The county is home to 1.43 million Han Chinese and 25,000 Hui, with a population density of 581 people per kilometre squared.

[3] Following the start of the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms period, Yangxia County initially remained part of the areas held by the Eastern Jin,[4] but was later conquered by the Former Qin.

It was plundered by the Shun rebel army of Li Zicheng in 1644 during the fall of the Ming dynasty.

After the Xinhai Revolution's outbreak, the Yellow Sand Society and the Cha Tianhua bandit group raided the town in 1911.

In the following years, Taikang's economic importance declined due to the construction of railways in the region, but it was still the target of rampaging bandits and soldiers in the Warlord Era and Nanjing decade, with raids occurring in October 1923, December 1924, November 1925, January as well as June 1926, March 1927, March 1928, winter 1930, and January 1932.