Reposted from the web

Summary: This fourth part of the Jiangsu mosque series records historic mosque sites in Nanjing and Liuhe, including Taiping Road Mosque, Caoqiao Mosque, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, Hushu Mosque, South Gate Mosque, Changjiang Road Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque. The article preserves founding dates, women's mosque history, Da Pusheng family records, stone tablets, ancient trees, and surviving architectural details.

















The front hall of the former Taiping Road Mosque served as the office for the chairman of the Chinese Islamic Association between 1945 and 1949, where Bai Chongxi once worked.

















The brick carving titled 'Purifying the Heart and Gazing at the Palace' (xixin zhanque) from the water room of the former Taiping Road Mosque.



The former Taiping Road Mosque collection includes the 'Postscript to the Filial Piety Arch for Mother' written by Jiang Guobang. It records that Jiang, a wealthy Nanjing merchant, lost his father early and was raised by his mother, Madam Ma. In 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong reign), he petitioned to build a memorial arch for his mother's filial piety. Due to the change in government, it was finally completed in 1914.

Jiang Guobang came from the wealthy Jiang merchant family of Jinling, but he was indifferent to fame and wealth, dedicating himself to the study of traditional Chinese classics. Jiang Guobang was very filial. To provide his mother with a good place for her retirement, he spent a large sum of money to buy the Small Ten Thousand Willow Hall (xiaowanliutang) by West Lake in Hangzhou, later naming it 'Jiang Manor' (Jiangzhuang), which was one of the three major manors of West Lake at the time. Jiang Guobang oversaw the reconstruction of the Taiping Road Mosque in 1924 and later built a filial piety arch for his mother inside the mosque. The arch no longer exists, leaving only the stone tablet record.







The Qing dynasty well railing and the Guangxu reign stone tablet at Caoqiao Mosque. Caoqiao Mosque was first built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, destroyed by fire during the Taiping Rebellion, and rebuilt in the early years of the Tongzhi reign. Because it was located in Qijiawan, a neighborhood where Hui Muslims lived, Caoqiao Mosque once had the largest number of congregants in Nanjing. Historically, Caoqiao Mosque had no property of its own; its daily expenses were covered by the Beef and Bone Trade Association located within the mosque. After 1958, Caoqiao Mosque was occupied and later rented to the Nanjing Woodware Factory, suffering severe damage. The property was returned in 1985 but remained closed until it was demolished in 2003.







Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque.

Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was first built in the late Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. It is one of the few remaining old buildings among the 33 mosques in Nanjing from the Republic of China era. The mihrab (mihalabu) niche currently in Jingjue Mosque was moved here from the Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque. Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was used as a residence for a long time. It has now been vacated and may be put to new use.

In 1917, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque founded the private Wuben Primary School to teach cultural subjects and Islamic knowledge. It moved to the entrance of Xiaowangfu Lane on Fengfu Road in 1953 and became a municipal school in 1956.



















Hushu Mosque.

Hushu Mosque was first built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign). It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign). In 1911, five tile-roofed rooms were built on the left side in front of the main hall, with the water room on the left, dormitories on the right, and a guest hall in the middle. In 1919, three rooms of the front hall, five rooms of the main hall, and two rooms of the east wing at the main gate were rebuilt.

Around 1932, a primary school for Hui Muslim children was established inside Hushu Mosque, which moved out of the mosque in 1956. In 1964, the main hall of Hushu Mosque was demolished during the 'Four Cleanups Movement' and was occupied by the Hushu Straw Bag Factory, Hushu Hardware Factory, and Hushu Supply and Marketing Cooperative during the Cultural Revolution. The main hall was rebuilt in 1988. The roof of the main hall at Hushu Mosque was originally built in a palace style with upturned eaves, but it was changed to a flat roof after renovations.







The gate piers from the original construction in 1392.







A ginkgo tree transplanted in 1689.









Liuhe South Gate Mosque.

Liuhe once had seven mosques and three schools for women. Today, the Changjiang Road Mosque, South Gate Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque are open, and the historic buildings of the South Gate Women's School and Zhuzhen Women's School have been preserved.

