Given how much the literature denigrates the Jewish knowledge of the Kaifeng Jews, it would seem safe to say that their calendar was probably significantly different than other Jewish communities.
French Jesuit Jean Domenge (1666–1735) was a missionary in Kaifeng for many years, and visited the Kaifeng Jews often. Xu Xin writes on page 83-4 of his The Jews of Kaifeng that "Domenge... was invited to participate in the service for Tabernacles. According to his records, the celebration took place on the twenty-third day of the eight Chinese month, which was Saturday, October 3, 1722, or 22 Tishrei 5485 on the Jewish calendar."
This is indeed the correct date: Sukkot 1722 began on the evening of Wednesday, September 26, and ended on the evening of Wednesday, October 4. Despite the complexities of keeping the Jewish calendar, the Kaifeng community was keeping accurate Hebrew calendar.
Xu Xin is not correct about the dating system. The Judeo-Persian colophon to the Square Sections book HUC 981, which we will examine at another time, was written in 1621, and uses year 1932 of the Seleucid Calendar. We have no evidence the Kaifeng community ever used the so-called Calendar of Creation.
Xin states that the "Chinese calendar was not at all similar to the Jewish lunar solar calendar" and therefore believes that the Chinese calendar, and its system of dating, would not have been helpful to the Kaifeng Jews. He holds that the Kaifeng calendar was a "good demonstration of the religious knowledge of Kaifeng Jews during much of their history." He quotes Leslie, correctly, as having checked the dates of the festivals mentioned by Domenge and concludes that the Hebrew calendar was being correctly employed.
Leslie writes this in his Survival of the Chinese Jews, page 89, but he says even more interesting things about the continued use of the Hebrew calendar in Kaifeng. In the 1850 the letter from Chao Nien-tsu provides vital information about the last years of the Kaifeng community; they still had most of its books, and the synagogue building and grounds, although those were in poor repair. The last rabbi had been dead for some forty years. Here, he writes of the holidays enacted in Kaifeng:
"Second moon, fourteenth day - Feast of dry wheat, unleavened bread. Cakes with oil fragrance are distributed to friends.
Sixth Moon, tenth day - Fires are not lit. This is called the fast of the judge's gate
Eight Moon, twenty fourth day - The Scriptures are preached in the synagogue; the doors being closed, the scroll is opened out and Scripture is read. Money, colored red, is distributed.
Eight Moon, first day - Festival of the greater patriarchs or prophets
Ninth moon, second day - Festival of the minor patriarchs or prophets
Sixth moon, first day - Fest of escape (or deliverance) from the sword"
We will examine this letter at another time. Leslie explains that these are "the description of the festivals as that practiced (or at least remembered) in 1850. The important part here is the description of what appears to be Simchat Torah: "Eight Moon, twenty fourth day - The Scriptures are preached in the synagogue; the doors being closed, the scroll is opened out and Scripture is read."
Leslie explains:
"Domenge visited the synagogue on Saturday, the Sabbath, 3 October 1722, the 23rd day of the 8th (Chinese) month, the day before the Jews made a procession of their bibles (Torah), which was 22 Tishri 5483 and the 23rd day of the Chinese 8th month. Similarly the two Chinese delegates in 1850 refer to the 'Festival for the perambulating round the sacred writings' on the 24th day of the 8th month. The festival of the 8th moon, 24th days (in the letter) would, in 1850, have been 23 Tishrei 5611, Simchat Torah."
Leslie explains that in by "a remarkable coincidence, the only two occasions when visitors were given a veritable date, Simchat Torah is described as occurring on the 24th of the 8th month, clearly the Chinese month, and during the years 1722 and 1850, this date is correct."
In other words, the Kaifeng Jews were correct in their dates for Simchat Torah in both 1722 and 1850. It is even more extraordinary that the date is correct in 1850, as they holiday was likely no longer observed. It appears that the Kaifeng Jews successful kept a Jewish calendar. They certainly did so from 1722 to 1850, and as this was the stretch during their decline and eventual extinction as practicing Jews, we can be certain that other, stronger times, they celebrated the Jewish holidays on the correct day.
Leslie ends with this tantalizing tidbit:
"When we check the other festivals given in the letter, it becomes nearly certain that the Jewish calendar is still being used, even though the days and months are Chinese ones."
We will examine this at another time.
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