They have a connection with Islamic culture.[4] For example, as Muslims, they follow Islamic dietary laws and do not eat pork. Pork is the most commonly eaten meat in China.[5] They hve created their own version of Chinese cuisine. Hui clothing is different from that of the Han Chinese. Some men wear white caps (taqiyah) and some women wear headscarves, This is the case in many Islamic cultures.
The Hui people are one of 56 ethnic groups recognized by China. The government says the Hui people include all Muslim communities that are not included in China's other ethnic groups. They are seperate from other Muslim groups such as the Uyghurs.[6] The Hui mostly speak Chinese.[4] There are some Arabic and Persian phrases in their speach.[7] The Hui ethnic group is not associated with a non-Sinitic language.[8]
↑Gladney 1996, p. 13 Quote: "In China, pork has been the most basic source of animal protein for centuries and Chairman Mao considered it 'a national treasure'"
↑Lipman 1997, p. 50 The ancestors of today's Hui people are thought to have been native Chinese speakers of Islamic religion since no later than the mid or early Ming Dynasty. [i.e. the late 14th to late 16th centuries]
↑Gladney 1996, p. 30 Quote:... to their Islamic restrictions in diet and hygiene , leading them to take up such occupations as restauranteur , innkeeper , shepherd , cavalryman , caravaneer , butcher , tanner , tea trader , jeweler , interpreter , and clergyman .
