FUNERAL OF A MUSLIM is an epic love story that bridges generations, cultures, religions and nations. When it first appeared in China in 1988, the book was met with immediate acclaim, and it has sold more than 4 million copies in the years since. Apart from its power as a tale of love and history, FUNERAL OF A MUSLIM has played a unique role in introducing Islam to Chinese readers, many of whom know little about the Muslim communities that have made up a part of Chinese society for centuries. Apart from descriptions of Muslim customs and rituals, the novel was instrumental in launching public discussion of the essentially multicultural nature of China, even stirring up controversy for its direct address of latent ethnic tensions.