Blog Post #7 - Islam in China

This week's readings were particularly interesting to me, as I have taken a few courses on Islam at UofT. The readings somewhat address the role of trade in facilitating the spread of Islam into China, as well as the modern status of Muslims in China. I look forward to the class discussion about this phenomenon, as other religious such as Buddhism seem to have integrated so seamlessly into Chinese culture. Despite Islam's intention to be universally accepted, it has never fully merged with the more "Chinese" or "East Asian" traditions, such as Confucianism and Daoism. Whether it's the monotheistic aspect, or the extremely strong linguistic attachment to Arabic, Islam's acceptance in China doesn't seem to go past individual Muslims' immersion in Chinese culture. Again, the class discussion about Islam's arrival and battle to stay in China is something which I will find extremely intriguing!