Chinese Jews

[elke]

I have heard in the past that due to the general security of the Jewish population in China, complete lack of antisemitism, and almost total isolation, the Chinese Jews assimilated almost totally into the Chinese society. It seems that this is not an entirely accurate description.

Here are some links with info on the Chinese Jews:
I haven't had a chance to explore this in full yet, but it looks awesome!

http://www.haruth.com/JewsChina.html

http://www.jcpa.org/dje/articles2/china.htm

http://faculty.rmwc.edu/fwebb/buck/powerpoint99/miles/

Answerer, thank you for bringing this up! :)

[L@mplighterM]

The National Geographic Magazine from October 1907 pages 621-632 has an interesting article about the Chinese Jews.

[Mediocrates]

I'm guessing this is about indigenous people and not the thousands of German Jews who were sent to Shanghai just before WW2. The mother of my college roomate was one of them.

[elke]

Originally posted by Mediocrates
I'm guessing this is about indigenous people and not the thousands of German Jews who were sent to Shanghai just before WW2. The mother of my college roomate was one of them.

I knew someone whose parents ran away from Russia in the '30s, and landed in Shanghai, where he was born. The Communists seem to have been following them, so after the Chinese Revolution they went to Australia. The clincher was that I met him in Israel, and when I asked him where his parents were, he told me that his father lives in France and mother - in Turkey! :)

[L@mplighterM]

The Jesuit priests discovered a synagogue in the city of Kiefengu around 1692. The Jews pictured in 1907 are oriental. I got the understanding that the synagogue goes back 500+ years earlier than 1692.

I?d print the article from the CD and scan it to text and post it but Win XP doesn?t seem to like the program. Most likely the driver.

[cerulean]

Available here:

http://www.haruth.com/JewsChina1907.html

(It looks like there are some other interesting links there also.)

[Mediocrates]

This is great stuff, thanks !!

[Answerer]

Hi guys, I'm curious about how the chinese treated the jews, so could anyone answer my doubts?

[Gilgamesh]

Originally posted by Answerer
Hi guys, I'm curious about how the chinese treated the jews, so could anyone answer my doubts?

AFIK the chinees (or any other asians for that matter) never been anti semetic. They recognized Jews as a seperate western civilization diferent then the other emperialistic western powers. I know for certainty, that some Jews played a part in modern chinese history. (on both sides of the chinese civil war). Jews acted as advisors, military advisors... there is a Jew who become a chinese general, and was buried in Israel. He's recognized as a national hero in china. Can you enlight me on this? since i know all of this only from a little news report, a dacade ago, about Israel restoration of foreign relations with china. I remeber the chinese delegation going to visit a certain grave (quite ordinary from the looks of it) of a Jew. Nothing upon the grave ever gave any clue to the importance of that Jew to the chinese.

[Answerer]

Well, could you give me roughly the name of the Jewish chinese general? I need his name in order to find out more information.

[christian]

Originally posted by Gilgamesh


AFIK the chinees (or any other asians for that matter) never been anti semetic. They recognized Jews as a seperate western civilization diferent then the other emperialistic western powers. I know for certainty, that some Jews played a part in modern chinese history. (on both sides of the chinese civil war). Jews acted as advisors, military advisors... there is a Jew who become a chinese general, and was buried in Israel. He's recognized as a national hero in china. Can you enlight me on this? since i know all of this only from a little news report, a dacade ago, about Israel restoration of foreign relations with china. I remeber the chinese delegation going to visit a certain grave (quite ordinary from the looks of it) of a Jew. Nothing upon the grave ever gave any clue to the importance of that Jew to the chinese.

http://servercc.oakton.edu/~friend/abbey2.html

Born into devout piety and total poverty in 1887, Cohen was the eldest son of persecuted Polish Jews who immigrated to the East End of London. At a young age, Cohen was drawn to the wayward and delinquent life-style of the cardsharps and con men. Proving to be an incorrigible juvenile, Cohen was arrested in 1900 for picking pockets and was sent to reform school and then later shipped off to western Canada. After years of wandering from Manitoba to British Columbia, Cohen had gained the reputation of a rabble-rousing, hustler with a penchant for women and gambling. He became a regular at a Chinese gambling den in Saskatoon and one evening stumbled into the middle of an armed robbery. Cohen came to the defense of the Chinese owner, an act that was unheard of at that time when Anti-Chinese sentiment was rampant in Canada. This selfless act gained Cohen the respect of the Chinese community and drew him into the world of revolutionary China.

