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Kaifeng Synagogue (former), Kaifeng, China.

Description

The Great Synagogue:

The Jews of Kaifeng erected The Temple of Purity and Truth in 1163 at the intersection of “Earth Market” and “Fire God” streets.[iv] The sole surviving depictions of the synagogue are sketches completed by the French-Chinese priest Meng Zheng Qing.[v] Through these images it can be inferred that the building was approximately 130 meters long by 50 meters wide.[vi] Two large trees flanked the synagogue’s front door, which was only opened from Chinese New Year’s Eve until the end of New Year’s day; at all other times the synagogue’s side doors served as entryways.[vii] Beyond the structure’s main hall was a small library containing various religious texts.[viii] In 1489, the members of the Kaifeng community erected a monument in the synagogue courtyard–a stone tablet engraved with their rituals and core beliefs–standing proudly next to a pair of lion statues .[ix][x] Also inscribed on the tablet were words thought to have been extended to the Jewish immigrants granted an audience with the Song emperor at the time of their arrival, welcoming the settlers into the land after the turmoil of the late Tang and early Song dynasties, as well as acknowledging their distinctive heritage.[xi]

The wall that surrounded the building was unable to defend against the elements–the synagogue was rebuilt at least nine times because of fires and floods.[xii] On each occasion of the synagogue’s reconstruction, a stele was created to commemorate the event, as well as an inscription recounting aspects of Jewish history and religion. These steles were also constructed in an attempt to preserve aspects of the Jewish religion. Jews in Kaifeng believed themselves to be the last of their kind, and were panicked that if they were to die out, Judaism would be lost. [xiii] Four known steles exist today, dating from 1489, 1512, 1663, and 1679, respectively.[xiv] Three of these steles are located in the Kaifeng Municipal museum.[xv] In the 1860s the synagogue was demolished.[xvi] By this time the community had become fractured and disconnected from its heritage, and no efforts were made to rebuild the place of worship.[xvii] Elements of the synagogue were repurposed; tiles from the structure were used in the city’s Great East Mosque, which also procured a number of manuscripts and artifacts that had been housed in the synagogue.[xviii] A balustrade from the synagogue was also incorporated into a Confucian temple.[xix] 

Religious Practices:

Kaifeng Jews notably observed some Jewish religious laws despite isolation from global Jewish communities. Though they partook in observances unusual in China, such as abstinence from pork, many Confucian and traditional Chinese values and practices were observed, including foot binding and polygamy.[xx] Various sources reveal that the community had a succession of rabbis and practiced circumcision.[xxi] They observed the Sabbath, read the Torah, and had multiple Hebrew manuscripts.[xxii] Jews in Kaifeng were adamant that Confucianism and Judaism shared the same values and that it was possible to live one's life in accordance with both philosophies. This belief caused the formation of their unique culture, Sino-Judaism.

History of the Jews in Kaifeng:

Some historians believe that the first Jews to settle in Kaifeng arrived between 960 and 1127 AD. during the Song Dynasty’s heyday, but others believe Jews arrived as early as 730 AD. [xxiii][xxiv] These first Jewish settlers were merchants who traveled along the Silk Road and are thought to have originated from Persia or India.[xxv] At the time of their arrival, Kaifeng was the capital of the Song dynasty, which saw the area’s first population explosion and the adoption of many elements now at the core of Chinese culture.[xxvi] The Jews of the city thrived in the Song period. Though this is when historians believed the Jews arrived, Kaifeng’s  Jews recorded a much earlier arrival time. One possible explanation for this was to protect themselves against those potentially accusing the Jews of being non-natives. Though this measure may have given the Jews some protection socially, they were never discriminated against by the regime, and had the same civil rights as Chinese citizens. The Chinese had  a history of harboring animosity toward foreigners, but they believed that it was a cultural divide, and not a racial or religious one, that separated them from foreigners.

A confluence of factors led to the erosion of the Jewish community. The 1489 synagogal stele reveals what became a trend of merging Chinese and Jewish values by attempting to liken the ethical principles of the traditions of both Judaism and Confucianism.[xxx] Chinese-style sacrifices and incense burning were incorporated into Jewish practices.[xxxi] Furthermore, civil service examinations were implemented throughout the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties which rewarded long, intensive study of classical Confucian texts.[xxxii] Thus, the young Jewish men of Kaifeng often had to sacrifice Judaic studies in pursuit of the knowledge that would enable them to attain high level governmental positions, ones which would take them out of the city and further reduced and disconnected the population from their heritage.[xxxiii] Consequently, knowledge of Hebrew diminished to the extent that twelve Torah scrolls written in the 17th century contained hundreds of scribal misspellings.[xxxiv] When the last rabbi died in the beginning of the 19th century, no one was able to take his place.[xxxv] Regardless, the Torah scrolls, then unintelligible to the remaining Jews of Kaifeng, were preserved in the synagogue.[xxxvi] The total unfamiliarity with the language was exemplified by a Torah scroll which was placed in the marketplace accompanied by a small sign offering a reward in exchange for translation.[xxxvii] Ultimately, the community’s complete isolation from coreligionists, acceptance of traditional Chinese customs and, most importantly, dwindling numbers, proved insurmountable for the continuation of Kaifeng Jewry. By 1861, the synagogue had been destroyed, never to be rebuilt.[xxxviii] By this time, nearly all of the remaining Jews had intermarried and assimilated into Chinese culture.[xxxix] The Ming Dynasty’s isolationism further alienated and eroded the Jewish community. The policies put in place caused a gradual loss of contact between the Kaifeng Jews and the outside world, which further led to the community’s demise.

In the last decade of the 20th century, more than one hundred years after the synagogue's destruction, a revival of Jewish heritage in Kaifeng occurred as a result of renewed interest in the community from foreign Jewish scholars, tourists, and businesspeople.[xl] Descendants of the earlier Jews began to reconnect with their Jewish heritage through a variety of outlets, including classes, services, and historical exhibits.[xli] For years, the revival continued unhindered. Some of the Kaifeng Jews were even relocated to Israel with the assistance of the organization Shivei Israel.[xlii] In 2016, however, Chinese president Xi Jin Ping’s crackdown on “unapproved” religions and foreign influences targeted  the small community in Kaifeng. This governmental crackdown also affected the Catholic and Protestant communities in China. The one-  to two-hundred Jews who have been active in Jewish cultural and religious activities have been barred from celebrating Passover and other holidays and from promoting Jewish heritage.[xliii] The community has seen signs and relics of its Jewish past removed at the hands of the government, including the commemorative marker at the site of the former synagogue.[xliv] Though specific reasons for the crackdown are unknown, religious groups outside of China’s five state-licensed religions (Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism) have historically been viewed by the Communist Party as suspect and have faced intense discrimination.[xlv] Throughout most of its history, however, from the time of the Song Dynasty until the mid-19th century, the Kaifeng Jewish community faced little discrimination and persecution. Their amicable relations with the majority allowed for easy integration into Chinese society and was central to assimilation and communal decline. 

Kaifeng, China

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