Introduction
The Jewish diaspora in China is unique in the experience of world Jewry, as China is the only country in the Far East that has had Jews living in its society for more than 1,000 years. There is a significant distinction between Jews in premodern (before 1840) China and those in modem China (since 1840). Those who came before modem times became part of Chinese society without being marked by distinct features, but those who have come in modern times have been marked as aliens.
The Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (618 to 907) is the period when we begin to have documentary evidence showing the presence of Jews in China. The earliest evidence is from the beginning of the eighth century: a business letter dating from 718 c.e., written in the Judeo-Persian language, and found in Danfan Uiliq, an important post along the Silk Road in northwest China. The text is 37 lines in length and is written on paper, a product then manufactured only in China. From this fragment, we learn...
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References
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Xin, X. (2005). Jewish Diaspora in China. In: Ember, M., Ember, C.R., Skoggard, I. (eds) Encyclopedia of Diasporas. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-29904-4_16
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