ABSTRACT
The conversion of Han Chinese in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to Islam is a complex and dynamic process that goes beyond the mere adoption of a new faith. Potential converts undergo a multifaceted journey involving learning about Islam, reflecting on Hui and Han ethnic cultures and customs, and understanding the historical relationship between Islam as a religion and ethnic Hui Chinese people. Through this process, Han converts gradually develop a pluralistic and multilayered identity that encompasses their Han ethnicity and Muslim faith. The article emphasizes the importance of daily inter-group interactions and the use of various strategies to resolve conflicts while adhering to Islamic beliefs. It introduces a theoretical framework consisting of discursive, local, and configurable values to analyze the nuances of everyday experiences among Han converts. This framework provides a structured approach to understanding the complexities of identity formation and enrich ongoing discussions within the Islamic anthropological research community.
Acknowledgments
We gratefully acknowledge the invaluable insights provided by the two anonymous reviewers. Our heartfelt appreciation extends to Robert Shepherd for his meticulous editing of our draft paper. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to all the interviewees with whom we had the privilege to speak. Their enduring feedback has significantly enriched our study over the years.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Notes
13 According to the PRC’s Seventh National Census (Citation2021), there are approximately twenty-three million Muslims in China of a total population of 1.3 billion. Only India and Ethiopia boast larger minority Muslim populations.
16 The conversion process entailed significant events during their conversion journey, as well as the challenges they faced at familial and societal levels post-conversion, e.g., wearing a hijab, interactions with born Hui/Uyghur Muslims.
18 Xiang and Ma Citation2019. Economic interactions have helped facilitate the movement of Muslim populations, both domestically and internationally, in China’s coastal trading areas. It is within this context of increased domestic and international mobility of Muslim populations that conversion occurs, facilitated by faith-seeking and marital influences.
24 Ma Citation2013. After 1949, members of official ethnic minority groups were given preferential policies. For instance, Muslims were allowed to bury their dead, while Han people had to practice cremation.
25 Yusuf al-Qaradawi (1926 - 2022) was an Egyptian Islamic jurist, thinker, hadith scholar, Qur'an exegete, educator, and religious reformer. He is widely known as a moderate thinker.
27 Many Hui Muslims began rekindling their religious fervor and deepening their understanding of Islam in the early 2000s. Notably, Hui people often assess each other's religiosity to reaffirm their own religious devoutness. For example, in a recent study it examined Muslim migrants residing in Xi'an Hui Fang asserted their sense of belonging by comparing and scrutinizing their religious practices with those of other Muslims. See Gillette Citation2000; Ma 2006; Wang and Han Citation2023.
28 The Five Pillars of Islam are profession of faith (shahada), prayer (salat), almsgiving (zakat), fasting (sawm), and pilgrimage (haj).
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Notes on contributors
Qiang Ma
Qiang Ma is a faculty member of the Institute for Western Frontier Region of China, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, China. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Haichao Wang
Haichao Wang is a postgraduate researcher and teaching assistant in the Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Usman Khan
Usman Khan is a postdoctoral fellow at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Xi’an International Studies University, Xi’an, China. He can be contacted at [email protected].