A most fascinating book. . . .The twenty-one tombstones featured in this book were erected to the memory of real people, all of whom had come from the far quarters of the Mongol Empire to make their fortunes in China. They come alive today in this book, providing readers with a scholarly yet accessible account of how Hangzhou (or Khinsai ... Read moreas the Persians knew it) became a major Islamic center in China, not just of religion or trade but of culture as well. . . .This book is, in the end, not a narrow specialist production, but an opening door into a fascinating culture.
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