A Historical Narrative of Ethnic Conflict and Social Anarchy in Shaanxi: The Muslim Uprising 1862-1873
Abstract
Hui rebellion (1862-1873) is depicted generally as the confrontation of Hui with the Qing state but an exploration of the background of the uprising in the Shaanxi province and a keen look into the oral histories and compilations of local narratives of the devastation reveals that the reality was much more complex. The historical account of these rebellions produced the stereotype that Manchus and Hui had been in conflict throughout whereas this paper contends that the Qing reign can be comfortably divided into two distinct phases with respect to the behavior of Manchus towards the Hui minority. The first phase is marvelously peaceful and prosperous whereas the second is equally drastic and catastrophic. How did this sweeping shift occur? The answer to this logical query involves the third and most decisive component of the whole confrontation i.e. Han gentry and militia. We propose that Han officialdom played a crucial role in creating an ambiance of confrontation of Hui with the Qing state. Were it not the ethnic riots and racial bias by the Han gentry, Hui would have never been forced to stand unanimously for the protection of their identity and rights. On the other hand, although the Qing Empire wanted to discriminate between rebels and innocent people yet its efforts remained futile as with the weakening of the central state, the axis of power shifted to local Han authorities who were adamant to exterminate Hui from the area. Thus an uprising against Han discrimination distended into a rebellion against the state on a large scale.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Atwill, D. G. (2003). Blinkered Visions: Islamic Identity, Hui Ethnicity, and the Panthay Rebellion in Southwest China, 1856–1873. The Journal of Asian Studies, 62(4), 1079–1108.
Broomhall, M. (2018). Islam in China: A Neglected Problem, London; Philadelphia [etc.]: Morgan & Scott, ltd. ; China inland mission.
Chang, H. Y. (1987). The Hui (Muslim) minority in China: an historical overview. Institute of Muslim Minority Affairs. Journal, 8(1), 62–78.
Chang, Yung-Ho. (1999). The development of Chinese Islam : during the T’ang and Song dynasties (618-1276 A.D.).
Changshou, Ma. “Tongzhinianjian Shaanxi Huimin Qiyi Lishi Diaocha Jilu [Records of Investigation on the History of Hui Uprising in Shaanxi during the Reign of Emperor Tongzhi.” Shaanxi Wenshi Ziliao (Shaanxi’s Literary and Historical Data).
Ching, Calvin. (2011). Ethnic Tensions between the Han and the Hui: The Neo-Sufi Jahriyya Movement of Ma Hua Long of the Late Qing Period (1862-1871). Illumine: Journal of the Centre for Studies in Religion and Society Graduate Students Association 9:66-82.
Chu, Wen Djang. (1966) . The Moslem rebellion in northwest China, 1862-1878: a study of government minority policy, vol. 5: Walter de Gruyter.
Clarke, Michael. (2007). China’s Internal Security Dilemma and the Great Western Development: The Dynamics of Integration, Ethnic Nationalism and Terrorism in Xinjiang. Asian Studies Review 31:323-342.
Dillon, Michael. (2013). China’s Muslim Hui community: migration, settlement and sects: Routledge.
Elman, Benjamin A. (2010). The failures of contemporary Chinese intellectual history. Eighteenth-Century Studies 43:371-391.
Gillette, Maris. (2008). Violence, the State, and a Chinese Muslim Ritual Remembrance. The Journal of Asian Studies 67:1011-1037.
Gillette, Maris Boyd. (2002). Between Mecca and Beijing: modernization and consumption among urban Chinese Muslims. Stanford University Press.
Gillin, Donald G. (1964). Peasant nationalism in the history of Chinese communism. The Journal of Asian Studies 23:269-289.
Gjessing, Gutorm. (1956). Chinese Anthropology and New China’s Policy towards her Minorities. Acta Sociologica 2:45-68.
Gladney, Dru C. (1994). Representing nationality in China: Refiguring majority/minority identities. Journal of Asian Studies 53:92-123.
—. (2003). Islam in China: accommodation or separatism?. The China Quarterly 174:451-467.
Gray, Jack. (2002). Rebellions and Revolutions: China from the 1800s to 2000: Oxford University Press.
