Research On Islamic Historical Personage Of The Dongxiang Nationality

The Dongxiang nationality is one of the main minority nationalities in China, according to the population census in 2000, the total population of 10 nationalities that entirely practice Islam is 20,320,600, as one of the 10 Islamic nationalities in China, Dongxiang nationality populates 513,805,2.53% of all. In the order of population, Dongxiang nationality is ranked fourth after the Hui nationality, Uyghur nationality, and Kazak nationality. Islam plays the important role in the formation and development of Dongxiang community, as well as in the social development, it has the profound effect on folkways and ethics of Dongxiang nationality, it is extremely important both in daily life and culture of Dongxiang nationality. In the Hezhou, Hehuang region, and even in Chinese Islam history, particularly in the history of Chinese Islamic Menhuan, the development of Dongxiang nationality cannot be ignored. This essay analyzes Islam of Dongxiang nationality, it takes instances for Islamic historical figures of Dongxiang nationality, there were many influential figures of Dongxiang nationality in Chinese Islamic history. It is difficult to present all of them in this article, therefore, Ma Fuhai, Ma Baozhen, and Ma Wanfu were taken as illustration in this essay, it elaborates their life, historical background, religious philosophy, religious practice and so on, in order to provide an opportunity to get more attention about Dongxiang nationality and Dongxiang Islam, and put an expectation of better research in this field.