Mecca great mosque 600

Islam Development in China

By k.giles
  • Jan 1, 618

    Tang Dynasty

    Tang Dynasty
    618-907. During the Tang Dynasty, people were traveling through the silk road and the overseas route through the port of Quanzhou. Many of these immigrants stayed to form the basis of the Chinese Muslim population.
  • Jan 1, 651

    Islam introduced to China

    Islam introduced to China
    Islam was first brought to China by Sa'd ibn abi Waqqas. He came to China for the third time at the head of an embassy sent by Uthman, the third Caliph. This is said to be the OFFICIAL introduction of Islam to China even though it slightly started being introduced in 618.
  • Mar 29, 687

    Umayyad Period

    Umayyad Period
    Muslims reached the coast of China and communities began to form. The Silk Route provided a basis of new ideas and goods to develop in these communities as well.
  • Jan 1, 724

    First Mosque

    First Mosque
    The Great Mosque of Xi-an was bult in Xi-an, Shaanxi. This mosque is the first official mosque in China. This mosque is over 12,000 square meters and still is open today!
  • Jan 1, 751

    Arab Empire Attacks China

    Arab Empire Attacks China
    Arabs learn papermaking from Chinese prisoners of war. This helps advance the culture by forming books.
  • Jan 1, 960

    Song Dynasty

    Song Dynasty
    960-1279. Many Muslims traveled to China for trading purposes and began to leave a great economic impart and influence on the country. Muslims dominated the foreign trade industry and the port industry.
  • Jan 1, 1300

    Yuan Dynasty

    Yuan Dynasty
    The Yuan Dynasty was established in the thirteenth century. The population numbers of Muslims in China continued to increase. This caused science to advance greatly during this time.
  • Jan 1, 1368

    Ming Dynasty

    Ming Dynasty
    1368-1644. Muslims flourished in China. The capital of China, Nanjing, was the center of Islamic learning. Not many restrictions for religious practices existed.

  • First Chinese-Islam Writing

    First Chinese-Islam Writing
    Author: Wang Tai-yu. First Chinese work on Islam by a Chinese Muslim.

  • Islam in China Today

    Islam in China Today
    Muslims comprise of a lot of the population in China. Today, there are almost 35,000 mosques, 50,000 Muslim teachers/administrators, and about 25,000 disciples studying Islam in various regions. More than 5,000 Chinese pilgrims travel to Mecca every year.