Map Introduction

The Uighur (Huíhé), also known historically as Huíhé before a name change, are an ethnic minority group in China, primarily inhabiting regions of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Mongolia, and parts of Central Asia. The term "Huíhé" in Chinese historical records derives from the Old Uighur language, and the name itself originated from tribal names like Weìhé and Wūhù. In 788 AD, Huíhé changed its name to Huíhú, symbolizing "swift and agile as a falcon in flight." The Huíhé were a branch of the Tiele tribes, with the Weìhé residing north of the Tula River and the Wūhù inhabiting the Tianshan region. They were once subjects of the Turkic Khaganate. During the peak of the Turkic Khaganate's power, the Huíhé tribes submitted to Turkic rule. In 743 AD, the Huíhé Khaganate defeated the Turks, unifying the various Tiele tribes, and "Huíhé" gradually became the collective name for these Tiele groups. In 840 AD, the Uighur Khaganate collapsed. Most of the Uighur tribes residing in the Mongolian Plateau moved south into North China, while the remainder migrated west in three main groups. One of these groups merged with the Uighurs in the Tianshan region, and other Uighur tribes submitted to the Kirghiz.

The Uighur (formerly Huíhé) were a significant ethnic group from the Tang to the Yuan Dynasty, and their historical evolution can be divided into three stages:

Rise and Peak of the Uighurs in the Tang Dynasty

In 744 AD, the Huíhé leader, Guli Peiluo, defeated the Later Turkic Khaganate and established the Huíhé Khaganate (i.e., the Uighurs). At its zenith, its territory stretched from the Greater Khingan Range in the east to the Altai Mountains in the west, bordering the Yin Mountains and the Tang Dynasty to the south. The Uighurs became crucial allies of the Tang Dynasty in resisting the Tibetan Empire by sending troops twice to help suppress the An Lushan Rebellion. During this period, they engaged in exchanges with the Central Plains through the "silk-for-horses" trade, dealing in silk, tea, and other goods, leading to a cultural phenomenon described as "Uighur clothing and Uighur horses."

Division and Western Migration of the Uighurs

After the collapse of the Uighur Khaganate in 840 AD due to internal strife and severe snow disasters, the population dispersed to the Hexi Corridor, Central Asia, and other areas, forming regimes such as the Ganzhou Uighur Kingdom and the Qocho Uighur Kingdom. In the mid-11th century, after the Western Xia conquered the Ganzhou Uighurs, their influence receded beyond Jiayu Pass, where they continued pastoralism while maintaining connections with the Song Dynasty.

Modern Ethnic Integration

Following the Mongol conquest of the Western Xia in the 13th century, the Uighurs underwent long-term integration with Mongols, Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other groups, gradually forming modern ethnicities such as the Yugur and the Uyghur. For instance, the Yugur people have retained certain Uighur cultural characteristics, like linguistic elements and religious beliefs, serving as a typical case of multi-ethnic fusion.

Note: The main ancestry of the modern Uyghur ethnic group traces back to the Uighur tribes that migrated west to Central Asia. They share historical origins with the modern Yugur people but belong to different branches.