Preface and Acknowledgments

In the 18th century, the Manchu Qing dynasty (1616-1912) reached its
peak under the reign of the sixth emperor Qianlong (1736-95). The empire’sadvance into Central Asia during 1755-59, which resulted in the extermination of
the Zhungars and the annexation of Eastern Turkistan oases, is acknowledged as
the most symbolic demonstration of the Qing’s imperial might. The conquest of
this region, today known as Xinjiang, created a unique situation between Chinaand Central Asia, making it the recipient of much scholarly attention.1During the Xinjiang conquest, Turkic-Muslims of Eastern Turkistan(today’s Uyghur) were brought to the capital of Beijing and forced to live in agovernment-established residence called “Huiziying,” or the Turkic-Muslim
Camp.2 The Turkic-Muslims of Qing Beijing are often mentioned in narrationsof a tragic Xiangfei (Fragrant Concubine) legend,3 but other attention has notbeen given to them. Indeed, their presence was only a small part in the enormous
system of the dynasty, and they played a relatively small role in history. However,their existence in Beijing was very unique after the Mid-Qing period, and it ispossible that study of their lives may result in a better understanding of therelationship between the Qing emperor and his Muslim subjects. Specifically, a
study of the Turkic-Muslim Camp in Beijing may reveal changes in Muslim
subjects’ political and social positions from the Qing time to modern China.
This research has three main objectives:(1) I seek to complete the text and translation of the imperially1

In the last ten years, considerable studies have been published, including Millward 1998, 2007;
Wang 2003; Kim 2004; Newby 2005; Bellér-Hann 2008.
2The Chinese character “Hui 回” usually refers to Muslim people. Although Huiziying was also
called Huihuying or Huiying, this paper uses Huiziying throughout.
3See Chap. 2, pp. 36-37.

250 Years History of the Turkic-Muslim Camp in Beijing

authorized stela placed inside the mosque that was built inside the Turkic-Muslim
Camp on the Qianlong emperor’s order. Although the physical whereabouts ofthe stela are unknown, rubbed copies are stored in some institutions. The stela
was inscribed with four scripts: Chinese, Manchu, Mongol, and Arabic/Turki.
The inscription clearly reflects the emperor’s imperial vision and attitude toward
his Muslim subjects. This work will also benefit recent discussions about theneed to reexamine Qing imperialism.
(2) The Turkic-Muslim Camp was established in 1760 in today’s East
Anfu Alley (Dong’anfu hutong) in the Xicheng ward, where the Xinhua Gate4
crosses Chang’an Street. This area was a center of Turkic-Muslim activity inBeijing, and by detailing its establishment, construction, and decline, I wish tooffer the first monograph of the 250 years of history of the Turkic-Muslim Camp,and to provide a new viewpoint regarding Qing-Muslim relationships.
(3) This research also will offer information about today’s East Anfu
Alley, the original site of the Turkic-Muslim Camp. Although East Anfu Alley is
not what it used to be, some of the camp’s descendants still reside there.
Regretfully, this area is a designated region of the Beijing redevelopment projectand its residents will be forced to move soon. As such, a principal goal of thisresearch will be to preserve the history of the Turkic-Muslim Camp that has been
passed down through generations.
In the course of writing this paper I have received help from many
institutions and individuals. JSPS (the Japan Society for the Promotion ofScience) Research Fellowships for Young Scientists in 2006-2007 and theresearch project of TIAS (the Islamic Area Studies Center at the University ofTokyo) in 2008 supported this research financially.
I am grateful for Professor Zhao Lingzhi’s assistance in researching thestela’s rubbed copies stored in the Library of Central University for Nationalities.
Professor Matsumoto Masumi and Mr. Katagiri Hiromichi also provided me withvaluable information about other rubbed copies stored in the SOAS Library at theUniversity of London and the Library of Graduate School of Letters at Kyoto
University. Dr. Suzuki Kōsetsu commented on the stela’s contents. I am thankfulfor their instructions and help.
My sincere thanks to brothers Chang Baocheng and Chang Baoguang.
They are Muslim descendants of the Turkic-Muslim Camp who still reside in4

The Xinhua Gate is the front gate to the Zhong’nanhai area, which is the central headquarters for
the PRC government and the Communist Party of China.
2Preface and Acknowledgements

East Anfu Alley. I met them purely by chance on a summer morning in 2006. I
visited them three times to hear their reminiscences, and each time I received ahearty welcome from them and their families. Without my encounter with them,
the idea for this research would surely never have flashed into my mind.
Finally, I wish to express my gratitude to Professor Komatsu Hisao formaking me a TIAS project member and consenting to publish this research as apart of the Central Eurasian Research Series.

ONUMA Takahiro
Assistant Professor/Researcher
Research Institute for Oriental Cultures,
Gakushuin University (Tokyo, JAPAN).

3