The establishment of autonomous administrative regions in areas inhabited by the Dongxiang people provided a structural framework
for local governance and development. In August 1949, the Dongxiang region came under the control of the central government. On September 25, 1950,
the Dongxiang Autonomous District was officially established. This designation was changed to Dongxiang Ethnic Autonomous District in December 1953,
and again renamed Dongxiang Autonomous County in 1955. In addition, during 1953 and 1954, several ethnic townships were created in areas with significant
Dongxiang populations, including Liangjiasi, Alimamu, and Ganggou in Hezheng County, and Anjiapo, Fujia, and Hulinjia in Linxia. By 2005, beyond the
Dongxiang Autonomous County in Gansu Province, other areas with notable Dongxiang communities included the Jishishan Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County,
Alimatu Dongxiang Township in Guanghe County, Jinggou and Anjiapo Dongxiang Townships in Linxia County, Liangjiasi Dongxiang Township in Hezheng County,
and Xiaojinwan Dongxiang Township in Yumen, Jiuquan City. The number of Dongxiang officials within local administrations also gradually increased.
In Dongxiang Autonomous County, the region with the largest Dongxiang population, there were 165 minority officials in 1951.
By 2005, that number had risen to 1,890, with Dongxiang individuals comprising approximately 55% of the total.
Co-founder Kaixuan Chen and Bo Ma were received by Ren Shengqiang, Member of the Standing Committee of the Dongxiang County Party Committee and Minister of the Publicity Department
Following the establishment of the People's Republic of China, significant efforts were made in Dongxiang-inhabited areas to advance soil and water conservation as well as afforestation.
Extensive irrigation development initiatives were undertaken, resulting in the gradual transformation of the region’s formerly arid and deforested terrain.
Since the launch of national economic reforms, a number of key water conservancy projects—such as the Daban Agricultural Canal,
Hetan Eastern Trunk Canal, Daban Ketuo Canal, Dayuan Electrified Irrigation System, and Nanyang Canal—have been successively implemented.
These projects have contributed to the conversion of drylands into arable, irrigated farmland and have led to the effective containment of severe soil erosion.
As ecological conditions steadily improved, substantial progress was made in the agricultural, forestry, and animal husbandry sectors.
A dryland farming system adapted to mountainous topography and characterized by stability and high yields began to emerge.
Principal grain crops include wheat, potatoes, maize, and legumes, with potatoes being particularly renowned for their superior quality and high productivity.
Major cash crops cultivated in the region include rapeseed, flax, and sunflower. In addition, the cultivation of region-specific fruits—such as Dajie apricots,
Zaosu pears, Suanba pears, Huaxiang pears, and Sichuan pepper—has become an important source of household income.
The adoption of improved breeding techniques has also supported the development of livestock husbandry, particularly the scaled farming of sheep and cattle.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Dongxiang region has experienced significant industrial development,
evolving from a state of minimal industrial infrastructure to one with diverse local industries.
In 1958, Dongxiang County established its first state-owned enterprise — the County Agricultural Machinery Factory.
This was followed by the development of other enterprises such as carpet manufacturing, flour processing, food production, hardware, and garment workshops.
After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee, preferential policies were introduced to support industrial growth in the Dongxiang region.
With the reform of state-owned and collective industrial enterprises and a shift toward market-oriented mechanisms, industrial development accelerated.
A local industrial base gradually emerged, including sectors such as electricity, machinery, building materials, metallurgy, wool textiles,
food processing, printing, and the production of culturally specific goods.
The Mosque in Dongxiang Autonomous County
At the same time, education in Dongxiang communities experienced significant development,
leading to a general improvement in the scientific and cultural literacy of the local population.
The advancement of education contributed to cultural flourishing, and the Dongxiang people began to produce their own poets, writers,
professors, engineers, physicians, and other professionals with advanced knowledge and skills. Cultural infrastructure also improved,
with the establishment of performing arts troupes, cultural centers, mobile film screening teams, and cinemas.
Radio and television broadcasting became widely accessible across Dongxiang-inhabited areas. Over several decades,
healthcare infrastructure in Dongxiang County was gradually expanded and improved. Hospitals, township clinics,
and village health stations were established at respective administrative levels, forming an initial healthcare network.
With the development and improvement of this healthcare system, diseases that had long threatened public health—such as smallpox and kala-azar—were eradicated.
Incidences of other infectious diseases, including diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis, pertussis, and typhoid fever, were significantly reduced.
Endemic illnesses such as brucellosis, leprosy, and fluorosis were also brought under effective control.
A Glimpse of Dongxiang Autonomous County
Over the course of more than fifty years of collective efforts by people of all ethnic groups,
the Dongxiang population—who historically resided in areas with challenging natural conditions and experienced considerable hardship—has made meaningful progress in various aspects of economic and social development.
Significant improvements have been achieved in living standards, and many of the conditions associated with poverty and underdevelopment have been alleviated.
