In China's southernmost city of Sanya in Hainan Province, many local Muslims are among the new rich, while still remaining very devoted in their faith.

Liu Hua, a 38-year old Hui businessman, now owns a travel agency, a pearl and souvenir shop and a seafood restaurant located in the Tian Ya Hai Jiao (Sky's Limit and Sea's Corner), one of the best-known scenic spots in China, where he lures almost 1,000 eaters a day.

But Liu is also a very devout prayer. He stops whatever he is doing and prays to Mecca five times a day. Strictly abiding by the Koran, he donates 2.5 percent of his annual income to poor Muslims.

"I've made up my plan to do a pilgrimage to Mecca in the near future, to accomplish the most important thing in the life of a Muslim," he said.

Tens of millions of Muslims live across China, mostly in the northwestern areas and Yunnan Province, in the southwest, and Henan Province, in the center. In Sanya, with a population of 500, 000, there are about 7,000 Hui Muslims, mostly living in the Huihui and Huixin villages of Fenghuang Town.

Few people know why this small group of Hui people moved to the southern tip of the country in ancient times, and in the first years of the last century, many foreign scholars from Germany, Japan, Britain and France visited this second largest island of the country to find clues for the mysterious resettlement.

These foreign experts concluded that during China's Tang Dynasty (618-907), Hainan Island was the transitional spot for the international spice trade, and Muslim merchants began living on there. Later, some other Muslim families moved to Sanya from the neighboring Vietnam.

In the 1980s, local archeologists discovered a large number of old Muslim tombs in Sanya, which indicated that they had lived in the area for quite a long period.

Fu Guicai, the 68-year old chairman of the city's Islamic association, insisted that local Hui people have well preserved their Islamic culture and firmly believe in the religion.

"Local Muslims follow the Sunni sect and we practice the highest Islamic rites," he noted, adding that foreign researchers were surprised about this when they visited the city recently.

According to the local Muslim leader, there are nine mosques, including three for women, in Fenghuang, meaning there is one mosque for every 1,000 Muslims.

Fu is among the busiest in the town. He presides over five daily services, preaches on Islam and government policies on religion. In addition, he performs weddings and funerals and helps settle disputes among neighbors.

Yang Zihua, another Muslim leader in the city, said that most young Muslims in the city want to become clergy to pass down Islamic culture and religion generation by generation.

Since China launched its opening and reform drive two decades ago, local Muslims have kept close ties and had trade and religious exchanges with Islamic nations, he said. Currently, over 20 local Muslims are studying in these countries.

Most of local Muslims are involved in farming, tourism and service sectors. Their average annual income is 5,000 yuan (US$600), more than the average of the whole city. Fifteen percent of local Muslim households have their own car.

(Xinhua News Agency July 8, 2003)