The origins of Han Kitab literature can be traced back to the establishment of the scripture hall education (jingtang jiaoyu) system created by scholar Hu Dengzhou in the 16th century. After studying abroad in the Islamic world for years, Hu returned to China and formed the educational system, which incorporated the use of authoritative Islamic texts and foreign language lessons mixed with Chinese.[6] Initially the Han Kitab was composed of Chinese translations of Sufi texts originally written in Persian. Around the mid-17th century, Chinese Muslim scholars began writing original texts that synthesized Islamic and Classical Chinese thought.[7] Within a few generations, the instructional system spread throughout China, and subsequent scholars began writing Islamic literature within a Chinese cultural context.[6]
Liu Zhi wrote his Han Kitab in Nanjing in the early 18th century.[9] The works of Wu Zunqie, Zhang Zhong, and Wang Daiyu were also included in the Han Kitab.[10]
