As a pivotal mountain-oasis-desert transition zone in arid Central Asia, the Tianshan Mountains offer a critical vantage point for investigating the interplay between Holocene paleoenvironmental evolution and pastoralist development. Reconstructing paleo-Net Primary Productivity (NPP) dynamics is essential to understanding the coupling mechanisms between terrestrial carbon cycling, climate variability, and human societal shifts in this region. This study integrates modern Asian and Chinese Holocene stratigraphic pollen datasets to develop a transfer model linking pollen assemblages to NPP. This model facilitates a quantitative reconstruction of Holocene NPP dynamics. Using structural equation modeling, we identified the primary drivers of NPP variation across Holocene timescales and assessed its role as a biophysical bridge between climate and society, specifically in facilitating the expansion of pastoral cultures. The findings reveal significant phased fluctuations: NPP increased gradually from the early to mid-Holocene, peaking at similar to 5000 cal yr BP, followed by a continuous decline to a minimum around 1800 cal yr BP, and a subsequent recovery from 1000 cal yr BP. While climate remained the dominant driver across millennial scales, the relative influence of temperature and precipitation varied across distinct geological periods. These phased changes provide a direct record of regional environmental evolution and link ecosystem shifts to livelihood transitions, migrations, and the socio-political dynamics of pastoral populations. Consequently, NPP dynamics exerted a profound influence on the trajectory of pastoral cultures in the Tianshan region.