Liuhe South Gate Mosque was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), renovated in 1553 (the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and later rebuilt. One of the four famous imams of the Republic of China, Imam Da Pusheng, had three generations of his family—from his great-grandfather to his father—serve as the imam at South Gate Mosque. The old Da family home is on Qingzhen Street right at the mosque entrance. Imam Da Pusheng studied the scriptures at South Gate Mosque for seven years from the age of 10 to 17, before moving on to Nanjing and Beijing for further studies.

The ancestors of the Baiyetang Da family, to which Imam Da Pusheng belonged, were from the Western Regions during the Yuan Dynasty. Research shows they belonged to the Kipchak Yuliberi tribe, and his ancestor served as a darughachi in Zhenjiang before passing away there. His sixth-generation ancestor, Da Shanyu, moved from Zhenjiang to Liuhe in the early Ming Dynasty to take up a position as a county assistant. He settled in Liuhe, making this the oldest Hui Muslim family from the Western Regions in the area.

After 1966, South Gate Mosque was occupied by a kindergarten, during which time the Shamao Hall (a secondary hall), the north wing, the red gate, and the entrance hall were demolished. The kindergarten moved out in 1975, and the site was later borrowed by Baozhen Primary School. It was finally reclaimed in 2000 when the school moved out. In 2013, the main hall was raised and rebuilt. Later, the Tongxin Tower and Tongxing Building were added, and the site was finally opened for use in 2020.



















Stone carvings and ancient trees at Liuhe South Gate Mosque:

A stone tablet from the seventh year of the Daoguang reign commemorating a house donation by a Hui Muslim named Li.



A boundary marker for the mosque.



A stone tablet from the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, recording that South Gate Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng period, many Hui Muslims from the local militia died in battle, and the government later stepped in to protect the graves.



A couplet written by Wang Jianli in the 10th year of the Republic of China: 'Keep your heart pure and clean as if in the afterlife, return to the truth and simplicity just the same.'



Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the main gate.





A 460-year-old Chinese juniper in front of the main hall, classified as a first-class ancient tree.





Liuhe Women's School.

The Liuhe Muslim Women's School began in 1912, and the current building was constructed in 1930. It was later used as a funeral home for Hui Muslims and is a rare surviving example of a Muslim women's school from the Republic of China era.

Traditionally, these women's schools did not form formal classes, did not call the adhan, did not hold Jumu'ah or Eid prayers, and the female imam (shiniang) did not lead the prayer from the front, but instead stood in the middle of the first row. Women's mosques (nuxue) do not have minarets, and the main prayer hall does not have a pulpit (minbar). Female imams (shiniang) lead the local women in their religious duties and teach them about the faith.

Women's mosques emerged in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, starting in Henan and spreading to nearby areas in Hebei, Shandong, and Anhui. In the early Republic of China, the New Culture Movement and the women's liberation movement helped Hui Muslims understand the ideas of promoting women's education and ending foot-binding. The number of women's mosques grew quickly, with over 100 in Henan province alone, and many more built in other provinces.

During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Nanjing had two women's mosques at Hanximen and Changle Street. During the Republic of China, four more were built at Fangjia Lane, Zhuganli, Shigu Road, and Dahuifu Lane, but all of these have since been torn down. In the early Republic of China, Liuhe had three women's mosques at Houjie, Nanmenwai, and Zhuzhen. The historical buildings at Nanmenwai and Zhuzhen still stand today.













Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque.

The Changjiang Road Mosque was originally called Chengqingfang, and was also known as the Liuhe North Mosque, the City Mosque, or the Da Family Mosque. It was built in 1424 (the 22nd year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) by the Da family, who had lived in Liuhe for generations. The Changjiang Road Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Xianfeng period. It was later rebuilt through donations from the imam Liu Weiting and local elders. In 1885 (the 11th year of the Guangxu reign), Da Guangyong donated money to build a reception hall. In 1928, Wang Dashi, the widow of the wealthy merchant Wang Zuochen and aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng, donated money to build the Wuxin Pavilion on the site of the original Wangyue Tower.

