Xian Aubin Wang, "Islam and Maoism in Southern Yunnan: State Violence and Resistance, 1949–2024" (Cornell UP, 2026)

Islam and Maoism in Southern Yunnan: State Violence and Resistance, 1949–2024

(Cornell University Press, 2026) by Dr. Xian Aubin Wang investigates

decades of contentious relations between the Communist party-state of

China and the Muslim community of southern Yunnan centered on the

village of Shadian, site of an incident of state violence in 1975 that

resulted in 1600 civilian deaths. Examining the causes and legacies of

the Shadian

massacre, Dr. Wang draws on an extensive review of internal official

documents, original written testimonies, and firsthand interviews with

Muslim villagers.

By exploring interactions among Beijing, the Yunnan provincial government, county officials, CCP Muslim cadres, and Shadian

villagers against the backdrop of the CCP's nationwide political