This early contact with the overseas Chinese in Canada helped shape Cohen¡¦s understanding of Chinese history and politics. In 1922, Cohen traveled to China to become a body guard for Sun Yat-sen. Completely fascinated by Sun¡¦s political doctrine and plans to unify and develop China, Cohen slowly not only became an influential figure in Nationalist China, but also a self-proclaimed confidant to various Chinese revolutionaries and a "General" in the Chinese Army. Cohen accomplished this all despite the fact that he never learned Chinese. Levy meticulously follows Cohen¡¦s exploits from his time as real estate tycoon, bodyguard, and arms dealer through the tragic years of internment in Hong Kong¡¦s prison camps under the Japanese and his diplomatic undertakings and business dealings during the twilight of his life.

Although Levy provides accurate historical backdrops and details of Cohen¡¦s relationships with the early leaders of China¡¦s Revolution, one cannot help but notice how odd it is that Cohen the hustler wanted to ally himself with such a visionary figure as Sun Yat-sen. Later in his life, Cohen walked on a blurred line of noncommittal support for both the Nationalists and the Communists. It is apparent that his loyalties often swayed whichever way opportunity was knocking. One could argue that China represented the ultimate adventure for Cohen and that he simply followed his instincts as an opportunist.

Despite his many flaws, Cohen was seen by many as a generous man who protected and spoke up in defense of the Chinese. Cohen took much pride in his advocacy and public relations efforts. He often acted as a cultural liaison between Chinese and Westerners in a time regularly darkened by Anti-Asian sentiment. Levy provides the reader with well-balanced viewpoints of Cohen¡¦s glorious achievements and his other, less-than-flattering accomplishments. In the end, it is the reader who is left to ponder and pass judgment on the curious life and adventures of one remarkable character named Two-Gun Cohen.o

v

[christian]

Originally posted by Gilgamesh


AFIK the chinees (or any other asians for that matter) never been anti semetic. They recognized Jews as a seperate western civilization diferent then the other emperialistic western powers. I know for certainty, that some Jews played a part in modern chinese history. (on both sides of the chinese civil war). Jews acted as advisors, military advisors... there is a Jew who become a chinese general, and was buried in Israel. He's recognized as a national hero in china. Can you enlight me on this? since i know all of this only from a little news report, a dacade ago, about Israel restoration of foreign relations with china. I remeber the chinese delegation going to visit a certain grave (quite ordinary from the looks of it) of a Jew. Nothing upon the grave ever gave any clue to the importance of that Jew to the chinese.

Yes. Two Gun Cohen and jewish politician helps to coordinate the arms sells for revolution. His accomplishment can't be deny.

This is one of major reason. The official chinese government helps the jewish refugee in WWII.

What goes around comes around! It is strange. Isn't ?

Unfortunately, we have a communie government. Which doesn't publicize anything before the pre-communist era.
:(

[christian]

elke,

By the way, the chinese jews are like chinese. They don't look like semetic people.

Kaifeng is nothing more like a piece of remembrance of the jewish community. In fact, the jews in china adopts to China very well. To the point, they have no trouble spreading across china.

Kaifeng city is completely devasted, because the jewish community no longer feel that need to seclude themselves in a community.

Have you eat yet? <my warm regards.> :D

[elke]

Originally posted by christian
elke,

By the way, the chinese jews are like chinese. They don't look like semetic people.

Kaifeng is nothing more like a piece of remembrance of the jewish community. In fact, the jews in china adopts to China very well. To the point, they have no trouble spreading across china.

Kaifeng city is completely devasted, because the jewish community no longer feel that need to seclude themselves in a community.

