Mosques List in Xundian County, Kunming

Mosque Education

Historical Background

Mosque education in Xundian began during the Ming Dynasty and continues to this day. Schools are either run independently by a single mosque or collectively by several mosques. The curriculum includes both Arabic and Chinese studies, divided into three stages: primary, secondary, and higher education. For example, Beiying Mosque in Rende Town once ran a university and a complete Arabic-Chinese primary school.

Stages of Education

Primary Education

Primary education in mosques includes short-term classes such as early morning and night reading sessions. The courses cover:

• Familiarization with the “Hetting” (Selected Chapters of the Quran)
• “Miscellaneous Studies”
• “Tianfang Belief Chapters”
• Learning Arabic Alphabet Pronunciation, Phonetics, and Recitation

Secondary Education

Secondary education requires students to:

• Memorize the “Heiwoyi” (Fundamentals of Morphology)
• Master the rules of verb conjugation
• Familiarize with the entire “Quran”
• Study “Hadith Pearls” (Hadith Compilation)
• Study “Muhsiy Motai” (Summary of Islamic Jurisprudence)
• Study “Ermude” (Pillars of Islam)

Higher Education

Higher education involves learning the Five Great Books:

1. “Maliayi” (Grammar System)
2. “Zhelaiani” (Quranic Exegesis)
3. “Weiqiaye” (Jurisprudence Commentary)
4. “Ergeyi” (Theology Outline)
5. “Baiyani” (Rhetoric)

Upon mastering these texts, students can graduate and become called Ahongs (Imams), capable of leading the community.

Education Format

• Primary Education: Primarily extracurricular, essential for Muslim boys and girls from a young age.
• Secondary and Higher Education: Full-time, aimed at training Ahongs (Imams). Students include local Hui children and youth from other provinces. Funding is provided by mosques, with living expenses often supported by volunteers known as “Haiwangde,” who may sponsor one or more students.

Prominent Mosque School

The most notable period of mosque education in Xundian was during the Republic of China in 1925. The Xundian Islamic Progress Association President Zhang Lianfang and Imam Ma Chongzhi founded the Huisheng Arabic-Chinese School. They hired the renowned Ahong Ma Weihai (1895-1983) as the head teacher, with Zhang Lianfang serving as the principal and teaching Chinese.

• Funding: Mosque public land revenue and voluntary contributions from “Haiwangde.”
• Free Education: Students attended without charge.
• Significance: The only Islamic university in Yunnan at the time, predating the Kunming Mingde Middle School by four years.
• Influence: Attracted ambitious youth from across Yunnan and neighboring regions like Guizhou (Anshun, Weining), reaching over 80 students across three grades and classes, and lasted for 15 years.

Muslim Travel Tips

• Respect Religious Practices: Ensure to follow the customs and practices when visiting mosques.
• Dress Appropriately: Modest and clean clothing is required.
• Understand the Educational Heritage: Visiting mosques with a historical background in education can provide deeper insights into the local Hui culture and traditions.
• Support Local Efforts: Consider contributing to the community’s educational initiatives or volunteering to support mosque activities.

Historical Evolution and Current State of Mosque Education in Xundian

Key Historical Developments

1940s-1950s

• 1940: Imam Ma Weihai visited his hometown in Xuanwei and was later recruited by Zhaotong.
• 1942: Principal Zhang Lianfang passed away. The Huisheng School was renamed Huisheng Arabic-Chinese Primary School, with Bao Zhanxing and Tie Shixun succeeding as principals.
• 1942-1950: Prominent teachers included Suo Mingdao, Ma Zhiping, and Imam Ma Zhizhong (1908-1989) from Zhaotong. The school offered standard primary education with an additional Arabic curriculum. It had two classes: primary and advanced, with over 60 students, including three Han Chinese students who attended for free. By 1950, the school had trained over 300 students, producing imams, teachers, and government officials.

1985 Onwards

• 1985: With the gradual implementation of the Party’s ethnic and religious policies, some mosques reinstated parts of their Arabic-Chinese schools to spread ethnic culture and train religious management personnel. Early schools included:
  • Huihui Village Mosque in Kedu
  • Luchong Mosque in Hekou
  • Huisheng School at Beiying Mosque in Rende Town
• 1991: The county Islamic Association, with government approval, established the Kedu Town Arabic-Chinese School at Huihui Village Mosque, funded by 15 mosques.
• 1995: The county government formally reinstated the Xundian Huisheng Arabic-Chinese School, with male and female schools located at Beiying Mosque and Zhonggucheng Mosque, respectively. Over the years, it graduated six cohorts of about 200 students, some of whom pursued further studies or worked for Islamic associations or mosques, while others engaged in various business activities.

Current Educational Initiatives

Short-term and Literacy Classes: Mosques, based on local needs and resources, organize short-term and literacy classes, such as:

• Fengyi Township: Xiaoshumidian Mosque
• Xianfeng Township: Songshudi Mosque
• Yangjie: Sanyuanzhuang Mosque
• Jinsuo Township: Baijiaoshào Mosque
• Rende Town: Baijiacun Mosque, Haizituan Mosque
• Qixing Township: Shang Zhao and Xia Zhao Hui Villages’ Mosques
• Tangzi and Luchong Mosques

These mosques offer elementary classes, Quran recitation classes, and student holiday training sessions to popularize classical knowledge and enhance religious faith.

Pre-school Education: Baijiaoshào Mosque in Jinsuo Township has consistently run a preschool class since 2000, facilitating early education and enabling parents to work in the fields.

Challenges in Mosque Education

1. Student Recruitment: It is challenging to attract excellent students. Many of the students recruited are those who did not progress through regular national education systems, making it difficult to cultivate a large number of high-quality imams.
2. Funding: Insufficient funds make it difficult to provide adequate salaries for teachers, affecting the stability of the teaching workforce.

Despite these challenges, mosque education in Xundian has seen progress over the past two decades, contributing to the preservation and dissemination of Islamic and ethnic culture.