Oriental Rugs Dictionary
Ninghsia
Ninghsia (Ningxia) rugs are Chinese carpets woven in the Ningxia region of northern China. These rugs are known for their simple, elegant designs, often featuring medallions, floral motifs, and symbolic elements such as dragons or Buddhist imagery. Ninghsia carpets are valued for their refined compositions and historical importance in Chinese carpet weaving. Ninghsia is a town on the northern borders of China in the province of Ningxia, and rug making in the area has been traced back to the Ming dynasty 1368-1644. The carpets produced in this area are the classic Chinese carpets. They usually have yellow or pink grounds with blue designs. Carpets were woven for Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist temples and monasteries throughout China, and unlike their Islamic counterparts woven in Turkey and Persia, were designed with Buddhist, Taoist, and general mystical and mythological motifs and symbols. Like Samarkand in Central Asia, Ninghsia is positioned on an important trade route. As a result all the rugs sold in the town became known as Ninghsia, and the name became the generic term for a good quality Chinese rug.
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