Sanya Hui Historical Memory And Ethnic Identity

After thousands of years of revolution, the culture and history of Muslim on Hainan Island only remained on it very southern part-Sanya Bay area.Our inadequate and inaccurate history records on the Sanya Hui resulted in a complicated as well as confusing history of them. Hence, the later generations always have a misunderstanding of them. At the same time, their culture has been long-time ignored, such as, their language, religion and custom, which are not for outsiders to know. The languages here were not been paid attention to until1940, when foreign anthropologists began to study "language zone". They revealed countless connections between Huq and Austronesian language. Domestic scholars began to study the languages here in the later1980s. And great language-research achievements had been made at home as well as abroad. However, a lot of crucial problems are still controversial since different scholars have different opinions for their different academic background and theory preference.In order to pursue the historical facts, the writer did a field-ethnographic investigation, learning and recording the "local knowledge of history" of the local people. Combining the findings and whole history of China as well as South Asia, the writer does a detailed study of the "historical memory" and "ethnic identity" of Sanya Muslim ethnic group by a comparison between "paradigm" in history and "edge" history and means of "situational" analysis. Meanwhile, the author tries to present the time, method and process of Sanya Hui’s combination with "the Hui nationality community" on Hainan Island.At present, according to the historical data, the archaeology discovery in South Asia Region and academic research achievements on the history of Chinese language and Huq, we can get several basic facts of the Sanya Hui-their ancestors came from Arabia Peninsula; they moved to Hainan Island around the10th Century; they attached to the local nationality as soon as their landing and the "man" calling is their local folk slang, etc.. All above findings enable the writer to have a further study in that paper.Sanya Hui not only inherited their ancient history in their memory but also continuously influence by their local living situation when they established their "foundation" of historical. Hence, they regarded the local Islam culture remains as the relic of ancient Persian and Arabs, and these people as part of their primordial ethnic source. They rationalize their requirements and recommendations for land resource in turn.Continuously influenced by social memory, studying the language contact, Sanya Hui is constructing a "foundation" history, with much more depth, by language history instead of ethnic group history. It includes Chains as part of its historical memory, and even includes Austronesian ancestors and their history.In addition, Sanya Hui established a strong relationship with the Hui in inland by "learning at Masjid" since almost half century ago, adopting the model history of them. During the period of distinguishing nationality, it was identified as the Hui nationality because of their subjective identity will.Sanya Hui completed their sect conversion very earlier and abided their own language culture at the same time. They inherited and carried forward their "tradition" by means of "reform" and "firmly preserve". Therefore, they established their position in contemporary "Hui community", reflecting their profound historical consciousness, and showing their psychological characteristics of Autonomous, self-reliant and strong identity to the Hui.Based on "historical facts", the writer takes two aspects of historical knowledge into account for demonstrational case study, providing some reference for understanding Snay Hui and their history as well as their national identification.