Chapter 5 Section 4 Islam in the Ming Dynasty

In the Ming Dynasty, Islam finally had a relatively fixed name——"Islamism Gate", "Islamism", or simply "Islamism".Since then, China has referred to Islam as "Islam". Everyone knows that Zhu Yuanzhang started the anti-Yuan struggle with the call of "expel the Hulu and restore China".He himself was a monk.After the establishment of the Zhu Ming Dynasty, the initial political climate was obviously unfavorable for Muslims who were the main members of the "Semu people".In the first year of Hongwu (1368 A.D.), Taizu issued an edict to "restore clothing and crowns like the Tang system", prohibiting braided hair, buns, Hu clothes, Hu language, and Hu surnames.In the early Ming Dynasty, the descendants of Pu Shougeng in southern Fujian were explicitly prohibited from becoming officials. The "Law of the Ming Dynasty" stipulates that Semu people are not allowed to marry each other. They can intermarry with Han people, but they must be consensual.If you violate the law, you will be beaten 80 sticks, and men and women will be enslaved as officials.This provision seems difficult to implement, but it shows a different political orientation of the ruler than before.

Economically, the early Ming Dynasty implemented a policy of emphasizing agriculture.This has discriminated against Chinese Muslims who have traditionally engaged in business.Peasant families can wear silk gauze, while merchant families are only allowed to wear common clothes. The Ming Dynasty implemented a strict sea ban.Chengzu succeeded to the throne and proclaimed 25 policies for the world, one of which was to implement a sea ban.The Ming government also imposed restrictions on foreign tributes. Some stipulated that tributes were paid every three years, and some stipulated that tributes were paid every five years, and the number of people was fixed. "Since the tribute is rare."This is not conducive to the connection between Chinese Islam and the Islamic world.

When the peasant rebel army overthrew the rule of the Yuan Dynasty, the Yuan clan retreated to Mobei.It is conceivable that there will be many Muslims retreating to Mobei.For those Muslims who stayed, due to the change of social status and the increase of external pressure, their cohesion was strengthened.Thus, the Hui nationality began to form.The formation of the Hui nationality is a milestone in the history of the development of Islam in China and is of great significance.With the formation of the Hui nationality, China's Islam has a solid social carrier. The formation of the Hui nationality is scattered, multi-ethnic and multi-regional.As far as ethnic origin is concerned, the ancestors of the Hui nationality include Central Asians such as Arabs and Persians. During the formation process, a large number of ethnic elements such as Han and Mongolian (mainly Han) were also incorporated.As far as the origin of the Hui nationality is concerned, the Hui nationality did not form in a certain area and then scattered throughout the country. When it was formed, it was multi-source and scattered. The northwest, central plains, southeast, Yunnan, and Hainan are all the birthplaces of the Hui nationality. There are almost no blood and economic ties among Hui people.Now, the genealogy of some Hui families in Quanzhou, Hainan, and the Central Plains can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty, when they immigrated from abroad.As for some Hui families in Hainan, according to historical records, their migration here can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and most of them came from ancient Champa.This is the biggest feature of the Hui nationality when it was formed: scattered points.So, what is it that they have in common when they form a nation?In a word, it is Islam.In the later development of this nation, Chinese was used as a common language, which is another characteristic of the Hui nationality.

The Muslims who stayed in the interior of China in the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties were the basic constituents of the Hui nationality.In the process of forming the Hui nationality, Islam played the role of a bond.The formation of the Hui nationality promoted the development of Islam in China. One factor in the formation of the Hui nationality cannot be ignored, that is, in the Ming Dynasty when the Hui nationality was formed, the migration of Muslims from Central Asia and China's border areas to the interior continued.This also provides a new force for the development and growth of the Hui people.According to the statistics of "Ming Shilu", during the more than 100 years from Hongwu to Chenghua (AD 1368-1487), nearly 70 groups of Muslims came and went from the West.During the same period, there were nearly 50 groups of Muslims returning from Mobei Mongolia. In the first year of Tianshun (AD 1457), there were five groups of returning Muslims from abroad, one of which was more than 70 people.Descendants of King Sulu also became members of the Hui ethnic group in China.In the fifteenth year of Yongle (AD 1417), the East King of Sulu Kingdom (the country believed in Islam) visited China and died in Dezhou on the way back.His eldest son returned home to succeed him.His accompanying concubine, second son Andulu and many accompanying officials and citizens stayed in Dezhou to guard the tomb.By the time of Wanli (1573-1620 A.D.), it had been passed down for five generations, and the "population gradually increased". The Muslim An family in Texas had become a large family with a population of several hundred.

