The 500,000 Dongxiang live mostly in Gansu province; the rest live in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Xinjiang. The Dongxiang are closely related to the Mongolian and Semu peoples.

Uyghurs call themselves Uyghurs, a word meaning "unity" in the Uyghur language. Uyghurs are the descendants of the Dingling and Tieles tribes, nomads who mingled and merged in the third century BC. During the 8th and 9th centuries the Uyghurs ruled a vast Central Asian empire.

There are about 14,000 Uzbeks in China. Most of them live in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The Uzbeks are the descendants of the Lite, Huacizi, Feiergan and Saha-Masagaite tribes who migrated from Central Asia to China.

There are 41,000 Tajiks in China, almost all in Xinjiang.

The Tajiks trace their origins to the tribes that settled the eastern Pamirs plateau more than 2000 years ago, probably from Persia. They’re related to, but still distinct from, the Tajiks of Tajikistan.

The language the Tajiks speak, Sarikoli, is an Indo-European language related to modern Iranian. The language does not have written form. Most Tajiks also speak Uyghur or Mandarin so communicate with people outside of their ethnic group.

The Tajiks practice Islam.

Animal husbandry is their mainstay. A few of Tajik people engage in agriculture.

There are some 160,000 Kyrgyz in China, mostly in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The rest live in Heilongjiang Province.

The ancestors of Kyrgyz people lived on the upper reaches of the Yenisey River in central Siberia. They have lived in Central Asia for thousands of years. They came into contact with Islam through traders moving along the Silk Road.

The Kyrgyz language belongs to the Turkic branch of the Altaic language family. It’s sometimes written using a Latin based alphabet, and sometimes using an Arabic based alphabet.

The Kyrgyz practice Islam.

Animal husbandry is the main occupation of the Kyrgyz people.

The Daur number 132,000. Most of them live in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, though a few live in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In ancient times the Daur were called Dahur and Dawur. Historians have different views their origins. Some think the Daur were probably the natives of the region while others say that they are descended from the Khitan nomads.

The Daur language belongs to the Mongolic branch of the Altaic language family. It’s written with an alphabet based on Pinyin.

The Daur practice a Shamanistic religion.