Islam was introduced to China via the Silk Road by Arabs from Tang Dynasty since China was highly tolerant of new religions and Chinese contact with foreign envoys flourished during that period. Although some believe that Islam may have arrived in China during the Sui Dynasty, the first official record of Islam's arrival in China occurred during the Tang Dynasty.

History of Islam in China
Uthman ibn Affan, the third Caliph of Ummah, sent the first official Muslim envoy to China in 650. The envoy, headed by Sa'ad ibn Waqqas, arrived in the Tang capital, Chang'an, in 651 via the overseas route. Huis generally consider this date to be the official founding of Islam in China. The historic meeting is recorded, that the envoy greeted Emperor Gaozong of Tang and tried to convert him to Islam. Although the envoy failed to convince the Emperor to embrace Islam, the Emperor ordered the establishment of the first Chinese mosque in the capital to show his respect for the religion.
 
During the Tang Dynasty, a steady stream of Arab and Persian traders arrived in China through the Silk Road and the overseas route through the port of Quanzhou. Not all of the immigrants were Muslims, but many of those who stayed formed the basis of the Chinese Muslim population and the Hui ethnic group. The Arab and Persian immigrants introduced polo, their cuisine, their musical instruments, and their knowledge of medicine to China.
 
The Yuan Dynasty embraced Islam to a great extent. The Mongols dominated class elevated the status of Mu.