Contemporary Ethnic Identity Of Muslim Descendants Along the Chinese Maritime Silk Route

The resurgence of ethno religious groups claiming their descendancy from the earliest Muslim communities who settled in Quanzhou has led to the Ding lineage being incorporated into the Hui people in 1979. The Hui people form the largest of 10 Muslim nationalities in China and are the 20^th century descendants of Arab and Persian ancestors. This is borne out by the abundance of preserved family genealogies, gravestones, stele inscriptions and dynastic records, which are now recognized as part of local Chinese culture. The recognition of nationalities and religion attests to the connectedness of the maritime silk and spice routes and their points of origin in Muslim countries in the Middle East. While no longer necessarily practicing Muslims, Islam has played an important role in defining and shaping contemporary Hui identity and today provides shared points of dialogue and connection with the Middle East.