The distribution of Muslims in the Ming Dynasty was basically the same as it is now.Huihui mainly live in the Northwest China.In the east and south, in addition to the Muslims who stayed in the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties, some Hui Hui moved there from the Northwest in the Ming Dynasty.In order to prevent the Muslims living in the Hexi Corridor from uniting with the Turpan local Sudan to revolt, the Ming Dynasty government made the first year of Zhengtong (AD 1436), the third year of Zhengtong (AD 1438), the 12th year of Zhengtong (AD 1447), Chenghua In the eleventh year (AD 1475), some Muslims in Ganzhou (the seat of the government today is Zhangye, Gansu), Suzhou (the seat of the government is now Jiuquan, Gansu), and Liangzhou (the seat of the government is now Wuwei, Gansu) were successively moved to Jiangnan, Shandong, and Hebei. , Henan and other places.In the third year of Zhengtong (1438 A.D.), there were more than 200 Muslims who moved from Liangzhou to a certain place in Zhejiang.In the east, Muslims are mainly distributed along the canals.In this regard, there is a legend in Chinese Islam: in the early Ming Dynasty, when Zhu Di, king of Yan, conquered the north, there were many Muslims in his army.After Emperor Jianwen ascended the throne, Zhu Di took Beijing as his base and marched into Nanjing.On the way to the south, a considerable number of Muslim officers and soldiers were garrisoned in important towns on both sides of the canal.So a Muslim settlement was formed there.Most of the Muslims in Beijing in the Ming Dynasty lived outside the Xuanwu Gate in the south of the city.Yunnan is a province with a relatively large number of Muslims.The presence of Muslims in Yunnan can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty.But a large number of Muslims immigrated in the Yuan and Ming dynasties.Its emigration can be roughly divided into three periods.The first period is from 1253 to 1263 AD.There were two main events that contributed to the migration of Muslims in this period: one was the conquest of Yunnan by Kublai Khan and Wuliang Hetai, and the other was that the court gave Muslims and soldiers to the kings of Yunnan; 1264-1294) and Dade (1297-1307 AD).There were also two main events that contributed to the migration of Muslims during this period: one was that Saidian Chishan Siding was appointed as the governor of Pingzhang of Yunnan Province (AD 1274-1279), and the other was the expedition of 100,000 troops of the Yuan Dynasty from Yunnan to neighboring countries; The third period was the early Ming Dynasty, when Muying and his son guarded Yunnan.It is said that Muying is a Muslim, and his guarding Yunnan is naturally conducive to the development of Islam.

As far as the whole country is concerned, the distribution of Muslims in the Ming Dynasty was the same as that of their ancestors, still "largely dispersed and small concentrated". In the Ming Dynasty, there appeared some more accomplished figures among the inland Muslims.The representative ones are Zheng He, Ma Sha Yihei and Hu Dengzhou. Zheng He, a native of Yunnan, was originally surnamed Ma and given the surname Zheng. He was born in a Muslim family, and his father once went on a pilgrimage to Mecca.Zheng He was the eunuch in Chengzu's palace, so he was called "Sanbao eunuch".During the 29 years from the third year of Yongle (AD 1405) to the eighth year of Xuande (AD 1433), Zheng He was ordered by the emperor to lead a huge fleet to the "Western Ocean" seven times, traveling to more than 30 countries in Asia and Africa.The eunuch of Sanbao went to the "Western Ocean", which was a grand event in the early Ming Dynasty.Zheng He's feats promoted economic and cultural exchanges between China and foreign countries, and strengthened the national prestige of the Ming Dynasty.Stories about Zheng He are still circulating in some parts of Southeast Asia.Zheng He is famous in history for his "seven voyages to the West".This is Zheng He as a statesman, diplomat, and navigator.In addition, Zheng He also contributed to the development of Islam in Ming Dynasty China.It is said that Zheng He had been to Xi'an and was very concerned about Islam there.In the sixth year of Yongle (AD 1408), when Zheng He sailed for the second time, he asked the imperial court to rebuild Jingjue Temple in Nanjing.In the 15th year of Yongle (AD 1417), Zheng He went to sea via Fujian, and specially went to Lingshan, Quanzhou, to pay homage to the Holy Tomb, pray with incense, and engrave stones to commemorate it.Its inscriptions are as follows:

