History of the Jews in China

CE) or earlier, in small groups. The most prominent were the Kaifeng Jews , who established themselves in the city of Kaifeng , Henan province . In the 20th century , many Jews arrived in Hong Kong and Shanghai during those cities' periods of economic expansion in the first decades of the century, as well as for the purpose of seeking refuge from the Nazi -led Holocaust in Western Europe . Shanghai was particularly notable for its volume of Jewish refugees, most of whom left after the war, the rest relocating prior to or immediately after the establishment of the People's Republic . Today, Judaism in China is functionally extinct. However, some descendants of Chinese Jews may still live in the Chinese population. Morever, many Chinese as well as Jews around the world, are beginning to revive their interest in this heritage. Additionally, two of the most well-known international immigrants in the history of the PRC , Israel Epstein and Sidney Shapiro , were Jewish. Also, the study of Judaism and Jews in China as an academic subject began to blossom in the late 20th century, alongside the study of religion generally. They have historically been divided into several populations:. It has been asserted by some that the Jews that have historically resided in various places in China originated with the Lost Ten Tribes of the exiled ancient Kingdom of Israel who relocated to the areas of present-day China. Traces of some ancient Jewish rituals have been observed in some places. One group of particular note, the most well-documented and well-known throughout the world, were the Kaifeng Jews , who lived in Kaifeng ( Henan province), and immigrated there during the Song dynasty (11th century CE). After the Russian Revolution of 1917 , several thousand Russian Jews moved to Harbin in northern China (former Manchuria ). During Shanghai 's period as a trading center in the early 20th century , Jews from many Western nations resided and worked there. Another wave of 25,000 Jews, from Germany immigrated to Shanghai in the 1930s. Shanghai at the time was an open city and did not have restrictions on immigration. After Japanese invasion of Shanghai in 1941 , these Jews were detained by the Japanese in few concentration camps in Hongkou District in northeastern Shanghai. The total number of Jews entering Shanghai during this period equaled the number of Jews fleeing to Australia , Canada , India , New Zealand and South Africa combined. Many of the Jews in China later returned to found modern Israel . After World War II and the establishment of the Communist regime in 1949 , most of these Jews immigrated to Israel or the West , although a few remained. It should be noted that one of the most prominent non-Chinese to have lived in China from the establishment of the People's Republic of China to the contemporary period, Sidney Shapiro , an American emigre, is of Jewish descent.

Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE . Relatively isolated communities developed through the Tang and Song Dynasties (7th to 12th centuries CE) all the way through the Qing Dynasty (19th century), most notably in the Kaifeng Jews (the term "Chinese Jews" is often used in a restricted sense to refer to these communities). By the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, few if any native Chinese Jews were known to have maintained the practice of their religion and culture . In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, however, some international Jewish groups have helped Chinese Jews rediscover their heritage . In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish merchants from around the world began to trade in Chinese ports, particularly in the commercial centers of Hong Kong , which was for a time a British colony, Shanghai (the International Settlement and French Concession ), and Harbin (the Trans-Siberian Railway ). In the first half of the 20th century, thousands of Jewish refugees escaping from the 1917 Russian Revolution arrived in China.

Other Jewish ethnic divisions are also represented, including Ashkenazi Jews , Mizrahi Jews and a number of converts. The Jewish Chinese community manifests a wide range of Jewish cultural traditions, and it also encompasses the full spectrum of Jewish religious observance. Though a small minority, Chinese Jews have had an open presence in the country since the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants during the 8th century CE. Relatively isolated communities of Jews developed through the Tang and Song Dynasties (7th to 13th centuries CE) all the way through the Qing Dynasty (19th century), most notably the Kaifeng Jews (the term "Chinese Jews" is often used in a restricted sense in order to refer to these communities). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish merchants from around the world began to trade in Chinese ports, particularly in the commercial centres of Hong Kong , which was for a time a British colony; Shanghai (the International Settlement and French Concession ); and Harbin (the Trans-Siberian Railway ). In the first half of the 20th century, thousands of Jewish refugees escaping from the 1917 Russian Revolution arrived in China. By the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, only a few Chinese Jews were known to have maintained the practice of their religion and culture though the Kaifeng synagogue survived for around seven centuries until 1860. China's Jewish communities have been ethnically diverse ranging from the Jews of Kaifeng and other places during the history of Imperial China , who, it is reported, came to be more or less totally assimilated into the majority Han Chinese populace due to widespread intermarriage. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, however, some international Jewish groups have helped Chinese Jews rediscover their Jewish heritage and reconnect with their Jewish roots.

Other Jewish ethnic divisions are also represented, including Ashkenazi Jews , Mizrahi Jews and a number of converts. The Jewish Chinese community manifests a wide range of Jewish cultural traditions and it also encompasses the full spectrum of Jewish religious observance. Though a small minority, Chinese Jews have had an open presence in the country since the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants during the 8th century CE. Relatively isolated communities of Jews developed from ancient all the way to modern China, most notably the Kaifeng Jews (the term "Chinese Jews" is often used in a restricted sense in order to refer to these communities). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish merchants from around the world began to trade in Chinese ports, particularly in the commercial centres of Hong Kong , which was for a time a British colony; Shanghai (the International Settlement and French Concession ); and Harbin (the Trans-Siberian Railway ). In the first half of the 20th century, thousands of Jewish refugees escaping from pogroms in the Russian Empire arrived in China. By the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, only a few Jews were known to have maintained the practice of their religion and culture.

The history of the Jews in China goes back to ancient times . Modern-day Jews in China are predominantly composed of Sephardic Jews and their descendants. Other Jewish ethnic divisions are also represented, including Ashkenazi Jews , Mizrahi Jews and a number of converts to Judaism . The Jewish Chinese community manifests a wide range of Jewish cultural traditions and it also encompasses the full spectrum of Jewish religious observance. Though a small minority, Chinese Jews have had an open presence in the country since the arrival of the first Jewish immigrants during the 8th century CE. Relatively isolated communities of Jews developed through the Han and Song dynasties (7th to 13th centuries CE) all the way through the Qing dynasty (19th century), most notably the Kaifeng Jews (the term "Chinese Jews" is often used in a restricted sense in order to refer to these communities). In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish merchants from around the world began to trade in Chinese ports, particularly in the commercial centres of Hong Kong , which was for a time a British colony; Shanghai (the International Settlement and French Concession ); and Harbin (the Trans-Siberian Railway ). In the first half of the 20th century, thousands of Jewish refugees escaping from pogroms in the Russian Empire arrived in China. By the time of the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, only a few Jews were known to have maintained the practice of their religion and culture. Since 2015, descendants of the Kaifeng Jews have come under government pressure and suspicion.