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Period: Jan 1, 618 to Jan 1, 1279
More Muslims begin settling in China
More traders from Islamic states settled in China during the Song Dynasty. Traders married indigenous women and were given preferential treatment. They were allowed Islamic rule of law and were given places to build Mosques. The places they would live were called Fan Fang, or foreign settlements, while the traders were called Fan Ke, or foreign quests. -
Jan 1, 627
Huaisheng Mosque built
Though the date of establishment is still unclear, the Huaisheng Mosque was the first one to be built in China, and is still around, though it had to be rebuilt twice- once in the 14th century and again in the 17th century, after having been destroyed by fires. It is interesting that this Mosque was built before the first Islamic diplomatic visit to the Tang Court. -
Jan 1, 650
Islam first introduced to China
In 650, a delegation sent by Hadhrat Uthman and led by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas invited the Chinese Emperor to recognize Islam. -
Jan 1, 651
Mosques started being built in China
One year after Emperor Gaozong agreed to Islam in China, mosques started being built all over China in places such as Guangzhou, Yangzhou, Chang'an (known as Xi'an today) and Quanzhou. -
Jan 1, 742
Great Mosque of Xi'an built
In the early 700s, the Great Mosque of Xi'an was built. According to tradition, it was founded by a naval Admiral who was the son of a prestigious Muslim family. The current complex was laid out in the 14th century. The Great Mosque of Xi'an is one of the most famous Mosques in China. -
Jan 1, 756
Muslim population in China increased
Muslim soldiers moving on foot joined the Chinese government troops and helped defeat the Shi'i rebellion. After the war, the Muslim soldiers were invited to remain in China. Since many elected to stay, the number of Muslims in China increased. -
Jan 1, 1070
The importance of Muslims during the Song Dynasty
During the Song Dynasty, the role of Muslims became more important, especially in the import and export industry. In the year 1070, over 5000 Muslim men were invited from Bukhara to resist the invasion of the Liao emperor from Northeast China. -
Period: Jan 1, 1368 to Jan 1, 1398
The Hundred-Word Eulogy
Emperor Hong-Wu wrote a 100-word eulogy during his time of reign, praising the Prophet Muhammad, Allah, and Islam. The emperor was very supportive of Islam and ordered the construction of Mosques in Nanjing, Fujian, and Guangdong. His spouse descended from a Muslim family, and Hong-Wu was originally a member of a Muslim rebel group. -
Jan 1, 1388
Muslim Importance in the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty founder Zhu Yuanzhang's had six of his most trusted generals who were Muslim. Lan Yu, one of Zhu Yuanzhang's most trusted generals led a strong imperial Min army and was victorious over the Mongols, which ended the Mongol dream. -
Brutality towards Muslims ends
The Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, which in turn, caused the end of the brutality towards Muslims. This is also the year the Republic of China was established and the country was declared by Sun Yat Sen as equally belonging to the Han Chinese, the Hui (Muslims), and the Tsang (Tibetans). -
Muslims harmed by Communist Government
When the Communist government took control of China and founded the People's Republic of China, the Hui (Muslims) and other minorities were targeted. They were constantly blamed by the government for things such as promoting anti-socialist trends. -
Restriction on completing the Hajj dropped
During the Cultural Revolution of China, a ban was placed, which prevented Muslims in China from completing the Hajj. In 1979 this ban was dropped, and since the ban had been dropped, over 50,000 Muslims have completed the Hajj in China. -
Respect for Islam and Muslims grows
When Deng Xiaoping took over the government in 1979, policies towards Muslims and their practices of Islam started to become liberalized. Since 1979, the government of China has been largely respectful of Islam. -
Year of the Pig modifications
In 2007, which was the year of the pig, the government of China told advertising agencies to stop using images, cartoons, and slogans involving pigs out of respect for the Muslim community. -
Muslim Uprising in China
On July 9th 2009, there was a Muslim uprising in the Chinese province of Xinjiang which killed around 400 people. While the reason for the uprising is largely debated, there are some who say that it was simply pent-up anger at long-standing grievances. -
Islam in China Today
Today, Muslims make up an estimated 1.8% of the population of China, the most concentrated area being Xinjiang providence. This shows what an impact Islam has had on China, and that it still is a very relevant religion in Chinese society.
