The Western Xia Imperial Tombs are one of the most remarkable and undervisited archaeological sites in China. Nine imperial mausoleums and over 250 lesser tombs spread across a strip of desert at the foot of the Helan Mountains, their earthen mounds rising like truncated pyramids from the flat ground — unlike the circular burial mounds of China's other dynasties, the Western Xia tombs have a distinctly Central Asian character.
The site museum explains the Tangut culture, their unique script (still only partially deciphered), and the dynasty's dramatic end in 1227 when Genghis Khan razed everything after conquering the kingdom. Very little writing survives. The tombs themselves have been excavated and partially restored; visitors can walk among several of them, and the scale of the site is impressive. Allow at least half a day.
The tombs are about 25 kilometres west of central Yinchuan. Taxis are the most practical option; negotiate a round trip including waiting time, as there is no reliable public transport from the site back to the city.