THE JEWISH CHRONICLE
The only Jewish publication in the State of Michigan
Devoted to the interests of the Jewish people
Vol. II. No. 22
DETROIT, MICH., JULY 27, 1917
$1.50 per Year.
Single Copies10 Cents
The Jews of the Chinese Empire
By Alfred Kingsley Glover, D. D.
Like the Jews of India, the Chinese
Jews never saw Palestine, nor did
they form, strictly speaking, a part of
any distinct eastern migration. The
Jews of Kai-fung-foo, Peking, and
several other cities in the north of
China, were originally Jews of the
dispersion who had formed trading
colonies along the great caravan roads
in the countries east of the Caspian
Sea, in Northwestern India, and in
Central Asia. Like the black Jews
of Malabar, they were of the early
dispersion; but they lived long enough
in the valley of the Euphrates prior
to their departure eastward to be-
come acquainted with the Palestinian
Jews and with the principal political
events that occurred among the lat-
ter as late as 132 A. C.
The Jews destined to form the Kai-
fung-foo colony did not commence
their journey directly from the Eu-
phrates valley. Traversing the inter-
national caravan road through north-
ern Persia, they first settled in the
region known to antiquity as Kipin,
in the neighborhood around the mod-
ern Jelalabad.
This corner of India was among
the most industrial countries known
to the ancients, and was in direct
communication by caravan with the
Holy Land, thus enabling the colo-
nists to communicate with their co-
religionists there.
The conquests of Alexander had
had their share in dispersing the Jews
through Asia. Unknown regions had
been penetrated, and colonies had
been established as far cast as the
Indus, and as far north as Samarcand.
But the vast extension of commercial
intercourse between China and the
West in the second century of the
Christian era, and the final dispersion
of the Jews from Judea in 72 A. C.,
were the later events best calculated
to widen the field of Jewish coloniza-
tion in the East. But the ancient
Jews of Cahill and northwestern
India had long before heard of the
treasures of the flowery kingdom.
They must have had some knowledge
of China as early as the beginning of
the second century before Christ, for
the Chinese army invaded northwest-
ern India in about 105 13. C., and
placed a friendly king on the Kipinite
throne. This interference of a Chi-
nese army was intended as a safe-
guard against the freebooters who
preyed upon the caravans on the
highway between China and India,
and who were mostly Kipinites in the
service of a hostile prince. Thus the
Jews in this region were not wholly
ignorant of China and its people. But
it was not until the middle of the fifth
century A. C., that the children of
Abraham dared to face the arid
Wastes of Bod or Thibet and pene-
trate to the very heart of the "Mid-
dle Kingdom."
With provisions for upwards of a
year's journey, in about 450 A. C.,
some of the Jews of Jelalabad, to the
number of about five thousand peo-
ple, commenced their weary march
eastward in search of a new "prom-
ised land." They followed the cara-
van highway through southern Thibet
and reached the frontiers of China
presumably within the space of a year.
They crossed the frontier by way of
the valley of the Hoang-ho, and, fol-
lowing the highway along the valley
of the river Wei, finally sought and above city by water with the Jews
A-woo-lo-han (Abraham), the patri-
received permission from the reigning in the West, as is attested by the pos- arch who founded 'the religion of the
Emperor of the Sung dynasty to session among these exiles of Euro- joyful inheritance conferred by the
"hand down their traditions" at Peen- pean manuscripts of the Law of a Great One,' was the nineteenth descend-
leen or Mai-fung-foo, a city situated very early date, as early at least as ant from Adam (A-tan). From the be-
in the province of Honan, seven hun- the end of the thirteenth century. ginning of the world the patriarchs have
dred miles up the river Hoang-ho
The Persian words among the Heb- handed down the precepts that we must
from the sea. This colony was des-
and
tined by circumstances to become one rew inscriptions and in the colophons not make images and similitudes,
of the Parashioth manuscripts in the that we must not worship Shin-Kwei,
of the most prosperous of the Jewish synagogue at Kai-fung-foo owe their superior and inferior spirits; for neither
settlements in China; while it is only origin to the Jewish Persian traders can images and similitudes protect, nor
in our own day that it is fast fading
who, from time to time, went to visit superior and inferior spirits afford us
out of sight. The material and re- their co-religionists in China. aid. The Patriarch, thinking upon
ligious prosperity of this colony was
This Persian element was long sup- Heaven, the pure and ethereal Being
only equaled by that of the Cochin posed to be a proof of the Persian who dwells on high—the most honorable
Jews.
origin of the Kai-fung-foo colony, and without compare—that Divine
It has been generally received those holding this opinion maintain- Providence who, without speaking,
among critics interested in the origin ing that the Jews went to China from causes the four seasons to revolve and
of the Kai-fung-foo colony that it Persia by way of Khorassan and Sa- the myriads of things to grow, and,
went to China during the Han dynasty, marcand. looking at the budding of spring, the
growth of summer, the ingathering of
c., at some period between 200 B. C.
