The Hawaiian gazette., 1906-04-10
! WHEN THE Hebrews
! SETTLED IN CHINA

FOR more than two thousand years
there has been a colony of Jews estab-
lished at Faifengfu, China. The exact
date of their entrance into the coun-
try Is not known, but ii is supposed
from tablet found in their synagogues
at that place that they must have ap-
peared there about 500 B. C. although IL
may have been as late as 5S A. d. It
Is not until the third or fourth century
that they are mentioned in Chinese
annals, says the Cleveland Leader.
when their synagogue is referred to by
Chinese writer as a heaven spirit
monastery" Western Persia is given
as their starting point, by which Per-
STA is probably meant, because of the
number of Persian words which are
used by the Chinese Hebrews.
Mr.. Ezra. who is an authority on the
subject. thinks that there is no good
reason for the theory that the Chinese
Hebrews are descended from the ten
tribes. There are many references to
these Hebrews from the year S7S. An
Arabian writer mentions them as one
of the sects that persisted in general
massacre at Khanfu, but in $50 and
S5S there are records of the Chinese
district officials comforting honors on
Hebrews. and in 1853 the erection of a
synagogue was begun In Kaifengfu.
Hebrews were invited to Pekin to
join the imperial army. In the If
teenth century there were many
Hebrew communities in China. The
best information We have about these
communities comes through the Jesuits
who entered Picking at the end of the
sixteenth century.
The discovery of the Chinese
Hebrews was made by Father Ricci.
one of the first Jesuits to enter China.
Early in the seventeenth century.
one summer day in Peking a visitor.
prompted by rumors of the arrival of
certain foreigners who worshiped a
single God and yet were not Mohamme-
dams, called on Father Ricci. The mis-
sionary, noticing the difference of fea-
lures from the ordinary Chinese, led
him to the oratory and knelt on his
knees before a picture of the Virgin
with the infant Jesus and st. John the
Baptist. Nearby was another picture
representing four of the apostles.
The visitor knelt also, remarking,
I'VE in China do reverence our ances-
tors. This is Rebecca with her sons
Jacob and Esau, but as to the other
picture, who make obeisance to only
four sons of Jacob; were there not
twelve?"
Returning to the former apartment
mutual explanations followed and an
unforeseen solution ensued. The
stranger was Hebrew, Ngai by name,
who had come to Picking from Kaifeng-
, flu to procure literary honors. He stated
that in his city there were some twelve
families of Israelites, with a fair syna-
gogue, in which they preserved roll
of the law more than four hundred
/ years old, and in Hangchow; the capt.
tai of Chekiang, there were many
more families, also with a synagogue.
Scattered over the length and
| breadth of China there were others of
his sect, but these were gradually be-
ing lost, from having no meeting place.
When shown Bible in Hebrew he con-
fessed his inability to read it, though
he recognized the characters He said
that his preference for Gentle litera-
ture subjected him to many reproaches
| from the chief of the synagogue.
/ Father Ricci was able to test the truth
4 of these statements, and despatched
/ some Chinese Christian messengers to
1
! Kaifengfu for purposes of investiga-
/ ton, and soon received visits from
other native Hebrews.
| The condition of the Chinese He-
brews has been declining very fast
since that time missionary in 1865
found them in an impoverished con-
dition. They had been Obliged to tear
down a mart of their synagogue to sell
II Finally some thirty wears later a
| society for tho rescue Of these neople
| was establisbed and in response to
an urgent Invitation eight chinese He
hrews left Kaifengfu for shanghai.
The orr,yad in that citv in March.
1000 ,'hara .,,o,, 80 oordia,,,, raceiyed
NV tha Hehraw Colony questioned as
~ +hai, ohsarvano ~ their ancient re-
, ~ ,m tbesa aahrews adm,ttas that
tha,n ,a,th n,as ran,d,v aac,,nins Az,
rr 80 t,a,. so not o,sarva anw % the
prd,nnnoas - tha uehrew reI,siop nor
40 tha, ohsarra the idn,atrons nrac-
t,ces If the hee,hen NAM of them
have bean scattered hnt there sim re-
main to the seven clans about one hun