The Lost City of Khara-Khoto
A millennium ago, the Gobi Desert witnessed the rise of the Western Xia (Tangut Empire) - an advanced civilization founded by a group of Tangut people, this remarkable civilization developed its own writing system and a rich, distinctive cultural tradition. However, two hundred years later, after being ultimately conquered by the Mongols, this empire gradually faded from public memory. It was not until the early 19th century, with the controversial rediscovery of the city "Khara-Khoto", that the world began to uncover the long-lost legacy of this forgotten empire.
The image shows the ruins of Khara-Khoto, photographed in 1911 by a British photographer. The name "Khara-Khoto," meaning “Black Water City”, is derived from Mongolian and corresponds to the same meaning in the Tangut language. Located in what is now the Gobi Desert of Inner Mongolia, China, Khara-Khoto was once a significant cultural, military, and commercial hub of the Western Xia. After the fall of the empire, the Mongols continued to utilize the city and making additions to its infrastructure. However, the city was eventually abandoned due to severe desertification triggered by climatic changes.
In 1907, a Russian expedition team - guided by local inhabitants - reached the ruins of Khara-Khoto. There, they unearthed a vast collection of previously unseen and well-preserved documents. While this discovery brought the lost city and Tangut culture to international prominence almost overnight, it remains a subject of controversy. The removal of these artifacts is also recognized as part of a broader pattern of imperialist plunder during the waning years of the Qing Dynasty, when the Great Qing empire was vulnerable to foreign exploitation.
