62 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I42 



MOHAMMEDANISM 



In A. D. 757, at the request of the Chinese emperor Su Tsung, 

 4,000 Moslem troops were sent into China to help in the suppression 

 of a rebellion (Couling, 1917, pp. 378-379; Gowen and Hall, 1926, 

 pp. 1 19-120; MacGowan, 1906, pp. 319-320). They remained, mar- 

 ried Chinese wives, and their descendants were loyal Mohammedans. 

 In the T'ang dynasty, Moslem merchants came to the seaports of 

 China on Arabian vessels. Later, after the victories of Kublai Khan, 

 they came into Kansu and also entered seaports in southeast China, 

 where they remained to carry on trade (Couling, 1917, p. 379; Good- 

 rich, 1959, pp. 125, 134). When Yunnan was conquered, a Moslem 

 was sent to govern the province, and we are told that he governed so 

 well that many of the people became Mohammedans. Great progress 

 was also made in northern China, especially in Kansu and Shensi. 



In western Asia, Europe, and Africa, Mohammedanism was often 

 spread by the sword, but in China this method was not used. One 

 way of spreading the religion is by marriage — anyone who marries 

 a Mohammedan must become a Mohammedan. Another way is 

 through the natural increase of their children, and still another way 

 is to adopt orphans, or to purchase children, especially during times 

 of famine, and to bring them up as Mohammedans. There have also 

 been times when China has conquered Mohammedan tribes in Kansu 

 or in central Asia, and members of these tribes have migrated into 

 China and remained there. In these ways Mohammedanism has re- 

 mained and prospered in China, and it is estimated that their present 

 nimiber is somewhere between 5 and 30 millions, very likely between 

 10 and 15 millions. 



During the last three centuries there have been a number of Mo- 

 hammedan rebellions, and we shall mention only the three most impor- 

 tant. One broke out in Yunnan in 1855, lasting 18 years, during which 

 about a million people lost their lives. The Tungan rebellion in Kansu 

 and Shensi broke out in 1862 and was finally quelled in 1870. In 

 another rebellion which ended in 1877, it is estimated that 10 million 

 lives were lost (Couling, 191 7, p. 379)- 



In China as elsewhere the Mohammedans are monotheists, believ- 

 ing that there is only one god, and that Mohammed is his prophet. 

 They practice circumcision and do not eat pork. The Koran is printed 

 and read in the Arabic, which is the sacred language. They do not 

 worship idols, and they practice polygamy. They have ceremonies to 

 purify themselves before worship. They encourage almsgiving, pray 

 five times a day, and while pilgrimages to Mecca are encouraged, a 