Have you eat yet? <my warm regards.> :D

Thanks for the information, Christian! This is fascinating!

Yes, I ate - shish kabobs today. Have you? ;)

[WarAgainstJihad]

one part of china is totally muslim the xinjiang province, millions of muslims are there in china, never heard of chinese jews though,

[danholo]

Originally posted by WarAgainstJihad
never heard of chinese jews though,

That doesn't mean there aren't any. Lack of evidence is no evidence of lack.

[L@mplighterM]

Link to info re: Chinese Jews

http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=461&letter=C&search=chinese%20jews

[Mediocrates]

There were several thousand German Jews who were deported to Shanghai just before the war. I know of at least one book about it. A few stayed. Yes I know this is not the same thing but nonetheless....

[L@mplighterM]

Originally posted by Mediocrates
There were several thousand German Jews who were deported to Shanghai just before the war. I know of at least one book about it. A few stayed. Yes I know this is not the same thing but nonetheless....

If my memory serves me Shanghai also opened its doors to Jews during the war.

[Rob]

There has been a Jewish presence in China since the 8th century. The first synagogue was erected in 1163. At the end of WWII there were 30,000 Jews in China. Most left in 1949 when the communists took over.

http://www.kashrus.org/asian/china.html

[Frans_1]

have you read this one ?

http://www.sino-judaic.org/kaifeng.html (3 parts)

[Frans_1]

http://www.gluckman.com/Shapiro.html

Sidney Shapiro.

Another called Israel Epstein.

http://www.jewishsf.com/bk971003/sbsilk.htm


"Jews at that time were referred to as blue-capped Muslims, while Muslims were referred to as white-capped Muslims," Gabow said.

In addition to wearing skullcaps, both refused to eat pork. Jews in China later became known as "those who pluck out the sinew."

Muslims, however, greatly outnumbered Jews.

"Whenever a Muslim passed by a Jew, he would fling his cape into the air to show contempt," Gabow said.

mmmmmm.

[andak01]

Originally posted by WarAgainstJihad
one part of china is totally muslim the xinjiang province, millions of muslims are there in china, never heard of chinese jews though,

The Chinese Muslims are never heard about, mainly because they do nothing to bolster common Islamaphobe perceptions and second, because there really isn't any story. Muslims who don't go around killing people (the vast majority) don't make the news at all. As for the Chinese Muslims, they were native Chinese who came to Islam, not by the sword, but through trade. They have not been exposed to the recent wave of Islamicism and thus behave as Muslims have for centuries, in a constructive fashion.

[Frans_1]

If you are talking about Uighurs, they are not ethnic or cultural Han people. They are Turks who were enemies of various Chinese dynasties for centuries. eg Turks and China during Tang and Han dynasties were sometimes fighting against each other and sometimes allied with each other.

But today, Xinjiang Uighurs feel oppressed and discriminated against by Hans and want independence for Xinjiang- which they call Eastern Turkestan. As far as I know, "jiang" is one old name for Turks which was "Jiang people" but is a different word, with the same sound, from jiang in Xinjiang which means literally "new border".

Uighurs are amongst some of the poorest groups in China, itself a country whose wealth is very unevenly distributed.

[Frans_1]

fyi, I don't think the Uighurs like being called Chinese :) In danger of throwing out a broad blanket, that apparently ticks them off because they don't like Han Chinese.

[Evgeny]

i was watching Russian tv at my friends grandmothers house and they had a show about jews around the world. anyway they had this thing about japanesse jews. it was funny becasue they had this old japanesse rabi. probably his ancestors were converted by the portegesse jewish merchents. im babiling now so ill stop.

[richcrassus]

also read that japanese jews, of which there are 2000 according to the world jewish congress website, could be the direct descendants of one of the 12 lost tribes of israel?

[Evgeny]

Originally posted by richcrassus
also read that japanese jews, of which there are 2000 according to the world jewish congress website, could be the direct descendants of one of the 12 lost tribes of israel?

nope probably converted gentiles by Portegesse jewish merchents.