In 1899, the great imam Da Pusheng returned to his hometown of Liuhe from the Niujie Mosque in Beijing to serve as the imam of the Changjiang Road Mosque. It was not until 1905, when Imam Wang Kuan of Niujie went on the Hajj, that Imam Da returned to the Niujie Mosque to serve as the acting imam and lead religious affairs. Imam Da founded the Guangyi Primary School inside the Changjiang Road Mosque to promote modern education. He offered courses in Chinese and Arabic, scripture, geography, history, and mathematics, marking the first transition from traditional scripture hall teaching to modern education. In a memoir from the early 1950s, Imam Da wrote: 'I worked hard for six years. Perhaps moved by the success of Guangyi Primary School, the local Hui Muslims supported the school with great effort. Looking back, it was not easy to struggle at that time, patiently convincing stubborn traditionalists and acting courageously without being accused of going against the faith!'

After 1966, the Changjiang Road Mosque was occupied by a theater troupe and a cultural troupe. It was returned and reopened in 1983.



















Existing stone tablets at the Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque:





The 11th-year Guangxu tablet records Da Guangyong's donation to build the reception rooms at the Liuhe City Mosque. Da Guangyong was an 18th-generation descendant of the Baiyetang Da family, held a minor official rank, and lived to be 81.



The 25th-year Guangxu tablet, titled 'Record of the Renovation of the Tangyi City Mosque and the Surrounding Market Shops,' documents the specific situation of the Changjiang Road Mosque during the Guangxu period. All those who signed it were local Hui Muslims from the Da family.



The 17th-year Republic of China tablet, regarding Wang Dashi's donation to help repair the Wangyue Pavilion and redeem market shops, records that Dashi, the wife of the Zhuzhen elder Wang Zuochen, donated money to build the Wangyue Pavilion. Wang Zuochen was a Hui Muslim from Zhuzhen, Liuhe. He ran a grain business on North Street in Zhuzhen for decades and was very devout, never missing his prayers. However, he was suddenly kidnapped by bandits in 1925 and was never heard from again. Wang Zuochen's wife, Dashi, was also very devout and had founded the Zhuzhen Women's School. After her husband went missing, Dashi spent years asking people to help find him, but there was no result. Because Wang Zuochen had no brothers or children, Dashi donated all the family's money to the Zhuzhen Mosque and to build the Wangyue Pavilion at the Changjiang Road Mosque.





Inside the mosque, there is a 350-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree.







Zhuzhen Mosque

Zhuzhen Mosque was originally located outside the East Bridge. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and rebuilt in 1901 (the 27th year of the Guangxu reign) in Wangjia Lane in the middle of the old street. In 1968, Zhuzhen Mosque was turned into a dormitory for teachers at an agricultural middle school. It was reclaimed and reopened in 1983, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2001.

In 1939, the imam of Zhuzhen Mosque, Li Shudu, formed the Hui Muslim Anti-Japanese Independent Guerrilla Battalion and served as its commander. He worked with the New Fourth Army and made significant contributions to the anti-Japanese cause.

Additionally, in 1939, Hui Muslims from the 'Qiaobang' group in the Gaoyou and Lingtang areas built a mosque near Xinhua Garden on the west side of Zhuzhen. After 1966, it was converted into a Hui Muslim food processing factory.





Zhuzhen Mosque still has a door plaque from the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu reign, inscribed with 'Built by the Zhudun Community.' Zhudun is the old name for Zhuzhen.















Liuhe Zhuzhen Mosque houses a Qing Dynasty stone well called 'Songquan,' two pairs of drum-shaped stone bases, and a 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China) stele recording the will of Wang Zuochen's wife, Madam Da. Madam Da was the aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng. The inscription records that the Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded by Wang Zuochen and fellow members of the faith, who also provided all the funding. Later, Wang Zuochen was kidnapped by bandits and remained missing for several years. Because of this, his wife, Madam Da, decided to donate all their family farmland and property, except for a portion used for her own support. The funds were mainly for the daily expenses of the Zhuzhen Girls' School, with the remainder going to Zhuzhen Mosque. The inscription mentions her 'nephew Da Pusheng.'







Across from Zhuzhen Mosque, there is a shop selling small-mill sesame oil (xiaomo mayou), and there are only hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops in town.









Zhuzhen Girls' School

Zhuzhen Girls' School features typical Jianghuai architectural style. The entrance hall and the main hall form a small courtyard, and both sides have classic Hui-style horse-head walls (matouqiang).

Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded in 1921 by Wang Zuochen, the uncle-in-law of the great imam Da Pusheng, along with fellow members of the faith in Zhuzhen. It was originally located on Zhuzhen Middle Street and was rebuilt in 1931 by Wu Tieqian and others along the south riverbank outside the East Bridge. After 1966, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was occupied by the Hui Muslim food processing factory. It was renovated in 2007 and is currently not open to the public. During the Republic of China era, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was led by two female imams, Teacher Dai and Teacher Bai, who taught scriptures and religious doctrines to local Hui Muslim women.

Wu Tieqian was a famous Hui Muslim anti-Japanese patriotic businessman. His original name was Wu Jiashan. At age 22, he inherited his father's business and ran the Wudeyuan Grain Store. After 1938, when the New Fourth Army entered Zhuzhen to lead the anti-Japanese resistance, Wu Tieqian took the lead in donating grain, money, and guns. He also served as the chairman of the Zhuzhen Merchants' Anti-Enemy Association. In 1942, Wu Tieqian became the first mayor of the Zhuzhen Anti-Japanese Democratic Government. He took risks to rescue and protect many comrades and also mobilized ambitious young people to join the revolution. After the founding of New China, Wu Tieqian was elected as the vice director of the Nanjing Islamic Association. He passed away (guizhen) in 1967. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This fourth part of the Jiangsu mosque series records historic mosque sites in Nanjing and Liuhe, including Taiping Road Mosque, Caoqiao Mosque, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, Hushu Mosque, South Gate Mosque, Changjiang Road Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque. The article preserves founding dates, women's mosque history, Da Pusheng family records, stone tablets, ancient trees, and surviving architectural details.

















The front hall of the former Taiping Road Mosque served as the office for the chairman of the Chinese Islamic Association between 1945 and 1949, where Bai Chongxi once worked.

















The brick carving titled 'Purifying the Heart and Gazing at the Palace' (xixin zhanque) from the water room of the former Taiping Road Mosque.



The former Taiping Road Mosque collection includes the 'Postscript to the Filial Piety Arch for Mother' written by Jiang Guobang. It records that Jiang, a wealthy Nanjing merchant, lost his father early and was raised by his mother, Madam Ma. In 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong reign), he petitioned to build a memorial arch for his mother's filial piety. Due to the change in government, it was finally completed in 1914.

Jiang Guobang came from the wealthy Jiang merchant family of Jinling, but he was indifferent to fame and wealth, dedicating himself to the study of traditional Chinese classics. Jiang Guobang was very filial. To provide his mother with a good place for her retirement, he spent a large sum of money to buy the Small Ten Thousand Willow Hall (xiaowanliutang) by West Lake in Hangzhou, later naming it 'Jiang Manor' (Jiangzhuang), which was one of the three major manors of West Lake at the time. Jiang Guobang oversaw the reconstruction of the Taiping Road Mosque in 1924 and later built a filial piety arch for his mother inside the mosque. The arch no longer exists, leaving only the stone tablet record.







The Qing dynasty well railing and the Guangxu reign stone tablet at Caoqiao Mosque. Caoqiao Mosque was first built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, destroyed by fire during the Taiping Rebellion, and rebuilt in the early years of the Tongzhi reign. Because it was located in Qijiawan, a neighborhood where Hui Muslims lived, Caoqiao Mosque once had the largest number of congregants in Nanjing. Historically, Caoqiao Mosque had no property of its own; its daily expenses were covered by the Beef and Bone Trade Association located within the mosque. After 1958, Caoqiao Mosque was occupied and later rented to the Nanjing Woodware Factory, suffering severe damage. The property was returned in 1985 but remained closed until it was demolished in 2003.







Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque.

Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was first built in the late Tongzhi reign of the Qing dynasty. It is one of the few remaining old buildings among the 33 mosques in Nanjing from the Republic of China era. The mihrab (mihalabu) niche currently in Jingjue Mosque was moved here from the Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque. Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque was used as a residence for a long time. It has now been vacated and may be put to new use.

In 1917, Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque founded the private Wuben Primary School to teach cultural subjects and Islamic knowledge. It moved to the entrance of Xiaowangfu Lane on Fengfu Road in 1953 and became a municipal school in 1956.



















Hushu Mosque.