Guangqi, Ma. (1993). Shaanxi Huijiao Gaikuang [General Situation of Islam in Shaanxi]. in Tongzhinianjian Shaanxi Huimin Qiyi Lishi Diaocha Jilu [Records of Investigation on the History of Hui Uprising in Shaanxi during the Reign of Emperor Tongzhi], edited by M. Changshou. Xi’an: Shaanxi Political Consultative Conference’s Committee on Literary and Historical Data, Shaanxi Wenshi Ziliao [Shaanxi’s Literary and Historical Data].
Israeli, Raphael. (1979). Muslims under the Manchu reign in China. Studia islamica:159-179.
—. (2002). Islam in China: Religion, ethnicity, culture, and politics: Lexington Books.
Jianbiao., Li. (2011). Changes in Islam’s Status in Modern Shaanxi Province. in MUSLIMS AND A HARMONIOUS SOCIETY
Selected Papers from a Three-Conference Series on Muslim Minorities in Northwest China
Gansu Province, (2008) | Shaanxi Province, (2009 )| Xinjiang Autonomous Region, (2009), edited by J. Daugherty: The Religion and Security Research Project, Center on Faith & International Affairs, Institute for Global Engagement.
Jianshi, Huizu. (1978). Brief History of the Hui ethnic group: Ningxia People’s Publishing House.
Jiqing, Zhang. (1981). Dao Xian Huanhai Jianwenlu (What I Saw and Heard in Officialdom during the Reigns of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng): Zhonghua Book Company.
Kong Yizhou, et. al. (1953). Pingding Guan Long Jilue [Brief Records on the Suppression of Shaanxi and Gansu]. in Huimin Qiyi [Uprising of the Hui ethnic group], vol. vol.1. Shanghai Shenzhou Guoguang Chubanshe.
Leslie, Donald. (1986). Islam in traditional China: a short history to 1800: Canberra College of Advanced Education.
Lipman, Jonathan N. (1990). Ethnic violence in modern China: Hans and Huis in Gansu, 1781-1929. Violence in China: Essays in Culture and Counterculture:65-86.
Ma, Tong. (1983). zhongguo yisilan jiaopai yu menhuan zhidu shilue (A brief history of Chinese Islamic denominations and sects). Ningxia People’s PressMazhongguo yisilan jiaopai yu menhuan zhidu shilue (A brief history of Chinese Islamic denominations and sects).
McCarthy, Susan K. (2011). Communist multiculturalism: ethnic revival in southwest China: University of Washington Press.
Millward, James A. (2007). Eurasian crossroads: a history of Xinjiang. The China Quarterly 191:755-791.
Odgaard, Liselotte and Thomas Galasz Nielsen. (2014). China’s Counterinsurgency Strategy in Tibet and Xinjiang. Journal of Contemporary China 23:535-555.
Pletcher, Kenneth. (2010). The History of China: The Rosen Publishing Group.
Qina, Li. ““Youfen Jishu” [Writing in Fear and Anger].” in Shaanxi Huimin Qiyi Ziliao [Data on Shaanxi’s Hui Uprising], edited by H. M. Shao Hongmo Compilation Committee of Local Records in Shaanxi Province.
Ryono, Angel and Matthew Galway. (2014). Xinjiang under China: reflections on the multiple dimensions of the 2009 Urumqi uprising. Asian Ethnicity:1-21.
Shuchou, Yu. (1953). Qin Long Huiwu Jilue [Brief Records of Muslim Affairs in Shaanxi and Gansu] in Huimin Qiyi [Uprising of the Hui Ethnic Group, vol. Volume 1, issue 4: , Shanghai Shenzhou Guoguang Chubanshe.
Tse-Tung, Mao. (1959). The Chinese Revolution and the Chinese Communist Party: Foreign Langusage Press.
Veeck, Gregory, Clifton W Pannell, Christopher J Smith, and Youqin Huang. (2011). China’s geography: globalization and the dynamics of political, economic, and social change: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Yizhi, Mi. (1983). Lun Su Sishisan fanQing douzheng shijian. On Su Fortythree’s Anti-Qing Struggle’] in Xibei minzu wencong.
Zhang, Li. (2001). Strangers in the city: Reconfigurations of space, power, and social networks within China’s floating population: Stanford University Press.
Zhao, Gang. (2006). Reinventing China Imperial Qing Ideology and the Rise of Modern Chinese National Identity in the Early Twentieth Century.” Modern China 32:3-30.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21043/qijis.v10i1.8106
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.