This
position,
however,
is
unten-
harvest,
and the storming of winter—
and 200 A. C. This the present writer
does not accept, notwithstanding the able. Persian for fifteen hundred at the objects that fly, dive, move and
testimony of one of the Chinese tab- years has been the language of the vegetate, whether they flourish or de-
lets and a tradition of the Jews them- caravan trade throughout the East, cay, bloom or droop, all so easy and
selves to that effect. He accepts the and the Hebrew colophons, corrupted natural in their productions and trans
attestation of another tablet as ap- by the admixture of Persian words, formations, in their assumptions of
proximately true, which places the were doubtless added to the manu- form and color—was suddenly aroused
settlement during the fifth century A. scripts before the latter left Western to reflection, and understood this deep
mystery. He then sincerely sought after
C. No weight to be attached to the Asia by some Persian Hebrew.
The story of the manuscripts and the the correct instruction, and adoringly
oral tradition of an arrival soon after
the dispersion from Jerusalem (i. e., history of the colony constitute sep- praised the true Heaven : with his whole
72 A. C.), nor to that which recog- arate topics, for the date of the Kai- heart he served, and with undivided at-
nizes a settlement at the time of fung-foo settlement is separated from tention reverenced Him. By this means
that of the Parashioth manuscripts by he set up the foundation of religion,
Christ.
Critics have studied the tablets an interval of more than a thousand and caused it to be handed down to the
present day.
without due care in many respects, years.
"This happened according to our in-
Among the discoveries in the syna-
which is especially shown in the pre-
vailing opinion that a second colony gogue of Kai-fung-foo none were so im- quiry in the 146th year of the ChoW
joined the earlier one at Kai-fung-foo portant and interesting as the two large State; from him the doctrines were
in 1166 A. C. There are, however, no tablets which give the history of the handed down to the great teacher and
of a second colony of Jews colony. With the exception of the date legislator, May-shee (Moses) who, ac-
of settlement, these two records agree cording to our computation, lived about
ever
ever having arrived at Kai-fung-foo.
The above date was that of the build- approximately. That known as the sec- the 613th year of the same state. This
ing of the first temple or synagogue. and tablet gives a much longer account man was intelligent froM his birth, pure
disinterested, endowed with benevo .:
Yet there was a constant communi- than the first. We present here a trans- and
lence and righteousness, virtue arid wis-
dom all complete. He sought and ob-
tained the sacred writings on tile top
of Seih-na (Sinai) Hill, where belpassed
forty days and forty nights, reptessiug
his carnal desires, refraining even from
sleep, and spending his time in incere
devotion. His piety moved the heart of
Dr. Wilhelm Vazsonyi, of Orthodox Origin, Is First Jew to Occupy So Heaven, and the sacred writings,
amounting to fifty-three section, were
High a Position in Hungary. Is "Strong Man" of the
thus obtained.
New Ministry
The doctrines were again handed
down to the time of the reforther of
attorney
in
Budapest,
he
soon
became
The new Hungarian ministry re-
known as an orator, and is to- religion, Ye-tze-la (Ezra), whose de-
cently appointed by Emperor Charles
day
considered
to be the most do- scent was reckoned from the founder
IN'
IV contains the name of Dr. Wilhelm quent public official
in Hungary. He of our religion, and whose teaching con-
of Budapest, as Minister of was elected several times to the city tamed the right clue to his instructions,
Justice.
Justice. For the first time in the his- council of Budapest, and ran for viz., v the duty of honoring HeaVen by
tory of Hungary a Jew occupies a po-
appropriate worship, so that he could
litical position so high in the councils mayor. He represented the Sixth dis- be considered capable of unfolding the
trict
of
his
city,
the
largest
district
in
of the country. While the Jew in
of the religion of our' fore-
Hungary has always enjoyed coin- the country, in the lower house of the mysteries
fathers.
parative freedom, he has never been Hungarian Parliament, where he be-
"Men in their daily avocation must
so intimately identified with the des- came famous as the first advocate of
the principle of universal suffrage. not for a single moment forget Heaven,
times of the nation.
Dr. Vazsonyi, who is characterized His novel reforms led to the forma- but at the hours of four in the morning,
in the evening, .should
as the "strong man" of the new min- tion of the democratic constitutional mid-day, and six
istry, is by profession a lawyer. He party, of which he became founder thrice perform their adorations, which
is 51 years of age and comes from and leader. is the true principle of the religion of
Dr. Vazsonyi never neglected his Heaven. But to venerate Heaven and
strictly Orthodox Jewish stock. His
rise is the result of hard work and obligations and interest in Jewish af- to neglect ancestors is to fail in the serv-
sacrifice, and is remarkable in the fact fairs. He is vice-president of the ices which are their due. In spring and
that he is the only minister who is not "Kultusgemeinde" of Budapest, the autumn, therefore, men sacrifice to their
of royal or noble birth. Dr. Vaz- largest Jewish synagogue of the city, ancestors to show they serve the dead
sonyi received his education at the and is taking an active part in Jewish as they do the living. and pay the same
University of Budapest and the Uni- war relief work. Dr. Vazsonyi is a respect to the departed as they do to
versity of Berlin, supporting himself 33d degree Mason. His wide popu- those who survive. They offers sheep
through his collegiate career by con- larity is reflected in the Detroit Lodge and oxen, and present the fruits; of the
tributing to the Hungarian Jewish of B'rith Abraham, the Dr. Wilhelm season, to show that they do not neglect
newspaper, "Egyenloseg." Vazsonyi lodge, to which many Hun- the honor due to ancestors when they
are gone from us.
Establishing himself in practice as garians belong.
New Hungarian Minister of Justice a Jew
(Continwid on page 7)
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