How did Islam arrive in China, and how did it become part of Chinese culture? In this Kianistan Podcast episode, host Tafhim Kiani speaks with Dr. James Frankel, associate professor in the Department of Religion and Cultural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and director of the university’s centre for the study of Islamic culture.

Frankel has lived in Hong Kong for over a decade and has written two books on the subject, including Rectifying God’s Name, a study of an early 18th-century Chinese Muslim scholar who explained Islam in the language of Neo-Confucian philosophy, and a broader historical overview of Islam in China.

The conversation takes in the legend of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, Chinese and Arabic names, the Hui and Uyghur communities, the effects of China’s population policies, Sufi lineages, mosque architecture and the story of Muslim martial arts.

It is the first in what both hope will be a series, with contemporary issues left for a later episode.

Key Topics Discussed

The Story of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas and the First Mosque

Frankel explains why the tradition that a companion of the Prophet brought Islam to China is important even though he does not treat it as strict historical fact.

• He describes the Chinese Muslim account of Emperor Gaozong’s dream and a mission sent west to find a holy man.
• He says the details are hard to reconcile with the historical record, including whether Sa’d arrived by sea or by land.
• He explains that the Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou is traditionally linked to Sa’d, with a minaret that archaeology places at least in the 9th century.
• He treats the story as a core narrative for Chinese Muslims, even if it is better read as foundational myth than as documented history.

Names, Identity and Assimilation

The host asks why Chinese Muslims generally have Chinese names rather than Arabic ones, and how names carry meaning in each culture.

• Frankel says early Muslim settlers had Arabic names, but over generations they intermarried and Chinese became their mother tongue.
• Many Chinese Muslims hold both a Quranic or scriptural name and a Chinese name.
• He explains that Chinese names are made of characters with distinct meanings, and shares his own Chinese name, which he translates as ‘healthy scholar’.
• He describes how Muslims preserved their heritage while adapting to local custom.

The Hui and the Uyghurs

Frankel distinguishes China’s two largest Muslim groups and explains how each came to be recognised by the state.

• The Hui are Chinese-speaking Muslims who are dispersed across China, with enclaves in many cities and concentrations in the northwest.
• China officially recognises 56 nationalities; the Han are about 95% of the population, and 10 minorities have Islamic heritage.
• The Uyghurs are a Turkic people of Xinjiang, with a language related to Turkish, whose region was absorbed during the Qing dynasty.
• Frankel notes the Hui and Uyghurs do not regard themselves as the same group despite sharing a religion.

Population Policy and State Approaches to Minorities

The host asks whether Muslim groups face the same demographic pressures as the rest of China.

• Frankel explains the one-child policy and its present consequences, including an ageing population and gender imbalance.
• He says many minorities were historically exempt from the policy as a concession.
• He cautions against assuming a single, constant policy towards all minorities, saying approaches have varied by group and decade.
• The host agrees counterintuitive history does not mean everything is fine, and they plan to cover present-day conditions in a future episode.

Sufi Orders in China

Frankel describes how Sufi lineages entered China through Central Asia and how they developed.

• Naqshbandi and Qadiri lineages are present, mostly in the northwest, among both Turkic peoples and the Hui.
• He says Sufism became entrenched around the 17th century, often spreading through frontier regions.
• He describes two Naqshbandi suborders, Jahriyya and Khufiyya, that differ in whether dhikr is performed aloud or silently.
• Leadership of these orders is often hereditary, and some families gained significant wealth and influence.

Mosque Architecture and Muslim Martial Arts

The conversation ends with how Chinese culture shaped Muslim practice, from mosque design to martial arts.

• Frankel says many older mosques look like Chinese temples, and minarets and domes became common only in the 20th century.
• He reports that in recent years some domes and minarets on newer mosques have been removed and replaced with Chinese architectural elements.
• He explains that martial arts were part of the arts that elite Chinese Muslims learned, and some Muslim military leaders required training for their troops.
• The host mentions the Bajiquan ‘Muslim fist’ and the unusual number of 13th-century developments, which Frankel links to the Mongol era and the Pax Mongolica.

Major Takeaways

• The Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas tradition is described by Frankel as a core narrative for Chinese Muslims, even though he does not treat it as established history.
• Islam in China developed through trade and settlement, with Muslims gradually adopting Chinese language and names.
• The Hui are Chinese-speaking and dispersed, while the Uyghurs are a Turkic people concentrated in Xinjiang.
• State policy toward minorities has varied by group and period, and Frankel urges caution about simple narratives.
• Sufi orders reached China through Central Asia, and two Naqshbandi suborders differ over dhikr practice.
• Chinese Muslim culture reflects centuries of exchange, from mosque design to martial arts.

About Dr. James Frankel

Dr. James Frankel is an associate professor in the Department of Religion and Cultural Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he also directs the centre for the study of Islamic culture.

Originally from New York, he previously taught at the University of Hawaii. He has helped build Islamic studies programmes at both institutions and is the author of Rectifying God’s Name and a comprehensive history of Islam in China. His website is jamesdfrankel.com.

• History of Islam in China
• Chinese Muslim scholarship and Neo-Confucian thought
• Hui and Uyghur communities
• Sufi traditions in China
• Islamic culture, art and architecture

About Kianistan Podcast

Kianistan Podcast is a geopolitics and culture interview series hosted by Tafhim Kiani. It brings scholars, journalists and practitioners together for long conversations that explain the history behind today’s headlines.

This episode is part of the show’s growing focus on China and its relationship with the Muslim world. Subscribe on YouTube and tell us in the comments which topics you want us to cover next.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Dr. James Frankel?

He is an associate professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and director of its centre for the study of Islamic culture, and the author of two books on Islam in China.

How did Islam come to China according to the episode?

Frankel says tradition links it to a mission of Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, but that historically the presence was shaped by trade and settlement, with archaeological evidence going back to at least the 9th century.

What is the difference between the Hui and the Uyghurs?

The Hui are Chinese-speaking Muslims dispersed across China, while the Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking people concentrated in Xinjiang. They do not regard themselves as one group.

Are there Sufi orders in China?

Yes. Frankel describes Naqshbandi and Qadiri lineages that arrived through Central Asia, including two Naqshbandi suborders that differ on whether dhikr is aloud or silent.

Conclusion

This episode shows Islam in China as a story of exchange, adaptation and persistence, from legends of early companions to temple-style mosques and Neo-Confucian scholarship. Frankel brings careful historical judgment to material that is often treated through myth or politics.

Both host and guest hope to return for deeper conversations on figures like Liu Zhi and on the contemporary situation of Chinese Muslims. Watch the full episode and let us know what you want to hear in the next one.

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