Jewish community of Kaifeng: from the origins to decline

Abstract

This article examines the history of the Kaifeng Jewish community from its settlement during the Northern Song Dynasty to its eventual dissolution in the 19th century. The study analyzes the factors contributing to the community's decline. The author argues that their assimilation was driven by a combination of state policies – such as mandatory intermarriage and the assignment of Han surnames during the Ming Dynasty – and catastrophic events, specifically the Yellow River floods. Furthermore, the author highlights how economic isolation resulting from the "Sea Ban" policy severed ties with other Jewish communities, leading to the cessation of religious practice after the death of the last rabbi. The paper concludes that the community did not merely fade, but underwent an irreversible process of sinicization and loss of institutional identity