Talk:Western Xia

the article is still a draft Ktsquare June 20 2002

I have moved the article to Tangut Empire, because some Wikipedia articles were citing it both that way and as Western Xia. Tangut is the accepted English translation, in particular among Tangutologists. (Sinologists may call it Western Xia, but they probably call America Meiguo too). I have added a link to the Tangut Language page, and corrected the mistake that the Tanguts spoke Tibetan. Article still needs much work though.--Nathan hill 11:56, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I have removed this article from the Category 'Chinese History' because the Tangut Empire is no more a part of Chinese History than it is Mongolian History, or Tibetan History. I have also removed it from Eurasian Nomads because the Tanguts were city-folk. --Nathan hill 12:26, 3 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Uh, wait, what's wrong with "Western Xia"? After all, "Xia" was the official name of the empire, while "Tangut" was simply a designation of its dominant ethnicity. "Western Xia" itself is an overwhelmingly common name, and the province (well, autonomous region) of Ningxia is named after it. What's wrong with using both names, as is often used with the Manchu Empire / Qing Dynasty, Jurchen Empire / Jin Dynasty, and Khitan Empire / Liao Dynasty?

The "Meiguo" example is a bit of a false analogy. America is not part of the field of study of Sinologists. "Meiguo" is not usually used in English. However, the provinces of Gansu, Ningxia, and Shaanxi do belong to the field of study of Sinologists, and Western Xia is part of the history of those provinces.

Also, why isn't the history of Western Xia part of Chinese history? The history of the Iroquois, for example, is part of American history and Canadian history. Gauls, Romans, Franks, all are parts of French history. And the Visigoths and Moors are a part of Spanish history. -- ran (talk) 20:57, Jun 15, 2005 (UTC)

Well, I am not goint to stay, it simply to much of a waste of time, maybe I will check back in in a few years, and I would be happy to provide reading recommendations for anyone who asks me. (It would not be hard to find my real e-mail address using the information about me you already know). But I will take up this last discussion because of your specific invitation.

The Tangut did not speak Chinese, they spoke their own language. The official name of their land in their own language has been written about by Ksenia Kepping and is available on a link from the Tangut Language page. In no case was Xia there autonym. It was something like Minyag which is waht they are called in Tibetan.

In general I have a big chip on my sholder about Sinologists becomming confucian literati. The Yuan, and Qing were no more Chinese than I am. To use Chinese names for these political entities is to take for granted the medieval Chinese worldview. While now it is indeed true that the PRC owns a big chunk of Asia how much of it is actually historically China?

The Jurchen's, Kitans, Tangut, Mongols, Tibetans, Nanchao, Azha (Tüyühün) were their own countries with their own languages and customs. Tangut history is relevant to Chinese history in the way that French history is relevant to English history, but also vice versa.

To have a thing on the article saying 'this article is part of the section Chinese History' reinforces the view that the Tangut's don't deserve their own history.

There is a sociological fact about Western academia that Sinology is big and well funded, while Tangutology, Nanchaology, Kitanology etc. are all virtually nonexistant. But this is a fact about us, and not about the history of Central/East Asia.