settlement for Mongol troops, which included Semu Muslims and Mongols. In the late 13th century, Ananda, the Prince of Anxi under the Yuan Dynasty and governor of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Ningxia, converted to Islam, and most of the Mongols under his command followed suit. Meanwhile, large numbers of Semu Muslims were also gathering throughout the northwest region of China. In the early 14th century, following the death of Temür Khan, Ananda, together with Empress Bayan Zhen, plotted a coup but was executed when the conspiracy was discovered. Although Ananda was killed, his followers remained influential. His son later joined forces with local Muslim populations in a rebellion, which was ultimately suppressed by the Yuan government. Many of Ananda’s former retainers fled in the aftermath. Dongxiang County became one of the refuge areas for Ananda’s Muslim-aligned Semu and Mongol followers. There, they coexisted with local Han and Tibetan populations, gradually intermarried, and over generations formed what is now known as the Dongxiang ethnic group.
