Being one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China, Kaifeng had an abundance of various cultures within her boundaries. One of the most unique was that of the Jewish community which flourished, although remained small, through the nineteenth century. Although no one can date the exact time of the first settlement, it is from the Southern Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) that their presence is clearly documented. We also know that the Kaifeng Jews lived harmoniously with their Chinese neighbours. So welcome were they, the Chinese authorities and general population viewed them as citizens and allowed them to practice their religion with complete freedom.

It is believed by archaeologists and the remaining Kaifeng Jew descendants, that the original population came from Persia. It is presumed that these people of the Jewish faith were Persian merchants who traveled the Silk Road/Route (in today’s southern Turkey) to the city of Xian, located in central China. Since the journey was long and difficult, it made family life challenging. The solution to these obstacles was to establish a permanent base in China. The best location was the current capital city of Kaifeng (it was China’s capital from 927BC-1127AD).

A stone tablet, dating to the 1489 Kaifeng synagogue states: “According to their god, the Jews came from Tian-Sho (Chinese for ‘India’ or ‘every state to the west of China’) with woven materials from the west in their hands, meant as a gift for the emperor.”. The last emperor, according to this same inscription said, “Welcome to our country; dwell here and keep the customs of your people.”

This warm welcome provided the Jews with automatic citizenship. It is believed that the government and populace at the time were so tolerant because they had no official, state religion of their own at that time. Confucianism was more an array of ethical and behavioural codes, not really a belief of religious ordinances commanded by a higher power. Confucius’ teachings were easy for the Jewish community to accept. They didn’t require the recognition of another god, prophet or messiah. Neither did these teachings go against their kosher living or make them give up their own religious holidays.

Records from the Southern Song Dynasty of the Jewish community in Kaifeng carefully detail their synagogue and numerous religious artifacts. Among these relics are three steles with inscriptions. The oldest one is dated 1489 and memorializes the construction of the community’s synagogue in 1163. This first synagogue was destroyed in 1461 by the flooding of the Yellow River. It was rebuilt and refurbished only to be ravaged by nature once more.

With the passage of time, the Kaifeng Jews lost contact with their brethren. It was Jesuit Priests and a Missionary of their order, Matteo Ricci, who rediscovered the community in the early seventeenth century. They reported that the surviving Jews still practiced by observing most Jewish festivals, abstaining from pork, circumcising their sons and following Moses’ laws. Also, it was found that this community had their own synagogue and a great many written materials and books. In 1605, Ricci met a young Chinese Jew named Ai Tian who explained his belief and worship of one God. It is recorded that when he viewed an image of the Christian Mary with the child Jesus, he thought it was a picture of Rebecca with Esau or Jacob. Ricci then sent to the Jesuits to come and visit the city.

As even more time passed, the Chinese Jews lost their ability to read Hebrew. This was one of the things which led to their ultimate decline. Another likely cause was from the repeated flood of the Yellow River which destroyed their synagogue numerous times. By the middle of the nineteenth century, poverty forced the remaining Jews to sell their synagogue building and manuscripts to Protestant Missionaries.

Hearing of the plight of their Kaifeng brethren, the Jews of Shanghai started the Shanghai Society to Rescue the Chinese Jews in 1900. It was said that the community at this time consisted of fifty families of about two hundred and fifty people. The newly formed society wrote a letter to the Kaifeng Jews, begging them not to sell anymore of their scrolls. They also offered to help them rebuild their temple. But, nothing came of it eventually.

The last census revealed that about four hundred official Jews remain in Kaifeng. There are still those who consider themselves of this religious persuasion, even though they don’t have a synagogue in which to worship. They list their children as “Youtai” (Jewish) on government documents.

Sources:
Lost Jews of Kaifeng
Historic Community of Kaifeng
Kaifeng's Jews
Wikipedia.org