The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25
SECOND SECTION.
A HEBREW COLONY IN CHINA.
SUPPOSED TO HAVE SETTLED
THERE 2,AOO YEARS AGO.
F1r.t discovered by q Jewish Prlest-Faith
Is Rapidly Declining n Now They
pay hut Little Attention to the An
cicnt Customs OF Their Religion.

Frst Discovered by q jewish PrleSt-FaiOh
Is Rapidly Declining Now They
pay but Little Attention to the AM
cicnt Customs OF Their Religion.
For moro than two thousand years there
has boom a colony of Jews established at
KaiSengfu. China. The exact date OF their
entrance into the country Is not known,
but it is supposed from a tablet found in
their synaeogues at that place that they
must have appeared there about 500 B, c.,
although it may have been as late as 10
A D 1t Is not until the third or fourth
century that they are mentioned in Chinese
annals, says the Cleveland Leader, when their
synaeogue Is referred to by a Chinese
writer as a heaven spirit monastery"
Western Persia is given as their starting
noint, by which Persia 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
perished in a general massacre at Khanfu,
but In 95B and 95s there are records OF the Chi
nese district officials comforting honors on
Hebrews, and in 1853 the erection Of a
synagcgue was begun in Kaifengfu.
Hebrews we're invited to Pekin to Join
the iAperial army. In the fifteenth CEN
fury there we're many Hebrew communities
In Chiha. The best information we have
about these communities comes through
the Jesuits who entered Pekin at the end
Of the sixteenth century.
The discovery Of the Chinese Hebrews
was made by Father Ricci, n Of the first
Jesuits to enter China.
Early In the seventeenth century, one
summer day in Pekin, a visitor, prompted
by rumors Of the arrival of certain for
signers who worshipped a single God and
vet were not Mohamm edans, called on
Father Ricoi. The missionary, noticing
the difference OF features 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 Bap-
list. Nearby was another picture repre-
sentihg four of the apostles.
The visitor knelt also, remarking, we in
China do reverence our ancestors. This is
Rebecca with her son Jacob and Esau,
but as to the other picture, who make
o@i ~ 49, NNA oNNScI WV
there not twelve2"
Returning to the former apartment
mutual explanations followed and an I'm
~foreseen solution ensued. The stranger
was a Hebrew. Ngai by name, who had
come to Pekin from Kaifer gfu to procure
city there were some twelve families Of
Israelites, with a fair synagogue, In which
they preserved a roll OF the law more than
four hundred years old, and in Hangchow;
the capital Of Chekiapg, there wers many
more more lfam anil sal ss1 ~ si1 =, : BE- fSyn nag que. a.b
Of China there were Others Of his sect, but
these were gradually being lost, from hav-
ing no meeting place. When shown a
Bible In Hebrew he confessed his inability
TO read 1t, though he recognized the char
a%cters. He said that his preference for
reproa ches from the chief Of the synagogue.
Father Ricci was able to test the truth Of
these statements, and despatched some
Chinese Christian messer gers to kaifen gfu
for purposes Of Investigation. and aoon
received visits from other native Hebrews.
has been declining very fast since that
time. A missionary In 1868 found them
in an IMPOVERISHED condition. They had
been obliged to tear down n part of
their synagogue to sell 1t. Finally, some
thirty. years later, a society for the res;
in response to an urgent invitation eight
Chinese Hebrews left Kaifengfu for
Shan ghai. They arrived in that CITY in
March. 1902, where they we're cordially
received bv the Hebrew colony. QueR-
toned as to their Observance of their ancient
religion, these Hebrews admitted that
their faith was rapidly declining. At
present they do not observe n OF the
ordinances Of the Hebrew religion, nor do
hey observe the idolatrous practices Of
the heather. Many of them have been
scattered, but there still remain to the
seven olans about one hundred and forty
adults: Their condition Is so deplorable
that thew have no leader, no synagogue
and no school for their children. b