THE TUNGAN RACE OF SINKIANG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00047R000200220008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 30, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 28, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release aS 50-Yr2013/04/30 : CIA-RDP82-00047R000200220008-6
CENTRAL NTT LLLIGEENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION REPORT CD NO.
COUNTRY China (Sinkiang Province)
SUBJECT The Tungan Race of Sinkiang
PLACE
ACQUIRED
DATE
ACQUIRED
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INPOAMATIGR APFE CTIYI THE NATIONAL DEPEN[E
03 THE UNITED STATEfr 31 TH IN THE MI'.ND ING OF TI TLE IS, NECTIONS 711
AND 714, OF THE V.f. CODE, IS AMENU[D, ITF TRAM IYISN ION 011 NEVS-
ATION HF ITS CONTENTS 10OY 1[CF 11'i ?V AY YY AU THD[IY[D P[N[ON If
?,OH111 T[0 ,Y LA,. THE NNP000YCTIUH CF THI[ FORK I1 F[OH11IT[D.
DATE DISTR y NOv~ 52
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
1. s The Tongan race of Sinkiang is also referred to both in 3-inkiang and
in English-language texts on that province as Tung-kan., Dungan. Kan'-hu i. (Kansli l'oham-
medans), or just 11 ,. According to a 1941 survey, they numbered 92,,,146, or sl~ htJ.y
over 2.4% of the tot-al population of Sinkiang.
2. h The true origin of the name Tungan has never been determLned:
Some claim that it is of Turkic origin and that the obscure meaning of the word may be
"The Returners", denoting that in moving into Sinkiang they were returning toward. their
land of origin. Others claim that the name is of Russian origin, meaning "Movwmedsn
Offenders of the East", or Just "Offenders of the East". This theory is obvioueiy
incorrect. It, is known, however, that, the Russians in Tearist timer3 always c::IOF"
to call these Chinee"e 1 n 1ems "Dungans" and so made it the most widely used n ;?,.,
3. As 4ith the origin of the name, the origin of the peopla 4hstm-
selves is somewhat vague. Tungan legends claim that they are the descendant e oi
mercenary troops from Inner Asia who assisted Jenghis flan in his conquest of ask ma.
and who later settled down in Kansu, Ningsia, Shensi and Tainghai and took. CnLnle oe
wives. Thus, whan in the eighteenth century a number of them were moved weet4ard i.xato
Sinkiang by the Manchu Emperor Ch l ien- lung, they were said to be returning t o,4Ra d
their ancient homes. Later other groups of Tungans, mostly from Kansu Pruvins,~,
south.'', refuge in Sinkiang as the aftermath of Moslem uprisings in the nc>r~ kaweq Feral
part of China properE. The result of hostility between the Chinese and Tunear i h ,rx
Sinki g, hx of-: ,en been the arrival of Tungan reinforcements from outside t.h.a province.
In every per .NIL:;. is nsurrection, when war bands of Tungans from Kansu., Ni ngsi.a ; hensi,
or Tsingha.i, hav -?.rvvad.ed Sinkiang, the Tungans of Sinkiang have risen to join hexn.
They consider each other not only coreligionists but kinsmen. Together they a' e
not only fought the Chine;?e, but massacred whole communities, When, on. the other hand,
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the Chinese received reinforcements they were equally savage in their re-or?ssion
of the Tungans. The record in bloodiness was set by the armies of To Chun tang
in 1862 to 1874. When his armies took Uighur towns., surrender was usually accepted
without massacre because Uighurs were regarded as only political rebels. Saban
they defeated Tungans, however,, they massacred women and children, as wea...;_ a iei,
because these coirnaunities were regarded as not only political rebels but tre.itors
to the Chinese blood.
Lis The Tungans use the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language arv! ;heir
customs, save in religious matters, show few departures from the normal.. 1.:.i.iteracy
is especially high among the Tungans because such scholarly incentives as E xis
among them consist mainly of acquiring the ability to read the Koran it
mosque. The fangs usually correspond to the province from which thei
originated from.
are taller, sturdier and of much greater virility than the Chinese. They Scan ue
readily identified by their height, fierce and warlike features. and the lac LJ
air with which they walk and generally oondttot themselves.
7. DrCss; The Tungaris threes in nornal Chinese faLahion, with the exception of t`-he
hat. Their hats, whether made of fur or the summer tebiteika, are always white
in color, clearly distinguishing them from the Chinese who wear black hats.
B. Con ntrat ; Like the Chinese, the Tungans are to be found in most of the
cities of Sfnkia~ . They are, however, chiefly centered around Hami \Qou L ,
huchen tze (kiwi)) Turfan, Urumohi (Tihwa), Suiting, 'Kuidja (ruing) and Qa~Ma
Shahr Yenki). Prior to the Moslem uprising of February 1931 to July 19349 a.Lzost
all of the Tungan population of Sinkiang lived north of the Tien Shan range.. As
a result of this religious war, which was led by General Ma Chung yin, a 'x+~ea n
from Kansu, the Tongan remnants are now scattered throughout southern Sinkiang.
