The Hui people () are one of the 56 recognized ethnic groups in China. Even though they are ethnically related to the Han Chinese (being from the Central Plains) they are considered distinct from them because the majority practice Islam, unlike most of the Han Chinese. They are called the Hui (which translates into "return" in Chinese) because the Chinese recognize that one of the Five Pillars of Faith in Islam is the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. A traditional name for Islam in Chinese is "Huíjiào" () for the same reason.