Zheng He, the eunuch of the imperial envoy, went to Western countries such as Hulumusu on business.On May 16th, the fifteenth year of Yongle, I went here to pray for the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Ma Huan, a Chinese Muslim who accompanied Zheng He on his voyages, recorded what he saw and heard along the way in the book "Yingya Shenglan".Its content includes an introduction to the beliefs of some Islamic countries. Masha Yihei, Mingqin Tianjian, Muslim master, was ordered by Taizu in the fifteenth year of Hongwu (AD 1382), and translated astronomical books with Li Chong (chongchong) and Wu Bozong of the Imperial Academy.

Hu Dengzhou, courtesy name Mingpu, lived between Jiajing and Wanli (approximately 1522-1597 A.D.), a native of Weicheng, Xi'an, Shaanxi.He studied Islamic classics and Confucian books when he was young. At the age of 50, he went to the capital to do business, and met a tribute envoy from an Arab country in Lintong, Shaanxi.Hu Dengzhou asked him many difficult and difficult questions in the doctrine, and the envoy answered them one by one, and Hu Dengzhou benefited a lot.When he lived in Beijing, Hu Dengzhou learned the books of various departments of the classics and history collections from famous scholars of Chinese studies, and he had a unique experience in the study of human nature.He sneered (shen trial) and laughed at Song Confucianism, saying that his remarks were nothing more than a "clay beauty".One day he bought a copy of "Wu Ga Ma Te", and Hu Dengzhou learned this classic from the tribute envoy of the Arab countries.The tribute envoy had a good impression of Hu Dengzhou and passed on to him the classics that China does not have.Hu Dengzhou made great progress in learning.After returning to his hometown, Hu Dengzhou set up a library and started school, accepting more than a hundred students.After Hu Dengzhou's advocacy and practice, China's Islamic scripture education has taken on a new look and has finally become a major cause in the church.The teaching of teachings and the training of religious professionals in China's Islamic system mainly rely on scriptural education.Hu Dengzhou contributed a lot.Some people hailed Hu Dengzhou as the originator of Jingtang education, which is not too much.The prosperity of scripture education was a major event in the history of Chinese Islam in the Ming Dynasty.

Sutra education was a major event in the history of Islam in China in the Ming Dynasty.The so-called scripture education refers to an educational method in mosques aimed at imparting Islamic religious knowledge and cultivating Islamic religious professionals.Scripture education is also called monastery education.The lecture hall opened in the mosque is also called Palindrome University.The imam who started school in the temple recruited several students and taught them Islamic classics, Arabic and Persian.The living and study expenses of the students are donated by the members of the workshop.The term of a student is not fixed, and it usually takes five or six years until the imam thinks he can graduate when the school starts.At the time of graduation, a ceremony of "dressing and hanging the curtain" will be held.After that, if the teaching workshop is willing to hire, these graduates can act as imams.

The religious education of Islam in China has existed since its introduction.In the Ming Dynasty, it became a grand sight because of Hu Dengzhou's advocacy.From Hu Dengzhou's three passes to Chang Yunhua (commonly known as Chang Papa) in the Qing Dynasty, there was a branch of the Shaanxi School and the Shandong School.The Shandong School was established by Chang Yunhua, and then spread to Sheyunshan and became popular in the Central Plains and southeastern regions. The "Siyi Pavilion" was established during the period of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty. It was originally named "Siyi Pavilion" and was attached to the Hanlin Academy.The four translation halls were divided into eight halls at the beginning, and the "Huihui hall" was the first of the eight halls.This institution not only trains general staff (interpreters), translates and preserves diplomatic communications from various countries, but also collects political information of foreign countries and naturalized people.Most of the teachers and staff in Huihui Hall are Muslims.The envoys sent by the government to various Islamic countries are often served by the Muslim general affairs of this institution.There are also Muslims in Honglu Temple, which is in charge of foreign affairs.In the third year of Yongle (1405 A.D.), "Ha Zhi", the preface class of Honghe Temple, was promoted to Yousi Cheng.This person is a Muslim who is proficient in the spoken and written languages ​​of the Western Regions.

