Why were walls built in the Ningxia area during the Qin period?

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Huang He; Ningxia — Ningxia Huang He (Yellow River) in Hui Autonomous Region of Ningxia, north-central China.

During the Qin dynasty (221–207 BCE), walls were built throughout the Ningxia region as part of a broader imperial strategy to secure the northern frontier.1

Following the unification of China in 221 BCE, the first Qin emperor, Shihuangdi, ordered the removal of internal fortifications that hindered administration. Simultaneously, he dispatched General Meng Tian to the northern border to defend against incursions by the nomadic Xiongnu people. To achieve this, the Qin linked existing wall segments from the former states of Qin, Yan, and Zhao into a unified defensive system. These fortifications were essential for garrisoning the border and protecting the empire from northern nomadic threats.21