Then Came Moses, Who Established The Law, And Handed
Down The Sacred Writings.
After his time, during the Han Dynasty (B.C. 206
to A.D. 221), this religion entered China.
In (A.D.) 1164, a synagogue was
built at P'ien. In (A.D.) 1296, the old Temple was rebuilt, as a place in
which the Sacred Writings might be deposited with veneration."
[According to their oral tradition, the Jews came to China from Si Yih
(Western Regions), probably Persia, by Khorasan and Samarkand, during the
first century of our era, in the reign of the Emperor Ming-ti (A.D. 58-75)
of the Han Dynasty. They were at times confounded with the followers of
religions of India, T'ien Chu kiao, and very often with the Mohammedans
Hwui-Hwui or Hwui-tzu; the common name of their religion was Tiao kin
kiao, "Extract Sinew Religion." However, three lapidary inscriptions,
kept at Kai-fung, give different dates for the arrival of the Jews in
China: one dated 1489 (2nd year Hung Che, Ming Dynasty) says that seventy
Jewish families arrived at P'ien liang (Kai-fung) at the time of the Sung
(A. D. 960-1278); one dated 1512 (7th year Cheng Teh) says that the Jewish
religion was introduced into China under the Han Dynasty (B.C. 206-A.D.
221), and the last one dated 1663 (2nd year K'ang-hi) says that this
religion was first preached in China under the Chau Dynasty (B.C.
1122-255); this will not bear discussion.
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