From Martyr of the Dao to the Chinese Nation’s Shahīd : Muslim Experience of the Zheng-Jiao Dynamics

Abstract: This article investigates the concept of shahīd (martyr) among Hui Muslims in modern China, examining its evolution from the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries within changing sociopolitical landscapes. Focusing on the interplay between political authority ( zheng ) and religiosity ( jiao ), it explores how Hui Muslims navigate these dynamics to define their religious identities. Beginning with Liu Zhi’s integration of Islamic teachings into Neo-Confucianism, the analysis progresses to the Jahrīyya Sufis’ resistance against Qing oppression and the Republican-era reinterpretations of shahīd during China’s struggle against Japanese invasion. By situating shahīd within the broader framework of Chinese secularity, this article argues that the Hui’s conceptualization of martyrdom offers insights into the entangled relationships between Islam, political authority, and religiosity in modern China.