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Muslim's Funeral(Chinese: 穆斯林的葬礼; pinyin: mù sī lín de zàng lǐ) is a novel by Chinese writer Huo Da. The novel develops with the ups and downs of the jade workshop whose owner is Liang Yiqing, a manual craftsmen from Ethnic Hui Chinese. Under the contemporary historical background, the novel tells the different change of Liang's three generations' fate, showing the protagonists' mentality during the process of pursuing ideal and career.

On September 1, 1987, Huo Da completed her novel "Muslim's Funeral". In 1988, the book was officially published by Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House. In 1991, it won the Third Mao Dun Literature Prize. The book has sold more than 4 million copies during 30 years.

Plot
Liang Yiqing was an ethnic Hui jade artist from the time-honored jade brand "Qizhen zhai" in the ancient capital, Beijing. His family had two daughters -the eldest daughter Liang Junbi and the second daughter Liang Bingyu.The book's hero, Han Ziqi, decided to stay in Liang's home to learn jade carving technique as an apprentice after breaking Liang's precious jade bowl. Liang Yiqing and Han Ziqi were working for an order of jade carving "Navigating ship of Zheng He" which came from "Huiyuan zhai", a company only trading with foreigners. Zheng He was a hero of ethnic Hui Chinese. Liang and Han were determined to complete this work perfectly to develop and spread their glorious ethnic spirit. After three years, meticulous carving would be completed in the Mid-Autumn festival. Unexpectedly, Liang Yiqing suddenly fainted in the rotation of carving platform. The treasure ship was destroyed and Liang Yiqing died. In order to repay the debt, the Liang family sold “Qizhen zhai" to the boss of "Huiyuan zhai". Han Ziqi went to "Huiyuan zhai" to work as an apprentice.

After three years, he had acquired some achievements of jade carving. He went back to "Qizhen zhai" and married Liang Junbi. Ten years later, he became a famous craftsman in Beijing and had a son called Han Tianxing. After Japan invaded China, Han Ziqi worried that his precious jades would be destroyed in war, so he followed English businessman Hunt to London. His wife's sister Liang Bingyu also went with him. In London, Hunt's son Oliver fell in love with Liang Bingyu but he died from war. Liang Bingyu was heart-broken. She transferred her love to Han Ziqi and had a daughter, Han Xinyue, with him.

Han Ziqi and Liang Bingyu returned to China after war. Liang Junbi couldn't tolerate Liang Bingyu and Han Xinyue. Liang Bingyu decided to leave home with his daughter. Finally, Han Xinyue was left in home because Han Ziqi begged hard.

Xinyue gradually grew up and was admitted to the Spanish department of Beijing University. After going to school, Xinyue fell in love with Chu Yanchao, the head teacher of her class. Chu was from ethnic Han and opposed by Liang family. However, their love became more and more sincere. And the elder brother, Han Tianxing, also failed to marry with the colleague he loved because of mother's scheming interference and then married Xinyue's classmate. Due to serious heart disease, Han Xinyue unfortunately died. Chu Yanchao and Liang family broke heart. Brother and sister- in-law took on the burden of the family. Later, Han Ziqi and Liang Junbi died one after another. Years later, Liang Junbi came back, but everything had changed.

Major Characters
Han Ziqi, the hero of the story. He is a Muslim from ethnic Han Chinese. In his whole life, he carved, sold, protected and loved jade. Jade is his life.

Liang Junbi, a loyal and true Muslim. She is uneducated, domineering, and strong. What she cared about was only family and faith. Her life didn’t have love, so love was disgusting in her mind.She stopped her daughter from having a relationship with people from ethnic Han.

Liang Bingyu, a new-era woman in the 1930s and 1940s. She had ever get educated in the college. She pursued pure love. She had two experiences of love, which made her afraid. Finally, she gave her true heart to Han Ziqi.

Han Xinyue, a kind and beautiful girl. Fate did not favor her. The nineteen-year-old girl's life was slowly disappearing, but she did not know. She was still full of hope for life.

Chu Yanchao, a teacher who didn't have high rank. He persisted in translating Chinese literature to show its essence to the world. He couldn't get promoted because his father’s identity couldn’t be confirmed. But he never minded it.

Style
In Muslim's Funeral, Huo Da, an ethnic Hui Chinese writer, shows her love and respect for her own nation in writing. She used more than 100 kinds of Arabic words. Just because Huo Da puts too much emotion into the writing of Muslim's Funeral, these words describing the customs of the nation don’t make people feel tedious after reading, but also virtually close the spiritual distance with the reader.

Awards
In 1990, it won Beijing Excellent Literature Award on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

In 1991, it won the Third Mao Dun Literature Award of the Chinese writers' associat.

In 1991, it won the Third National Excellent Novel Award of ethnic minority literature creation of the Chinese writers' association and the national committee for civil affairs.

Receptions
Han Jingqun, the chief editor of Beijing October Literature and Art Publishing House, noted that “Muslim’s Funeral” has become one of representations of the most hot-selling and influential works. He noted that “this circumstance indicates that the readers as kind and pure individual also hope to read something true, kind and beautiful from the literature. They wish that the literature can bring us something warm and poetic, which guides people upward and forward. The story that 'Muslim's Funeral' tells is sad and touching. It must be associated with the things in our hearts that are true, kind and beautiful to acquire long-term vitality.”

Bing Xin said that "the feeling of reading 'Muslim's Funeral' is like visiting a entirely new world.I think this novel is a unique flower on the literary world of modern China, quite independent.“

Liu Bayu noted that "reading this book is like reading Notre Dame cathedral - it is changeful and mysterious."

Adaption
In 1993, Muslim's Funeral was adapted to a film. The film was directed by Xie Tieli. Gai Lili and so on starred in it.