Xidaotang

Xidaotang (Chinese: 西道堂; pinyin: Xīdàotáng, "Hall of the Western Dao," i.e. Islam)--originally called Jinxingtang 金星堂, the "Gold Star Hall"; also called the Hanxue pai 汉学派, the "Han Studies Sect" [1]—is a Sino-Islamic religious body / special economic community centered in Gansu province. Founded in 1901 by Ma Qixi (1857–1914), a Chinese Muslim from Lintan (formerly Taozhou), it fuses traditional Sunni Hanafi Islam with study of the Confucian classics and the Han Kitab. The group lived communally, supporting itself through a trade network which extended into the Tibetan border regions.

Machang Mosque in Linxia, Gansu, is a mosque of the Xidaotang sect.

In 1914, Hui general Ma Anliang, affiliated with the rival Khufiyya order, slew Ma Qixi, and was nearly successful in exterminating the sect, but a portion evaded capture.[2] Hui warlord Ma Zhongying raided Hui and Tibetan encampments in the 1920s, causing another exodus.[3] The Xidaotang pledged allegiance to the Kuomintang after their rise to power, and in 1941, the Hui General Bai Chongxi introduced Chiang Kai-shek to Xidaotang leader Ma Mingren in Chongqing.[4]

The Xidaotang is mainly distributed in Lintan and Hezheng County in Gansu,[5] and also has followers in Qinghai, Xinjiang, and Sichuan.[6] Its religious practices broadly resemble those of the Qadim (Gedimu), with some Jahriyya elements.[7] Great emphasis is placed on shari'a (jiaocheng 教乘),and tariqa (daocheng 道乘),[8] "which gradually leads to depersonalization and mystical union with God." [9] Its members organize collectively and work together. One important focus is education. The group observes such holidays as the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad (Mawlid an-Nabi), the anniversary of his death, and the anniversary of the death of Ma Qixi. However, no mausoleum was built for Ma Qixi.[10]

Other leaders in the movement were:

• 1918-1946: Ma Mingren (马明仁, 1896–1946)
• 1947-1958: Min Xuecheng (敏学成, 1882–1957) (i.e. Min Zhidao).