The origin of the Tajik ethnic group can be traced back to tribes who had settled in the eastern part of the Pamirs more than twenty centuries ago. In the 11th century, the nomadic Turkic tribes called those who lived in Central Asia - and who spoke Iranian and believed in Islam -  "Tajik", and this soon became the name of the ethnic group inhabiting this area.

Therefore, the Tajik people who had lived in various areas of Xinjiang, and those who had moved from the western Pamirs to settle in Taxkorgan at different times, are ancestors of the present-day Tajik ethnic group in China.

The ancient tomb of Xiang Bao Bao was found during an archaeological excavation several years ago in Taxkorgan. Many burial objects found in this 3,000-year-old tomb - and the funeral rites they revealed - show that the Tajik ethnic group has been a member of the big family of ethnic groups in China since ancient times.

In the late 18th century, Tsarist Russia took advantage of the turmoil in southern Xinjiang to occupy Ili, and intensified its scheme to take control of the Pamirs of China by repeatedly sending in "expeditions" to pave the way for armed expansion there. In 1895, Britain and Russia made a private deal to disarm the Pamirs and attempted to capture Puli.

Together with the garrison troops, the Tajik people defended the border and fought for the territorial integrity of the country. At the same time, Tajik herdsmen volunteered to move to areas south of Puli, where they settled for land reclamation and animal husbandry while guarding the frontiers.