Reviving Xixia in the digital age

VR, art, and AI are helping young researchers bring an ancient dynasty back into the spotlight — and into people's daily lives.

When Deng Wentao first began researching the Xixia civilization as a graduate student, he found himself constantly correcting misconceptions.

"There's a common belief that the Tangut people were completely wiped out by the Mongols," said the now 37-year-old lecturer at Ningxia University (NXU). "But the truth is that many survived well into the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which was founded by the Mongols after their conquest of Xixia. They went on to play important roles in its political and cultural life."

Deng is part of a rising generation of scholars working to bring new insights to the once-overlooked Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227), a regime founded by the Tangut people that flourished in Northwest China during the 11th to 13th centuries.