Islam

This important collection of articles by leading Chinese scholars of Islamic studies reflects current thinking about the past and present condition of Islam in China. It has a strong focus on China's north-west, the most important region for the study of Islam in China. Most contributions relate to the Hui (Chinese-speaking) Muslims of Gansu and Qinghai provinces and the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region but there are also chapters on the Uyghurs of Xinjiang. An important feature of this book is the attention paid to the Sufi orders: the role of these networks, which embody an inner-directed and mystical aspect of Islam, is crucial to the understanding of Muslim communities in both historical and contemporary China.