Tangutans

Tangutans (i.e. "Dwellers in houses"), a term formerly applied by the Mongolian nomads (dwellets in tents) to the Tibetans in general, but now restricted to the north-eastern branch or that race in the West Kansu uplands, the Roko-Nor, Tsaidam, and Upper Hoang-ho basins. This region is supposed to be the original home of the Tibetans, who migrated southwards to Lhassa about 400 B.C. In mediaeval times the Tangutans, who always call themselves Bod-pa, like all other Tibetans, rose to great power and established a strong kingdom, which about coincided with the limits of the Chinese province of Kansu taken in its widest sense. They are described by Prjevalsky as of somewhat gipsy-like appearance, above the mean height, with thickset figures, broad shoulders, large dark eyes, straight and even aquiline nose, long face, thick beard and whiskers, and tawny complexion. (Mongolia, vol. ii. p. 136.)