Him By Vision And Self-forth

There are two kinds of researchers on the Xidaotang——the Xidaotang members and the non-Xidaotang scholars. The former researches manifest "self interpretation", and the latter opinions are "the point of view of others". They writed the history of Xidaotang together, and this paper is to compare and discuss their researches.The early descriptions of the Xidaotang happened in the1920s, but they did not attract the domestic scholars'attention, and the literature had been drowned. Until the1930s, a journalist of Ta Kung Pao named Fan Changjiang's report of the Xidaotang drew the attention of domestic scholars, which started the academic investigation of Xidaotang. Scholars within and outside Xidaotang respectively discussed the tenet of Xidaotang which was a combination of Islamism and Confucianism, the organizational form of the religious family, and its difficult experience. At that time the Xidaotang had pulled through the most difficult period and had some influence in northwest area. It was attached importance to by the academia and the government.The second stage is after the reform and opening-up, the researches of Xidaotang recovered as the national religious policies recovered. Some important papers by non-Xidaotang scholars released, and the Xidaotang members, representated by Imam Min Shengguang, began collective writing, which covered the Xidaotang's history, religion, economy, education etc. in great detail. And at this point the Xidaotang demonstrated the spirit of "Ummah"(Muslim communities) again. It made itself a model in education, economy, promoting ethnic unity and social harmony. The Xidaotang welcomed domestic and foreign scholars to do researches on it. With the deeper communication between "Other" and "Self, there are more achievements.In the21st century, there is new development for the researches on Xidaotang. Young scholars begin to take it as the object of their degree thesis. So at this point the theoretical depth increases. And the Xidaotang also organizes members to edit and publish essays to promote the research. Although the collective form of Xidaotang has not been exist, the spirit of big family is always encouraging the Xidaotang members to advance. In this process,"the point of view of others" is more elaborate, and the "self-interpretation" pays more attention to correct others'"misunderstandings".The co-existence of "the point of view of others" and the Xidaotang "self-interpretation" forms the history of the researches on Xidaotang. There are conformities and differences between the two, but most of them affirm and praise the Xidaotang and its spirit. It is the communication and interaction between "Other" and "Self, that promote the development of Xidaotang and also enrich the history of the researches on Xidaotang.