In older literature, today's Minqin is referred to as Zhenfan (Chinese: 镇番; Wade–Giles: Chen-fan).

[2] Geographically, Minqin county occupies one of Gansu's panhandles, bordering in the north, east, and southeast on the Alashan League of Inner Mongolia.

Historically, Chinese agricultural settlement in the area was made possible by the Shiyang River, flowing from the Qilian Mountains.

[3] However, the livelihood of Chinese farmers here was often precarious; in the 1920s it was considered as somewhat of a regular famine district.

[1] Large number of Zhenfan people, nicknamed "Sand-hollow Mice", worked as "camel-pullers" with caravans owned by Mongols from the adjacent Alashan, or moved—temporarily or permanently—to Xinjiang.