Customer Reviews

Legends of the Chinese Jews of Kaifeng

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I am a docent at the Skirball Museum, Los Angeles where one of the remaining "Tiq's" of the synagogue in Kaifeng is displayed. We have had many lectures by visitors who are both residents of Kaifeng and experts in the history of the Jewish Community there.

The book paints an excellent picture of the history of a people, cut off from outside world contacts for 500+ years but still able to maintain their strict Jewish values.

One story that is not told is that, when the word got back to Europe, many years later, that the Missionary Matteo Ricci had found Jews in China Oliver Cromwell, the pretender to the throne of England, allowed the Jews to resettle in that country after being exiled in 1290CE. The re-addmission was done without an Act of Parliament. Cromwell was aware fof the prophesy in the bible which states that the messiah cannot come/return ubtil the Jews are scattered to all the countries of the earth.

The Kaifeng community had a Rabbi until 18! 50CE and the names given to them by the emperor are still used, very few are aware of their Jewish Heritage.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It came yesterday and I was up late last night finishing it. It is a mixture of history and legend about how a community of persecuted Jews in Turkey, more than a millennia ago packed up and moved to Kaifeng, China, the ancient capital in Henan province, because it had a reputation for being very tolerant. Amazingly, this community manages to survive in isolation up until the early 20th century even though they take on Chinese names, win converts, and eventually become ethnically Chinese.

Unfortunately, there is no photo of this book. The illustrations are wonderful. It is a large thin book divided into 20 enhanced historical stories, fairly easy reading about 140 pages. My only complaints/suggestions are that there are no maps detailing the exodus from Turkey and their routes and stops along the Silk Roads. I lived in China for a year and am a bit more familiar with some of the things brought up in the story than the average American; however, I think Xu Xin and Betty Friend should have elaborated on some cultural and historical aspects, maybe provide some worldwide time tables. Also I and my Chinese friends would have enjoyed seeing the actual Chinese characters for many of the Chinese terms. To those unfamiliar, Chinese is a tonal language with a zillion homonyms. Story 14 was a bit confusing and the authors mix the pinyin, alphabetical system, with the older Wade-Giles system when naming some provinces.I would like to get in touch with Xu Xin but unfortunately, there is no website or e-mail provided.

This is the ONLY book I have read that paints a lucid picture of this part of Jewish history which is of interest to so few people.
The Journeys of the 12th century traders from Persia, many years before Marco Polo "discovered" China is a fascinating story beautifully told by Professor Xu Xin.

The author describes why and how a group of Jews moved from the Levant to China and settled in Kaifeng, the ancient capital of the Chinese empire. He follows their struggle to remain as a group within a kind and welcoming society, prominent families and individual in the last 1000 years. A fascinating and unknown historical account that is only lately has come to the public's knowledge.

Book ," Chinese Jews of Kaifeng". was advertised as used book "signed" by author , ExcellentCond." It was actually a new "POD" ( print on demand)
It should have been advertised as such , since there are people who buy books for collections and reference and historic value . I hope this does not mean I have
to by-pass Amazon and head back to the bookstores ( new & used)