Figure 3: An example of the Sini script in a string of diamonds
Figure 4: “Ya Mustafa” (“O Chosen One!”), a favourite name for the Prophet Muhammad)
the Alif of the phrase ‘Ya Mustafa’ (O Chosen One) (See Figure 4). The character Alif which looks like the Roman letter ‘l’, is used in Chinese Islamic calligraphy the same way a single vertical stroke is employed in popular Chinese calligraphic representations, both functioning as the base for artistic composition (See Figure 5).
form has been venerated in the Islamic world. This lack of awareness internationally, could stem from the fact that there has not been much written on the subject. This is probably due to the fact that not many scholars in China write about Islamic cultural history in the first place. But things are slowly changing says Garnaut. “When the anti-religious policies of the Cultural Revolution were relaxed in the 1980s, Muslim scholars were firstly interested in regaining a basic knowledge of the Quran and the practical knowledge that was needed to support the religious life of the Islamic community in China. Now, twenty-five years after the mosques were re-opened, Islamic cultural history is beginning to attract the attention of many scholars”. With China’s open door policy, the emerging global Halal industry is set to rekindle economic ties of the Chinese Muslims with the Arab and Muslim world. China is expected to export more than just halal products to the world but also its culture. This will be an important factor in shaping the landscape of the future decades, as history is set to repeat itself - the new silk road to China.
THE SINI SCRIPT The features of Chinese Islamic calligraphy have not been formally written down by any Chinese calligrapher, however, the closest there is to a formal style is the Sini script. Sini, says Garnaut, commonly practiced throughout eastern China, refers to a “rounded, flowing script, whose letters are distinguished by the use of thick and tapered effects” (See Figure 1). Figure 1: An example of a placard in Sini script which reads, “Why holdest thou to be forbidden that which Allah has made lawful to thee?” (Quran 66:1)
In China, except for a few ancient mosques, all of the mosques adopt traditional Chinese architecture with a square courtyard and temple-like buildings that are square and symmetrical in design. However, in place of a four character Chinese phrase above the door, Chinese mosques usually have Arabic placards in Sini script which depict the hadith or a line from the Quran. (See Figure 2) Figure 2: A placard with the Shahadah above the entrance to the Beiwu mosque, Dachang, Hebei
More intriguing, are the placards placed on either side of the entrance which often tend to box the Arabic script into the form of a square, as in Chinese characters, and rotate it by forty-five degrees to form a diamond. The result - a hanging string of diamonds that, according to Garnaut, “may look strange to the eye of someone familiar with Arabic decorative art in central Asia or Iran, but looks perfectly normal to the Chinese eye who are accustomed to reading squareshaped Chinese characters.” (See Figure 3) Apart from the square form, another common variation of the Sini script is the captivating rectangular form where “one of the names of God or the Prophet is wrapped around an extended vertical stroke such as
THE STATUS QUO In 2004, during the Fourth International Calligraphy and Calligraphic Art Exhibition and Competition held in Pakistan, works by several of China’s leading Arabic calligraphers were entered. However, according to Garnaut, none of the works in Sini script caught the eye of the judges. This was taken in China as “evidence that the judges did not understand the formal features of the script or recognise it as a distinct style”. It is therefore a little disappointing to note how little this art Figure 5: An ancient Chinese calligraphic rendition of the character hu (tiger)
For more information on China and its heritage visit http://www. chinaheritagenewsletter.org/
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