“Record of the synagogue reconstruction”. A large original rubbing from Jewish stele in Kaifeng of China in 1489, Judaica documents the history of Judaism and Jewish people in China.

Rare. Size: 147x80 cm. Original rubbing on thin paper (maybe Bible paper because of its very fine quality). was attached to thick paper to make a hanging scroll. Some wear on the thick paper, but very good on the thin rubbing paper. There are two red stamps on middle-right of the scroll, which probably is the stamps of former owners.

This stele in 1489 is the first document found and also a very important document to describe the history of Judaism and Jewish people in China. Its contents are in three sections; one explains the origin and history of Judaism, another describes the rituals and worship of Chinese Jews around the time of the stele construction, and the last tells that there were 70 surnames families of the Kaifeng Jewish community, several surnames being the officers of Chinese Emperor, a Zhao surname among them being a past imperial audience. The Zhao surname was also the surname of the emperors of Song Dynasty（AD 960--AD 1279） in China, and can only be bestowed by emperors exclusively, therefore a great honor to be bestowed the Zhao surname by the emperors of Song Dynasty (Ususally only to persons with great contribution to emperors.).

This rubbing was made c. 1800s. This rubbing should be more clear and more integrate than its present stele because the stele was moved to museum so as to be protected till the end of 1970s. Many surnames characters on the stele were dig out by their surnames family for fear of implications during the wars, conflicts and political movements.