Being Muslim in Tianjin, China

Every time I go back home and meet new people at my mosque in California, they’re always shocked by our life. “Wait, you live in China?”

Our family has lived in Tianjin, China for four years now. Tianjin is a lovely city (well not on high AQI days where you can’t see too far outside). It’s the fifth largest city in China but it feels like a small town because the locals are so kind and friendly. There’s no foreign hike when we go buy something in the market unlike Beijing or Shanghai where you have to haggle like crazy to get the price they would have first offered any local.

My eldest son is the only foreigner at his school. They feed kids breakfast, lunch, and dinner there and so we were very concerned about food since the school provides it. The headmaster kindly explained that there are other Muslim children in the school (not in Kyle’s class unfortunately but in older grades) and they all get served halal food.

Halal food in general is not hard to find here now that I know where to buy it. The first year we struggled a bit but now my phone is filled with vendors that will send me halal meat of any type (except that elusive beef pepperoni). If we want to eat out, there are tons of local cheap halal food options all the way up to a fancy Middle Eastern restaurant we would only eat at for a special occasion.

Since we have arrived, we have not encountered one local who said anything rude or discriminated against us because of our religion.

Not the same can be said of the expats however. My first month here a European sitting nearby called me a terrorist because I asked at a non halal restaurant if my salad could be vegetarian because I can’t eat pork. I’ve been openly mocked by my American and Australian colleagues for fasting. However, the Chinese people have always polite, curious, and accomodating if I need somewhere to pray.

Another question I’m commonly asked is “Are you allowed to fast only because you’re a foreigner?” Nope, I have Muslim friends here that are Chinese nationals who also fast. The recent news coverage is more focused on a certain area of China where there are political issues. That I honestly don’t know anything about. I do know that in Tianjin, these restrictions don’t exist.

If you have questions about life in China, ask away!