The Contributions of Wang Daiyu (ca. 1590–1658) in the Intellectual Chinese Islamic Tradition
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Abstract
Muslims have long constituted a minority in China, yet over centuries they integrated into local culture through intellectual exchange. From the Tang (618–907) to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Chinese Muslim scholars engaged with indigenous philosophical and religious traditions. This article examines the Islamic intellectual tradition in China through the contributions of Wang Daiyu 王岱舆 (ca. 1590–1658), a key figure of the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Drawing on descriptive and textual analysis, it explores how Wang articulated Islamic teachings using classical Chinese concepts. His major works—Zhèngjiào Zhēnquán 正教真诠, Qīngzhēn Dàxué 清真大学, and Xīzhēn Zhèngdá 希真正答—laid the foundation for Chinese Islamic literature and helped bridge Islamic and Chinese civilisations through shared intellectual discourse.
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