A Kaolve Of Islam Entering China

Islam is recorded into Chinese historical documents right away on the Tang Dynasty. According to the Chinese past documents , Islam is called Da Shi law, Da Shi religion degree , Arab countries religion , Muslim religion , the Hui people religion , Mohammedanism etc. But with regard to the time Islam entering China, the relevant document records are unknown and not accurate enough. What's more,the understanding of Islam is not enough. Many scholars have some discussions,but they can't arrive at the same conclusion. As opinions vary, no unanimous conclusion can be drawn. This paper will make a textual research one by one to their sayings, reiterate Chinese historical records and then make some investigations and discussions to this one problem from the self characteristic of Islam.This paper can be divided into the following 4 chapters:The first chapter have introduced the statement that Islam came into China, either during the Sui Kaihuang or Sui Da Ye period,and make an investigation to these sayings. These statements originate from the Ming Dynasty , they are exaggerating and odd . More important is that Muhammed was born in 571, and he began to do his missionary work from 610 when he was 40 years old. During Sui Kaihuang period, Islam has not been founded yet, not to mention external propagation; Sui Da Ye period, 9 years (613), 12 years (616) , Muhammed just began to do his missionary work in an open manner in Mecca, Islam has not yet been established in Medina. Under this circumstances, the saying that Islam has already been introduced far away from the Arabian Peninsula to China is impossible, for there's no historical material is demonstrable. Under this situation, it is evidently impossible to do so. Therefore, the saying that Islam enters China in the Sui Dynasty is no credible.The second chapter has respectively researched textually Islam's entering China in the earlier stage of Tang. Tang Wu De , the Tang Zhen Guan sayings came into force during Ming and Qing, which are 700 years from Tang; the sayings are groundless, the historical materials are also not sufficient , and there are a lot of wrongs. But, being worth paying attention to is "that four worthy persons'sayings " appear in Chinese historical document for the first time. We are not sure about the exact time "four worthy persons " entering China, but "four worthy persons " graves exist in Canton , Yangzhou , Quan Zhou City . So, "four worthy persons " as the early Moslem missionary entering China , is to be worth studying further.At the same time, the most popular statement about Islam entering China is the year Tang Yong Hui 2. The scholar who holds this one viewpoint takes Da Shi & Tang engages"first"as a premise and thinks that Islam enters China afterwards. But we have no way to deny that the Moslem missionary does not come to China before that. It has not arrived at the same conclusion as for whether the engages"first"is diplomatic or religious. Some scholars even draw a farfetched analogy with Buddhism as a matter of fact Islam enters China, which is evidently inappropriate. Therefore, the saying Tang Yong Hui 2 also has many to be worth deliberating, and it is not convinceable to take this saying absolutely right. The third chapter explains the two sayings that Islam came to China, namely, and Tang Zhi De. From 711, Tang Emperor Rui, Jing Yun 2, General Qutaybah in Dynasty Umayyah of Da Shi had a negotiation with Chinese emperor. From which, it is hard for us to draw a conclusion that Qutaybah sent out 12 assistants to do missionary work in China. From the recording of both sides, this event indicates Chinese side has already begun to try to get to know Islam. And we can even say that this is the beginning of the government's getting to know the Islam. The scholars for the Tang Zhi De, after the "Rebellion of An & Shi", more than a thousand Moslem soldiers stayed in China, and this is regarded as the beginning of the spreading of Islam in China. "Rebellion of An & Shi"is sure to have a great influence on the spreading of Islam in China. We can even say Islam has become a kind of "existence" in China.The fourth chapter is about the new interpretation of the time Islam entering China. The time the earliest missionary entering China, the time the earliest mosque building-up , the earliest Moslem community coming into force , non-Moslem Chinese records, these four aspects to understand and explain the time that Islam came to China. The most popular saying about this is Wan Gasi, but whose identity and the exact time he came to China is hard to pinned down. But from either the time the building-up of the tomb of Suhab Wan Gasi or the attitude of Tang Emperor to Qutaybah, as late as the mid-8th century Moslem missionary should have spreaded Islam in China. After the "Rebellion of An & Shi", more than a thousand Moslem soldiers stayed in China. Later they migrated to Canton , a few of them went back to their motherland by sea, whereas most stayed in Canton . The earliest Moslem community coming into force, and inhabited by these new comers and the Moslem merchants in Canton. The earliest mosque ---Huaisheng Mosque was set up with them. So, till the mid-8th century, Islam has become a kind of "existence" in China.Du Huan 's Penetration of Arabia has the accurate records of the Islam. Originated from Arabic Moslem social life, we have no way to know Islam propagation that time in China by his recording. But, Du Huan is the first person who recorded the information about Islamic into Chinese historical records. Therefore, this several brief words has become one of the important information channels that Chinese get to know Islamic that time, it itself is a kind of"unintentioned"Islam spreading in China. At the same time, Jia indulged in "the Neighboring Countries Skill " which has given an account of Mahammed "circumstance of his ancestors" . It is not as concrete and elaborate as Du Huan's Penetration of Arabia, but it can also be taken as historical facts. Jia has never been to Arab and no works have mentioned the "circumstance of Mahammed's ancestors", so his information must come from the missionaries , from which another proof should be sound that Islam should have already been in China as late as the mid-8th century.