Baháʼí Faith in China  The Baháʼí Faith was first introduced in China during the lifetime of its founder, Baháʼu'lláh (1817–1892). China has long been considered by the Baháʼí Faith as a country with great future, but also spiritually, having the capacity to be "a bright candle of the world of humanity" "promot[ing] the principles of divine civilization." Also ʻAbdu'l-Bahá made reference in 1917 to making arrangements to travel himself to Kashgar in western China to teach the Chinese people and had obtained a passport but was prevented from going by the Ottoman authorities. The Association of Religion Data Archives (relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia) estimated some 6000 Baháʼís in 2005. The first record of a Baháʼí living in China is of a Persian, Hájí Mírzá Muhammad-'Alí, who lived in Shanghai from 1862 to 1868. He moved to Hong Kong in 1870, was joined by his brother and they established a trading company there. They stayed until 1897. In the period of 1881-1882 a nephew of the wife of the Báb resided in Hong Kong. Miza Abdu'l-Fadl Gulpaygani a notable Islamic and Baháʼí scholar, in frequent contact with ʻAbdu'l-Bahá, is reported to have visited Kashgar in 1891. Other Baháʼís established residence in Shanghai in the early 1900s, one staying until his death in 1924. The Baháʼí Writings acknowledge that Baháʼí "pioneers" reached China early. Numerous foreign Baháʼís traveled to China during the non-war years. Some stayed for short periods to meet with residents and others or to give presentations to those interested. Others made long term visits, visiting many cities, giving press interviews, and meeting with notable Chinese personages. Chief among this latter group was Martha Root who made three trips to China (1923-1924, 1930, 1937) - the first trip lasting for almost a year. She traveled extensively in China, lectured at many universities, had dozens of press interviews (e.g. "The North China Standard", Tuesday, September 25, 1923; "The Peking Daily News", October 4, 1923), buoyed the spirits of Chinese Baháʼís, and had meetings with persons notable in the history of China (e.g. Sun Yat-sen the first President of the Republic of China 1912-14; Dr. Cao Yun Xiang (also transliterated as Dr. Y.S. Tsao or Cao Qinwu) who was President of Tsinghua University from 1922 to 1928 and who became a Baháʼí in 1924.