Introduction

The sixth census of China in 2010 revealed the total population of the Hui people reached 10, 586,087. They are widely populated in almost all counties (cities or districts) in China. In Yunnan Province, the population ofthe Hui people reached more than 698,000 in total. Its cities (counties or districts) with a population ofthe Hui people over 5,000included Ludian and Huize, etc. in the east and the northeast Yunnan; Songming and Lufeng in the central; Gejiu, Tonghai and Yuxi in the south and Weishan in the west. The prominent features ofthe Hui population distribution are, “widely distributed and sparsely settled” and“living around mosques together with their brethren”. Therefore, the Hui communities are set up in urban areas, while the Hui villages are found in rural areas. 70% Hui population live in the basins, while 20% in towns and the rest 10% live in mountainous areas^[1].

Non-independence of the Hui people’s social economy hinges on that they live in this province widespreadly. The modal of decentralized management is apparently seen in various regions they inhabit. Their economic development is of great unbalanceness and considerable competitiveness which forms their agriculture-oriented and diversified economic modal as the mainstream. The Hui people in Yunnan Province run other industries including handicraft and mining, and they also manage horse gangs for transporting goods.

The origin ofthe Hui people in Yunnan can be traced back to Yuan Dynasty. In 1253, led by Kublai Khan^[2], the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, Mongolian armies and the Hui Army entered Dali; many Hui soldiers were dispatched to Yunnan in the following centuries. As a result of garrison and operations of handicraft industry and commerce, the Hui people’s economic life was initially formed there. In the early Yuan Dynasty, Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar al-Bukhari^[3], a renowned statesman, was appointed as Yunnan’s first provincial governor called Pingchengzhangshi^[4]. During his term ofoffice, agricultural production was placed much emphasis on, the station farm (having garrison troops and peasants opening up wasteland and growing food grain) was developed; Kunming river was canalized; courier stations were broadly established; Confucianism could be learned and the coordination of ethnic relations was valued. He, therefore, made a considerable contribution to the political, economic and cultural development of Yunnan, forming a closer relationship between the central government and Yunnan Province. The Hui people believe in Islam.Chinese language is commonly used in their daily communication, and the Hui Confucian culture is unique. Traditional Islamic culture, simultaneously, has also been developed constantly, producing an educational modal with Yunnan local characteristics, in which the Koran is regarded as the core and a mosque is viewed as the teaching center. On account of that, groups of eminent Islamic scholars are sprouted one after another, and then their published books and academic thoughts have played an indispensable role in promoting the development ofChinese culture and Chinese Islamic culture.