Hushu Mosque was first built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign). It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign). In 1911, five tile-roofed rooms were built on the left side in front of the main hall, with the water room on the left, dormitories on the right, and a guest hall in the middle. In 1919, three rooms of the front hall, five rooms of the main hall, and two rooms of the east wing at the main gate were rebuilt.

Around 1932, a primary school for Hui Muslim children was established inside Hushu Mosque, which moved out of the mosque in 1956. In 1964, the main hall of Hushu Mosque was demolished during the 'Four Cleanups Movement' and was occupied by the Hushu Straw Bag Factory, Hushu Hardware Factory, and Hushu Supply and Marketing Cooperative during the Cultural Revolution. The main hall was rebuilt in 1988. The roof of the main hall at Hushu Mosque was originally built in a palace style with upturned eaves, but it was changed to a flat roof after renovations.







The gate piers from the original construction in 1392.







A ginkgo tree transplanted in 1689.









Liuhe South Gate Mosque.

Liuhe once had seven mosques and three schools for women. Today, the Changjiang Road Mosque, South Gate Mosque, and Zhuzhen Mosque are open, and the historic buildings of the South Gate Women's School and Zhuzhen Women's School have been preserved.

Liuhe South Gate Mosque was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), renovated in 1553 (the 32nd year of the Jiajing reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, and later rebuilt. One of the four famous imams of the Republic of China, Imam Da Pusheng, had three generations of his family—from his great-grandfather to his father—serve as the imam at South Gate Mosque. The old Da family home is on Qingzhen Street right at the mosque entrance. Imam Da Pusheng studied the scriptures at South Gate Mosque for seven years from the age of 10 to 17, before moving on to Nanjing and Beijing for further studies.

The ancestors of the Baiyetang Da family, to which Imam Da Pusheng belonged, were from the Western Regions during the Yuan Dynasty. Research shows they belonged to the Kipchak Yuliberi tribe, and his ancestor served as a darughachi in Zhenjiang before passing away there. His sixth-generation ancestor, Da Shanyu, moved from Zhenjiang to Liuhe in the early Ming Dynasty to take up a position as a county assistant. He settled in Liuhe, making this the oldest Hui Muslim family from the Western Regions in the area.

After 1966, South Gate Mosque was occupied by a kindergarten, during which time the Shamao Hall (a secondary hall), the north wing, the red gate, and the entrance hall were demolished. The kindergarten moved out in 1975, and the site was later borrowed by Baozhen Primary School. It was finally reclaimed in 2000 when the school moved out. In 2013, the main hall was raised and rebuilt. Later, the Tongxin Tower and Tongxing Building were added, and the site was finally opened for use in 2020.



















Stone carvings and ancient trees at Liuhe South Gate Mosque:

A stone tablet from the seventh year of the Daoguang reign commemorating a house donation by a Hui Muslim named Li.



A boundary marker for the mosque.



A stone tablet from the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, recording that South Gate Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng period, many Hui Muslims from the local militia died in battle, and the government later stepped in to protect the graves.



A couplet written by Wang Jianli in the 10th year of the Republic of China: 'Keep your heart pure and clean as if in the afterlife, return to the truth and simplicity just the same.'



Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the main gate.





A 460-year-old Chinese juniper in front of the main hall, classified as a first-class ancient tree.





Liuhe Women's School.

The Liuhe Muslim Women's School began in 1912, and the current building was constructed in 1930. It was later used as a funeral home for Hui Muslims and is a rare surviving example of a Muslim women's school from the Republic of China era.

Traditionally, these women's schools did not form formal classes, did not call the adhan, did not hold Jumu'ah or Eid prayers, and the female imam (shiniang) did not lead the prayer from the front, but instead stood in the middle of the first row. Women's mosques (nuxue) do not have minarets, and the main prayer hall does not have a pulpit (minbar). Female imams (shiniang) lead the local women in their religious duties and teach them about the faith.

Women's mosques emerged in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, starting in Henan and spreading to nearby areas in Hebei, Shandong, and Anhui. In the early Republic of China, the New Culture Movement and the women's liberation movement helped Hui Muslims understand the ideas of promoting women's education and ending foot-binding. The number of women's mosques grew quickly, with over 100 in Henan province alone, and many more built in other provinces.

