Dust activity is highly sensitive to changes in Earth's surface systems in arid regions and plays a critical role in regulating global climate dynamics and biogeochemical cycles. Central Asia is a key region of atmospheric dust emissions, yet the absence of high-resolution late Holocene records limits our understanding of centennial-scale dust variability and its drivers. This study provides a centennial-scale reconstruction of dust activity in the central Tien Shan during the late Holocene using a sedimentary archive from Xiannv Lake. The lake offers an exceptional record based on multi-proxy analyses of core-scanning XRF, grain size, and high-resolution pollen assemblages. Peaks in titanium (Ti) concentrations, coupled with increased silt content, reduced pollen concentrations, and a low Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) ratio indicate episodic dust deposition from low-altitude desert sources. At least seven distinct dust events were identified at approximately 2.6 ka, 1.75 ka, 1.6 ka, 1.1 ka, 0.9 ka, 0.4 ka, and 0.25 ka, each with varying durations. We show that these events coincide with key atmospheric circulation shifts, suggesting that intensified dust activity in arid Central Asia was mainly driven by the strengthening of the Siberian High and the weakening of westerlies modulated by the North Atlantic Oscillation. A prolonged drought and dust episode recorded in both Xiannv and Bosten Lakes aligns with regional societal disruption, likely contributed to the collapse of the Loulan Kingdom. These findings underscore the interplay between atmospheric dynamics, environmental stress, and societal vulnerability during the late Holocene climate extremes in Central Aisa.