An Analysis of the Confucianization Process of the Ethnic Scholars in the Western Regions as Seen in the Literature of the Yuan Dynasty

The Western Regions literature of the Yuan Dynasty generally refers to articles written by authors of the Western Regions ethnic group, and is an important component of Yuan Dynasty literature. According to the statistics of literature and materials such as the series of books related to the Yuan Dynasty, the general collection of Yuan literature, the author’s collection, and local chronicles, the number of Western Regions literature in the Yuan Dynasty was numerous, the genres were diverse, and the content was rich. The Western Regions literature of the Yuan Dynasty reflects the process of sinicization of Confucianism among ethnic minorities in the Western Regions from the following three aspects: firstly, works such as gift prefaces, collection prefaces, and literary fu reflect their interactions with Han people in China’s mainland through teachers, students, in laws, and peers; Secondly, inscriptions and biographical texts record the historical evolution of each family that migrated eastward; Thirdly, the articles on learning and building records his achievements in establishing schools and constructing temple schools. In these sinicized writings of Confucianism, it shows the process of the Western Regions people’s acceptance and inheritance of Confucian culture at that time. The process of sinicization of Confucianism by the people of the Yuan Dynasty who migrated eastward to the Western Regions can be roughly divided into three stages: germination, growth, and maturity. The process of sinicization of Confucianism in the Western Regions shows characteristics such as increasing numbers of people, narrowing and widening ethnic groups, and increasing levels of infiltration.