During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Nanjing had two women's mosques at Hanximen and Changle Street. During the Republic of China, four more were built at Fangjia Lane, Zhuganli, Shigu Road, and Dahuifu Lane, but all of these have since been torn down. In the early Republic of China, Liuhe had three women's mosques at Houjie, Nanmenwai, and Zhuzhen. The historical buildings at Nanmenwai and Zhuzhen still stand today.













Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque.

The Changjiang Road Mosque was originally called Chengqingfang, and was also known as the Liuhe North Mosque, the City Mosque, or the Da Family Mosque. It was built in 1424 (the 22nd year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) by the Da family, who had lived in Liuhe for generations. The Changjiang Road Mosque was destroyed by the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Xianfeng period. It was later rebuilt through donations from the imam Liu Weiting and local elders. In 1885 (the 11th year of the Guangxu reign), Da Guangyong donated money to build a reception hall. In 1928, Wang Dashi, the widow of the wealthy merchant Wang Zuochen and aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng, donated money to build the Wuxin Pavilion on the site of the original Wangyue Tower.

In 1899, the great imam Da Pusheng returned to his hometown of Liuhe from the Niujie Mosque in Beijing to serve as the imam of the Changjiang Road Mosque. It was not until 1905, when Imam Wang Kuan of Niujie went on the Hajj, that Imam Da returned to the Niujie Mosque to serve as the acting imam and lead religious affairs. Imam Da founded the Guangyi Primary School inside the Changjiang Road Mosque to promote modern education. He offered courses in Chinese and Arabic, scripture, geography, history, and mathematics, marking the first transition from traditional scripture hall teaching to modern education. In a memoir from the early 1950s, Imam Da wrote: 'I worked hard for six years. Perhaps moved by the success of Guangyi Primary School, the local Hui Muslims supported the school with great effort. Looking back, it was not easy to struggle at that time, patiently convincing stubborn traditionalists and acting courageously without being accused of going against the faith!'

After 1966, the Changjiang Road Mosque was occupied by a theater troupe and a cultural troupe. It was returned and reopened in 1983.



















Existing stone tablets at the Liuhe Changjiang Road Mosque:





The 11th-year Guangxu tablet records Da Guangyong's donation to build the reception rooms at the Liuhe City Mosque. Da Guangyong was an 18th-generation descendant of the Baiyetang Da family, held a minor official rank, and lived to be 81.



The 25th-year Guangxu tablet, titled 'Record of the Renovation of the Tangyi City Mosque and the Surrounding Market Shops,' documents the specific situation of the Changjiang Road Mosque during the Guangxu period. All those who signed it were local Hui Muslims from the Da family.



The 17th-year Republic of China tablet, regarding Wang Dashi's donation to help repair the Wangyue Pavilion and redeem market shops, records that Dashi, the wife of the Zhuzhen elder Wang Zuochen, donated money to build the Wangyue Pavilion. Wang Zuochen was a Hui Muslim from Zhuzhen, Liuhe. He ran a grain business on North Street in Zhuzhen for decades and was very devout, never missing his prayers. However, he was suddenly kidnapped by bandits in 1925 and was never heard from again. Wang Zuochen's wife, Dashi, was also very devout and had founded the Zhuzhen Women's School. After her husband went missing, Dashi spent years asking people to help find him, but there was no result. Because Wang Zuochen had no brothers or children, Dashi donated all the family's money to the Zhuzhen Mosque and to build the Wangyue Pavilion at the Changjiang Road Mosque.





Inside the mosque, there is a 350-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree.







Zhuzhen Mosque

Zhuzhen Mosque was originally located outside the East Bridge. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and rebuilt in 1901 (the 27th year of the Guangxu reign) in Wangjia Lane in the middle of the old street. In 1968, Zhuzhen Mosque was turned into a dormitory for teachers at an agricultural middle school. It was reclaimed and reopened in 1983, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2001.

In 1939, the imam of Zhuzhen Mosque, Li Shudu, formed the Hui Muslim Anti-Japanese Independent Guerrilla Battalion and served as its commander. He worked with the New Fourth Army and made significant contributions to the anti-Japanese cause.

Additionally, in 1939, Hui Muslims from the 'Qiaobang' group in the Gaoyou and Lingtang areas built a mosque near Xinhua Garden on the west side of Zhuzhen. After 1966, it was converted into a Hui Muslim food processing factory.





