Dongxiang

The Dongxiangs are Islamic and share much in common with the Hui nationality people in their customs.

'In Chinese society, Muslims have a low social status and do low-status jobs,' says Chen Mingjie, a middle-school teacher in Guangzhou. 'Few are in high positions in business or the government; their religion and its rules are seen as a handicap. They run restaurants and small businesses. The Public Security Bureau has Hui [Chinese Muslims not included in other ethnic groups such as the Uygur and Dongxiang] police to look after them. There is very little inter-marriage.'

The most recent census found 513,000 Dongxiang people in China, and an overwhelming majority live in and around Dongxiang County. Of the 25 townships in the county, 19 do not have a single Chinese person. Most people do not speak Chinese, and some, like Mr. Tie, have only a vague notion of China, despite living in the middle of it.