The Sino-Persian Relationship during Islamic Era
The Glorious Age of Persian Culture in China
The Sino - Persian cultural relations in the 5th Century A.D. developed to such an extent that the epoch came to be known as "the Golden Age of Persian Culture and Literature in China". The mutual influence of Chinese and Persian cultures became possible in three ways:
1 - By the sea lanes which connected the Persian ports to the southern coasts of China
2 - By the land routes, mainly the Silk Road which linked China through Persia to Europe.
3 - By the immigration of Central Asian Muslim tribes to Western and central regions of China.
During Tamourid rule, the elements of China's rich and productive culture and civilization made a tremendously deep impression in Iran. As it is evidenced in the writings and the compositions of the historians and poets living in that period, Chinese fine arts are abundantly described and praised.
Historical sources testity that after Sassanid dynasty was defeated by Arabs and Persian territory was conquered by Arab empire, the association between the two nations not only did not collapse, but also devoloped gradually. In those years, Persians and Arabs went by sea and land to China, where they bulit various mosques and schools. They preached their religion and made many followers. Thus, Persians, too, made major contributions to the spreading of Islam in China.
It was owing to such cultural, literary and commercial exchanges between China on the one hand and Persia and Arab territories on the other that Persian and Arab writers, historians and poets described China and its wonders in their works.
Persian and Non-Persian Religions in China
It should be noted that the propagation and preaching of various religions were among cultural exchanges between Persia and China in ancient times. Zoroastrianism, Nestorian Christianity, Manicheanism and Islam have all been spread in China through Persia and by Persians. Although some of these religions have disappeared in China they have played an impressive and influential part, in the time of their strength and forcefulness, in the history of human cultural exchanges. On certain occasions, they have also linked or mixed the various ideas and emotions of different people of the world together, which has led, in the course of time, to the creation of a new line of thinking.
The Causes of the Spread of Persian language in China
The cause of the relative success of the smooth and quiet spread of Islam in China may be attributed to the calm and quiet charecter of the Persians themselves. Persian people who associated with the Chinese people for the purpose of commerce and trade were primarily introduced in China as merchants rather than religious missionaries. Most of China specialists admit that no missionary delegations have organized their missions in China better than or even as impressively and efficiently as Persians. They performed this task quietly and wihtout receiving any support and encouragement from foreign governments.
After all, the power of Muslim people in China had become so great that they managed to convert that country's Jewish community into Islam. Such a slow and quiet religious propogation required the adoption of a certain language with a certain alphabet which went unnoticed, did not attract the attention of local administrators and turned the propogation activities into a very low - profile affair. The adopted language and its alphabet could not be the official Chinese language and its peculiar characters, because many of Islamic teachings and tenets contradicted with confucian thoughts and concepts current in Chinese society and encouraged by Chinese emperors. As a result, the Persian Muslims were forced to use Persian language when conveying their religious thoughts to other Muslim or Non-Muslim people.
Another reason for the spread of Persian language in China was that the Muslim residents
of that country could not (or had no right to) participate in many activities and rituals in Chinese society, and had, therefore, to meet their needs by referring to an "akhund" (a persian word in origin, which is pronounced "akhoug" in China) The long era of Kublakhan's reign is considered the age of a dangerous competion and confrontation between the two Chinese and Prsian elements in Mogul establishment. In spite of a long distance and the fact the Persians were regarded as foreigners, it should be presumed that the Persian element was almost always superior to Chinese one in Mogul royal courts. Maybe it was since then that Persians began to make their ways into the realm of the running of the affairs in Chinese government.
During the rule of Chengiz successors, the east-west trade routes of the past resumed their old activities. It was in the same period that a group of Chinese skilful fine-art professionals including artists and master artisans entered Persia. The invasion of Moguls into Persia led to the conversion of several ruling Mogul imperial families into Islam, which made possible the Persian people's trips to and from China and Mogulistan and caused Persian-Islamic culture and civilization to influence and spread throughout China. This process reached its climax during Kublakhan's reign. Prominant among the major characteristic features of that epoch were Christian and Muslim merchants' voyage to and from China and the spread of Persian language in that country.
With the expansion of Sino - Persian relation, a group of Chinese scholars and scientists went in company with Holakukhan, the Mogul conqurer, to Presia, where they began scientific researches and scholarships in co - operation with great Persian authors and politicians such as Khajeh Nasir-eddin Tusi and Khajeh Rashid-eddin Fazlollah...
Moreover, a number Persian politicians joined the Chinese empire's imperial court, where they were appointed and promoted to senior positions and top ranks. Those highly distinguished and prominent politicians included Shamseddin Omar Bukhari, known as "Seyyed Ajal", who served as the prime minister to Kublakhan for 25 years, and one of his grand-sons, called Abubakr, who succeeded him after his death. As a whole, the government was run by Persians themselves during Tamourlane's rule.
In Qajari era, the two countries were somewhat disinterested in each other and political relations between them, having already lost their motivations, became exhausted. Persian merchants, however, were still busy with their commercial dealing with Chinese people in Bandar Abbas, Bushir, and Chah-bahar. As said before, Persia has served since the earliest of times as a bridge for comings and goings and traffics between East and West. Besides, Persian (Iranian) people are in possession of sublime cultural traditions and distinct artistic talents.
The introduction of Persian arts into the West passed a process of maturity in Byzantine (Eastern Roman Empire) era which was situated on the way to western Europe. The influence of Persian art is best evident in Central Asian and Chinese works of art. According to the unambiguous admission of Chinese themselves, the art of drawing and painting found its way for the first time into China from Persia and was imitated by Chinese artists. The pottery during pre-Achemenid era and Chinese people engaged in the field of fine arts, in their enthusiasm for this newly-arrived art, became consummate in this artistic form and gained world fame as the leading pottery artists
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