Background

Helan Mountain, located in the northwestern part of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, ranges more than 250 kilometres. The grand and precipitous mountain has been inhabited by various nationalities-Xirong, Xiongnu, Xianbei, Chile, Tujue, Huihu, Dangxiang and Mongolian-in northern China since the ancient times. The ancient people who lived and worded there also carved their lives and dreams on rock paintings. The rock paintings in Helan Mountain are the works done by different nationalities of different times, as early as in the Shang and the Zhou dynasties and as late as the Xixia and the Yuan dynasties. These rock paintings have various themes which include: nomadic life, sacrifice to gods, animals and human images as well as knives, axes, stone chains, traps and carts. The paintings involve a rich variety of themes such as astronomy, human activities and geography. What are especially eye-catching are those on myths and legends and genital worship. These artistic signs, which are the crystals combining human beings' thinking in images with abstract thinking, can well be regarded as an encyclopedia of ancient Chinese nomadic nationalities.

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