Short note on Zoroastrianism in CHINA
I am on my second field research to China The following short article may be interest to the readers.
The Arab conquest of Iran resulted in large numbers of Zoroastrians moving towards China. Many Chinese scholars who are working with me have written that this may be around a million. They were warmly received by the Tang government. As a result Zoroastrian temples were established in the cities of Changan and Luoyang as well in Quizhou and Xizhou.
Chinese scholar Chen Yuan identified the first Zoroastrian temple built in China in the south-western part of the Buzeng-feng district of Changhan
Lin Wushu another Chinese scholar established that Zoroastrianism was propagated within Chinese society as there is nothing in the scriptures that prevents it from propagating, See his article Persian Fire Worship in Ancient China, Taipe, 1995. This needs revision of general held opinion. Zoroastrianism remained in China and included many Chinese converts as established by several Chinese scholars. Chen Yuan concluded after examining its spreading in the Tang dynasty, that the impact of Zoroastrianism was extensive.
Best wishes,
Dr. Pallan Ichaporia – From Dunhuang, China