Ever wondered where East Asian ethnoreligious groups find their place? I am thrilled to welcome you to Hui Hill.
Today we will explore its rich history. We will understand its cultural importance. The Hui people are an East Asian ethnoreligious group. They are predominantly Chinese-speaking adherents of Islam. They reside throughout China. Most live in the northwestern provinces and the Zhongyuan region.
China was home to approximately 10.5 million Hui people as of the 2010 census. The Hui are also found outside China. There are 170000 Dungan people of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The Panthays live in Myanmar. Many Chin Haws live in Thailand. They are also part of the Hui ethnicity.
The Hui were called Hanhui during the Qing dynasty. This distinguished them from Turkic Muslims who were called Chanhui. The Republic of China government saw the Hui as a branch of the Han Chinese not a separate ethnic group. The Hui were called Nationals in China proper. This was a special convention in the National Assembly of the Republic of China. Bai Chongxi referred to them as Muslim Han people. He was the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China. He also founded the Chinese Muslim Association.
Some scholars call this group Han Chinese Muslims. Others call them Han Muslims or Chinese Muslims. Still others call them Chinese-speaking Muslims or Sino-Muslims.
The People’s Republic of China government officially recognized the Hui as an ethnic group in 1954. The government includes all historically Muslim communities in the Hui people. These communities are not included in China’s other ethnic groups. They are distinct from other Muslim groups like the Uyghurs.
The Hui predominantly speak Chinese. They use some Arabic and Persian phrases. The Hui ethnic group is unique. It is not associated with a non-Sinitic language among Chinese ethnic minorities. The Hui have a distinct connection with Islamic culture. They follow Islamic dietary laws. They do not eat pork. Pork is the most commonly consumed meat in China. So they have developed their own variation of Chinese cuisine. Some men wear white caps. Some women wear headscarves. This traditional dress code is common in many Islamic cultures.
Hui Muslims descend from various groups. These include Europeans Arabs Indo-Iranian Persians Mongols and Turkic Uyghurs. Other Central Asian immigrants also contributed. Their ancestors were of Middle Eastern Central Asian and East Asian origin. They spread Islam in the area. Several medieval Chinese dynasties welcomed foreign Muslim traders. These dynasties included the Tang Song and Mongol dynasties. They appointed Central Asian officials. The immigrants gradually spoke Chinese and settled down. They eventually formed the Hui.
Genetically 6.7 percent of Hui peoples’ matrilineal genetics have a West-Eurasian origin. 93.3% are East-Eurasian. This reflects intermarriage especially with Mongol women. A study in 2021 estimated West Eurasian-related admixture among Northwestern Chinese minority groups at about 9.1%. The remainder is dominant East-Eurasian ancestry at about 90.9%. The study showed a close genetic affinity among these ethnic minorities in Northwest China. They cluster closely with other East Asian people.
The Chinese government applies the term “Hui” to one of China’s ten historically Islamic minorities. This began in 1949. Today the Chinese government defines the Hui people as an ethnicity without regard to religion. This includes those with Hui ancestry who do not practice Islam.
The Hui nationality is the most widely distributed ethnic minority in China. It is also the main ethnic minority in many provinces. In 2010 there were 10586087 Hui people in China. This is 0.79% of the total population. They are the third-largest ethnic group after Han Chinese and Zhuang.
I hope you enjoyed learning about the Hui people and Hui Hill. It is a testament to the diverse cultural fabric of China. Thank you for joining me on this journey of discovery.