As early as the Yuan Dynasty, the Muslims living in China had already shown their own characteristics because they accepted the traditional Chinese culture.Senior Chinese scholars called this phenomenon "the Chineseization of people from the Western Regions". In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, restrictions were imposed on Semu people in many aspects such as politics and economy.In some places, descendants of Muslims who were high-ranking officials in the Yuan Dynasty were prohibited from taking the imperial examinations.Under such circumstances, Muslims in mainland China had to adopt a Chinese surname and a Chinese name in addition to their original names, which became popular for a while.With the passage of time, almost all Muslims in mainland China have Chinese surnames and Chinese names, and Chinese surnames have been passed down from generation to generation.At the same time, he began to pay attention to the compilation of family genealogy.Some Muslims only have Chinese names, and some Muslims also have "scriptural names", two names for one person.One of them has Chinese characteristics, while the other has foreign flavors.This phenomenon still exists today.The surname change of Muslims in the Ming Dynasty was mainly due to the necessity of cultural integration rather than the result of political coercion.This kind of surname change is somewhat regular, and most of them use a certain sound in the original name as the surname.For example, Muhammad, changed his surname to "Ma" more; Hassan, changed his surname to "Ha" more; Said, changed his surname to "Sai" more; Change the surname to "Sha", and so on.In addition, there are also surnames bestowed by the imperial court.Many Muslims have "Muhammad" in their original names, so there are many Chinese Muslims with the surname Ma.As the saying goes: Ten horses return nine horses. The social influence of Islam in the Ming Dynasty, especially the influence on the intellectual class, was far from comparable to that of other dynasties.This is due to the formation of Muslim society, the change of surname of Huihui, the development of scripture education and other factors.The descriptions of Chinese Islam in general works of the Ming Dynasty are objective and fair, and some of them have a very high evaluation.One work even believes that "Confucianism is not as good as Hui"."Hui" here refers to Islam.It says that Islam only believes in Allah and nothing else, while Confucians believe in ghosts and gods; Islam helps the poor and weak, and there are rules for making offerings, while Confucians "don't ask others."Although Chinese Islam was restricted in the Ming Dynasty, it was never banned by the government.Since the Ming Dynasty, in addition to maintaining the pattern of belief ladders that gradually descend from west to east, Chinese Islam has also shown a situation of "prosperity in the north and decline in the south" (except in Yunnan). The construction of mosques in the interior of the Ming Dynasty was also more common than that of the Yuan Dynasty.According to legend, the Xi'an Daxuexiang Mosque (one said Huajue Temple) was built in the Tang Dynasty. After research, it should be a building in the Ming Dynasty.Jingjue Temple in Nanjing was built during the Hongwu period (1368-1398 A.D.).Beijing Huashi Mosque was built in the 13th year of Yongle (1415 AD), Jinshifang Pushou Temple was built in the early Ming Dynasty, Dongsi Mosque was built in the 12th year of Zhengtong (1447 AD), and Sanlihe Yongshou Temple was built in Wanli (AD 1573-1620).In the Sanli River outside Fuchengmen, Beijing, a fairly large cemetery had been established in the seventh year of Jingtai (AD 1456) at the latest, as a special place for burying Muslims.In this year, Ming Yingzong approved the petition of Samarkand envoy Mahema Sheliban, allowing him to go to Fuchengmen to worship the ancestral tomb. In the Ming Dynasty, the head of each mosque was appointed by the government.Candidates for the teaching head must be reported to the Ministry of Rites for approval and registration, and then issued a letter as proof of missionary work, otherwise they will not be allowed to preside over the teaching affairs.Ma Shi, the head teacher of the Dongsi Mosque in Beijing, was given a Han surname during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1398 AD), and Zhazi was given to preside over the mosque during the Hongzhi period (1488-1505 AD).