The Han Kitab Authors 139
vised version in four volumes, the Zhinan yaoyan 指南要言 (Sum-
mary of the Guide).^56
The book is a systematic presentation of Islam. Ma Zhu began
by presenting Islam on a metaphysical level (i.e., its cosmology,
theology, and the nature of divine relations with the human world)
and then moved on to a brief explication of Islamic law. For the
present discussion, however, the context of the Guide is more im-
portant than its content. If Chinese Muslim scholars in general
never worked within a vacuum, no single Chinese Muslim scholar
was more self-conscious in situating himself and his work within
the context of a broad and distinguished scholarly community than
was Ma Zhu.
After completing the manuscript in the late 1670 s, Ma Zhu, his
wife, Fatima 法土墨, and their two sons, Ma Shiqi 馬世麒 and Ma
Shixiong 馬世雄,^57 embarked on a remarkable tour of all major
centers in the educational network, taking with them Ma Zhu’s
work. In an account Ma wrote of this journey, he explained, “I
wanted to meet the famous teachers of China海內名師, observe
their books, and listen to their teachings” 睹其書聞其教.^58 It was
during the journey that Ma Zhu came to be known as the Master
of the Guide 搘南老人.^59 While visiting these centers, most of them
in Jiangnan, particularly Nanjing, Ma Zhu discussed his work with
colleagues, received comments and corrections, and got editorial
assistance.
His tour provides a virtual map of the educational network as it
existed at the time and outlines both its geographical spread and
the density of its membership. Ma Zhu first went to Nanjing,
where he met Liu Sanjie, Ma Zhiqi, and Yuan Ruqi.^60 All were im-
portant writers and teachers in their own right. The choice of Nan-
jing as his first stop is indicative of the centrality of this center.
—————
56. Leslie, Islamic Literature in Chinese, pp. 35 – 36.
57. Ma Zhu sometimes referred to himself using an Arab name, Yusuf. His
sons Ma Shiqi and Ma Shixiong 馬世雄 are known by their Chinese names only.
Ma Zhu’s wife is known only by her Arabic name.
58. This piece was inserted later into the fourth volume of the book and is
cited in HRZ (Qingdai), pp. 46 – 47.
59. Leslie, Islamic Literature in Chinese, p. 84.
60. HRZ (Qingdai), p. 47.