The Tungans tend to isolate themselves from the other peoples of a popu:i.at,4 area
and live together in separate communities. In Sinkiang towns where srx`~''"' is a:
large Tungan concentration they divide themselves into fangs., each -_~wn
and a close examination of their features reveals traces of alien origin.
5. Ralgiq ;m The Tungans belong to the Sunni sect of the Islamic faith. Th, -ire
meticulous in observing the least detail of the ritual which priests prea,,,ribe.
r, ie
Careful' instruction is given to the young in the teachings of the Koran &-y",
various ceremonies which the Prophet enjoined. The Tungans read the K...,r..a ;.
Arabic and always, as a matter of courtesy$ refer to the Buddhist fa---.. .3 ,;,he
Great Religion" while their own they speak of as "The Smaller
they are such religious fanatics, disputes concerning the interpretatic,r, ;7' thH
Koran are frequent, as is always the case with over-zealous believers. T.--m;: they
tend to split up into sects, which leads to endless strife. The irfluenea (.)II
Islam on the status of Tongan women appears to be less stringent, they gec.eraLLy
enjoy more freedom than their sisters in Islamic countries of the Wear Ea.s The
institution of purdah, for example, does not exist among them.
6. Xv: a Charaotari.taca o The facial characteristics of the Tungane are c a
^UI~~Iloltlll~...ne el 41
Mongoloid type, but in character they show considerable difference from the Ohl nese
Dwellings. The Tungans live in identical hoaaes to the Chinese popular,,,
11. Occupa i >rt ,s Most of the Tungans in Sinkiang are either merchants or e'er per's.
They are, however, also quite active in the caravan trade, in the runtzix o. '
caravan serais and also in the military forces. As soldiers, qspeeiall.y in .,he
cavalry, they are outstanding and considered to be the most fearless and .fiooreest
of a-11. Asiatic warriors.
Tungans 'hinese, save that the Tungans because of, their religion w l
touch pork ar.iU t e forbidden to use either tobacco or wine.
10. Eati.r ' , ? There are no great differences between the eating habI { 1-)``
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."3,-
12.
.
The Tungans adhere to the Qommon Moslem means-of greeter.oae another,
including the salutation."Salaam". Salaam means peace, hardly an-appropriate
.word of greeting in vies ;of their bloody history,
ba A r : A Tongan boy is considered a man at twelve, girls are considered
to be women at nine. Marriage is entirely controlled by the parents, who
give testimony of the union by.grasping hands. The procedure when the time
of the wedding arrives is for, the bridegroom to ride on horseback to claim
his brides
: Divorce amongst the Tungans is frowned upon and may not be granted
Di
gxa
property settlement are ^also' ;left- entirely to the judgment and decision of the
without good reason, An ftAhune, the local priest, inquires into the truth of
the husband's complaint, and his-decision becomes, mandatory. The terms of the
da , Burial AI&M: When a Tungan:, dies, his corpse is laid out.fully dressed and
covered by a white sheet. A.."bathpond" is then prepared nearby and a professional
"washer of the dead" comes at cockcrow to begin the ritual.. He first washes
his hands. and then disrobes the- body before placing It in the pool. Another
white cloth is draped about the lower limbs during the process and incense
is.burned whilewater and sweet oils are applied to the flesh of the corpse.
Reolad.in clean;undergarmenta, the body is-then swathed-in white bandages.
Burial takes place within three days of the death, no coffin being used.
Turners. and attendants- wear white.
13. odd litjM:, Most of the.Tungans in Sinkiang are prosperous and industrious
folk, They rise with.the sun'and-retire at the hour of its setting. .They live
a frugal, ascetic life and it is :a confirmed racial. characteristic to save money.
Complete financial independenceis their idea of honor, .to beg is their deepest
shame. No matter how poor, they always have some small. fund in reserve for an
emergency and it is a tribute to their well-regulated lives that they live to
a great age.
14. Bad Qualities: While it is impossible not to respect the Tungans for their
notable. virtues, it cannot be-denied that their religious intolerance is a
source of continual` trouble a and bloodshed in.Sinkiang. Conservatism and.
isolation are traditional among them and they. hold,aloof from, their follow men.
15. X41 xr Tungan society is even stronger. in clan loyalty than the Chinese
society, The principle that-well-to-do members of -a- clan have a- responsibility
for the welfare of their poorer distant relatives, astwell as'advantages over
them, is given a heightened authority among Tungans?by the feeling-that they
must keep their ranks closed. In times.of civil war, Tungan war-lords are this
. tocombine military discipline and community. loyalty.. They are not merely troops
..and officers, but clansmen and chieftains. Often what- starts as a Moslem peasant
uprising is taken over by Tungan landlords and converted into a movement to expand
the whole Moslem community against non-Moslem communities. Despite the fact that
.the. Tungans have. been able to close ranks with the other Moslem peoples of Sinkiang
during religious wars, they have always failed to establish anything more than
temporary alliances with their cereligionists. There does not seem the slightest
prospect of their ever settling, down for they are not reached. by the forces of
progress and despite their. trading interest, they remain a race apart.
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