Zhuzhen Mosque still has a door plaque from the Qing Dynasty's Guangxu reign, inscribed with 'Built by the Zhudun Community.' Zhudun is the old name for Zhuzhen.















Liuhe Zhuzhen Mosque houses a Qing Dynasty stone well called 'Songquan,' two pairs of drum-shaped stone bases, and a 1927 (the 16th year of the Republic of China) stele recording the will of Wang Zuochen's wife, Madam Da. Madam Da was the aunt of the great imam Da Pusheng. The inscription records that the Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded by Wang Zuochen and fellow members of the faith, who also provided all the funding. Later, Wang Zuochen was kidnapped by bandits and remained missing for several years. Because of this, his wife, Madam Da, decided to donate all their family farmland and property, except for a portion used for her own support. The funds were mainly for the daily expenses of the Zhuzhen Girls' School, with the remainder going to Zhuzhen Mosque. The inscription mentions her 'nephew Da Pusheng.'







Across from Zhuzhen Mosque, there is a shop selling small-mill sesame oil (xiaomo mayou), and there are only hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops in town.









Zhuzhen Girls' School

Zhuzhen Girls' School features typical Jianghuai architectural style. The entrance hall and the main hall form a small courtyard, and both sides have classic Hui-style horse-head walls (matouqiang).

Zhuzhen Girls' School was founded in 1921 by Wang Zuochen, the uncle-in-law of the great imam Da Pusheng, along with fellow members of the faith in Zhuzhen. It was originally located on Zhuzhen Middle Street and was rebuilt in 1931 by Wu Tieqian and others along the south riverbank outside the East Bridge. After 1966, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was occupied by the Hui Muslim food processing factory. It was renovated in 2007 and is currently not open to the public. During the Republic of China era, the Zhuzhen Girls' School was led by two female imams, Teacher Dai and Teacher Bai, who taught scriptures and religious doctrines to local Hui Muslim women.

Wu Tieqian was a famous Hui Muslim anti-Japanese patriotic businessman. His original name was Wu Jiashan. At age 22, he inherited his father's business and ran the Wudeyuan Grain Store. After 1938, when the New Fourth Army entered Zhuzhen to lead the anti-Japanese resistance, Wu Tieqian took the lead in donating grain, money, and guns. He also served as the chairman of the Zhuzhen Merchants' Anti-Enemy Association. In 1942, Wu Tieqian became the first mayor of the Zhuzhen Anti-Japanese Democratic Government. He took risks to rescue and protect many comrades and also mobilized ambitious young people to join the revolution. After the founding of New China, Wu Tieqian was elected as the vice director of the Nanjing Islamic Association. He passed away (guizhen) in 1967. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This second part of the Jiangsu mosque series documents historic mosque communities, old prayer halls, inscriptions, and Hui Muslim settlement history in the province. The article keeps the original dates, place names, architectural terms, community records, and image order intact.







Gaoyou Mosque

I visited Gaoyou Mosque in 2021, only to find out it was only open for Friday prayers (Jumu'ah). This time, I specifically came for Jumu'ah and finally got to enter the mosque.

Gaoyou Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty. According to the Records of Gaoyou Prefecture (Qing Qianlong era), the mosque was rebuilt in 1864 (the third year of the Tongzhi reign) by local elders Ma Guixing, Liu Tianxing, and Ma Hongxing. The current gate features a stone plaque inscribed with 'Rebuilt in the middle of winter, the second year of the Qing Tongzhi reign,' along with the title 'Respectfully repaired by the Gaoyou Prefecture office.'

Gaoyou Mosque consists of a gate and a main prayer hall, forming an elegant and beautiful traditional Jianghuai-style courtyard. Inside, there is a 175-year-old boxwood (guazi huangyang) tree, a 225-year-old Chinese juniper (yuanbai) tree, and an ancient Qing Dynasty well.



















The main prayer hall at Gaoyou Mosque is quite small, and its prayer niche (mihrab) follows the traditional Jiangsu style. The congregation for Jumu'ah is mostly made up of Northwest Chinese Muslims who run local hand-pulled noodle (lamian) shops. This is the current situation for many mosques in the southeastern region.



















Lingtang Mosque

By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, