中文
Tourists visiting the Xixia Imperial Tombs scenic spot in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 10, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
By Xu Ying
The inscription of the Xixia Mausoleums on the UNESCO World Heritage List marks more than a ceremonial recognition of a historic site – it represents a profound affirmation of the global value of cultural pluralism, mutual learning and civilizational continuity. This milestone underscores not only the importance of preserving tangible heritage but also the timeless relevance of intercultural understanding that the site embodies so powerfully.
Nestled at the foot of the Helan Mountains in northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the Xixia Imperial Tombs now stand proudly alongside the world's most treasured cultural legacies, earning their rightful place in humanity's collective memory.
The Xixia (also known as Western Xia) Dynasty, which ruled from 1038 to 1227, occupies a unique chapter in Chinese and Eurasian history. Established by the Tangut people, a branch of the broader Qiang ethnic group, the dynasty flourished at a crossroads – both geographically and culturally – between the Chinese Central Plains, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Eurasian steppe.
The imperial necropolis they left behind, comprising nine massive royal tombs and over 270 subordinate burial sites, is the most extensive and best-preserved example of its kind west of the Guanzhong Plain. These monumental complexes are far more than funerary structures; they are architectural testimonies to a civilization that thrived on multi-ethnicity and openness.
What makes the Xixia Imperial Tombs exceptional is not merely their scale or age, but the synthesis they represent. In both form and symbolism, the site weaves together an extraordinary variety of cultural threads. The layout and construction reflect the influence of Han Chinese imperial rituals. At the same time, the use of Buddhist iconography and distinct spiritual motifs – such as the mythological kalavinka, a bird-human hybrid representing transcendence – bears strong echoes of Tibetan and Central Asian influences.
The tomb towers, often referred to as "Oriental Pyramids," display layered, tapering structures built with rammed earth and brick, crowned with once-glorious eaves and stucco figures. These stylistic choices reflect not only artistic innovation but also a cosmopolitan worldview that integrated multiple traditions into a cohesive cultural identity.
One of the most significant elements of the site is the use of bilingual inscriptions in both classical Chinese and the indigenous Xixia script – a highly systematized and signified written language invented by the Tanguts. These inscriptions reflect not only political authority and religious devotion but also a deep linguistic sophistication that bridges worlds.
The presence of such texts affirms that the Xixia Dynasty was not a peripheral anomaly, but an integral part of the broader Chinese civilizational continuum, enriched by diversity, rather than diminished by it.
UNESCO's recognition of the Xixia Imperial Tombs affirms the universal lesson they convey: Cultural vitality arises from dialogue, not domination; from exchange, not exclusion. The Xixia Dynasty engaged in diplomacy and trade along the ancient Silk Road, while nurturing a unique domestic culture that defied simple classification. This layered identity is not merely a relic of the past – it offers a compelling model for a pluralistic world grappling with questions of coexistence and belonging.
Red sandstone carvings are displayed at the Xixia Imperial Tombs Museum in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 9, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
For China, UNESCO's recognition also highlights a broader strategic and ethical commitment to heritage conservation. The preservation of the Xixia Imperial Tombs has required meticulous care, combining traditional techniques, such as earthen wall stabilization and stucco preservation, with advanced technologies like drone mapping, 3D scanning and digital archiving. These efforts demonstrate China's growing leadership in the global movement to protect irreplaceable cultural resources.
The inclusion of the Xixia Imperial Tombs also encourages renewed global interest in the role of the Xixia Dynasty in the larger context of ancient Silk Road history. Situated strategically at a cultural and commercial junction, the dynasty served as a key conduit linking diverse regions. The artifacts unearthed from the mausoleums – bronze ritual vessels, Buddhist statuary, intricately worked gold ornaments – are silent ambassadors of a dynamic age of exchange and interconnectivity. They remind us that the roots of globalization stretch deep into the ancient past, and that the Xixia people were both participants in and beneficiaries of this vast historical web.
In today's world, where geopolitical fault lines and cultural misunderstandings often dominate the discourse, the Xixia Imperial Tombs offer a profoundly hopeful counter-narrative. They are a celebration of diversity as a source of resilience. They bear witness to a society that did not fear the foreign, but incorporated it; that did not guard identity with rigidity, but allowed it to grow through contact. In recognizing their importance, the international community affirms that the values of inclusion, synthesis and heritage stewardship are not bound to one nation or era, but belong to all.
This achievement is thus not solely a triumph for China, but for all who care about our shared past and collective future. It is a moment to reflect on the power of cultural exchange, not just as a historical curiosity, but as a living principle for how we might better understand ourselves and one another in a fractured world.
As we celebrate this milestone, let us remember that heritage is not merely what we inherit – it is what we choose to preserve, interpret and share. The Xixia Imperial Tombs, now inscribed in the annals of global heritage, stand as earthen yet enduring monuments to that truth. They speak not with words, but with the eloquence of stone, script and symbol – a message of unity amid diversity and of memory shaped by openness.
Xu Ying, a special commentator for CGTN, is a Beijing-based international affairs commentator.
