Mythology and Folklore of the Hui, A Muslim Chinese People

By Shujiang Li & Karl W. Luckert

Subjects: Cultural Anthropology
Paperback : 9780791418246, 459 pages, July 1994
Hardcover : 9780791418239, 459 pages, July 1994

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Table of contents

Preface

Introduction

Photographic Glimpses of Hui Life

1. The First Ancestors of Hui Muslims

Adan and Haowa--First Version
Adan and Haowa--Second Version
Adan and Haierma--Third Version

2. Muhammad and His Companions

Origin of the Jujube Dates
To Earn One's Livelihood
Potato Story
The Mule and the Horse
The Festival of Ascent
The Ashula Meal

3. The Quests of Culture Heroes and Saviors

Adang Brings Fire
Sai Dianchi and the Dragons
Lilang Subdues the Dragon
The Sun Advises
Horse Brother the Cultivator
The Raising of Bogota Mountain
Luguma Reverts to Hunting
Breeding the Yanqi Horse
The Phoenix and Her City
The Golden Pheasant
Xueda and Yinlin
Duoer Tea
Rhinoceros Cave
Naxigaer
The Wonderful Doctor Ma Ahong

4. Glimpses of Paradise and Wealth

The Straw Rope Valley
In Search of the Golden Sparrow
The Serpent Grandfather's Treasure Chest
About Mibo Mountain
The Water Pearl
Water Treasure
The Wind-quieting Needle
The Wind-quieting Pearl
The Osmanthus Tree on the Moon

5. Islam and Other Religions

Why Has the Phoenix Gone?
Abudu and the Devil
The Devil Troubles and Oil Store
The Dragon Tablet
The Dragon Dish
The Story of Winding River
Why the Teapots are Hung Tilted
Lotus Pedestals in the Mosque
A Temple Appeared from Nowhere
The North Pagoda
Tomb of an Unknown Ahong at Twenty-Li Place
Ahong Shanbaba and the Hui Graveyard

6. Muslims Under the Emperor

The Number One Scholar Fir Trees
Personal Visit at Niujie Street
Muslims, Peace and Happiness Forever!
Bai Shuyu and His Mutton Fries
The Golden Foot Mosque

7. Origins of the Hui Nationality

Wan Gars
Hui Beginnings
The Hui People of Lingzhou
The Origin of the Hui People
Why do the Hui People "Chase Horse" at Weddings?
Hui and Han Are Relatives
Do Not Listen to the Hui

8. Hui Leaders With and Against the Empire

Young Sanbao Helps Capture a Corrupt Official
Eunuch Sanbao at the Welcoming Pavilion
Du Wensiu's Rebellion
Rhymed Couplets
Du Wenxiu Becomes Commander
Crossing the Yang River
Du Wenxiu Executes a Close Official
The Peacock Gallbladder

9. Family Affairs

Musa
Yinbolaxi
The Stone Monkey
The Ugly Mother
The Origin of the Jiaozi Alley
An Evil Woman
Colorful Stones
Four Sons of Aisima
Nuha and Suoli
A Small Wooden Bowl
A Clever Wife

10. Love and Courtship

Not to Die Until One Sees Huang He
The Black Moss Girl
Mansuer
The Zither Master Hasang
Asking Permission
The Fifth Daughter
Yaya and the Golden Sparrow

11. Poor and Rich--Good and Bad

Alifu and Erbudu
Saierdong's Stick
A Clever Mania
To Borrow Sheep
The Treasure Pan
Gold Could Not Buy
Zhang Sanwa
The Masons' Wise Revenge
Carrying Mud
Little Kalimu
The Fairy Maiden's Descent

12. Social Satire

Three Gold Bricks
What Do They Respect?
A Magistrate Judges a Case
The Treasure Mirror
Terrible Worms

13. Tricksters and Wise Guys

Abudu Goes Fishing
Abudu Digs for Gold
Abudu Washes Mud Bricks
Abudu Apologizes
Abudu Gives Alms
Suoli's Story
Sailimai Asks the Way
Sailimai Goes to an Examination
Sailimai's Four Precious Things
Yimamu Questions a Stone
Yimamu Examines a Corpse
Yimamu Questions a Hen
The Donkey Knows Its Way
Pushing the Millstone
A Hui Fool

14. Stories About Animals

The Tiger and the Hare
The Hare and the Dog
Why Dogs Bark at Cats
The Monkey and the Turtle
The Leaking Pot
Why Swallows are Befriended with Humankind
The Ahong Who Saved a Snake
Why People Do Not Understand Animals
A Soldier Understood the Skylarks

Bibliography

Index

Li Shujiang is Vice President of the University of Ningxia and Director of its Research Center for Hui Nationality Literature. He is the author of Hui Folk Stories; A Historical Outline of Hui Folk Literature; and Hui Culture and Literature; and co-editor of the Encyclopedia of the Chinese Hui. Karl W. Luckert is Professor of History of Religions at Southwest Missouri State University. He is the author of Egyptian Light and Hebrew Fire: Theological and Philosophical Roots of Christendom in Evolutionary Perspective, also published by SUNY Press.

Reviews

"Not only does this amazing corpus contribute much to our understanding of the tremendous cultural and religious variety found within both Chinese and Islamic societies, but it challenges our conceptions and compartmentalizations of each." — Dru C. Gladney, University of Southern California

"There is no comparable study of the Hui in a Western language. It will help break down the monolithic image we still have of China by bringing to light the vibrant cultural world of a minority people." — Gary L. Ebersole, The University of Chicago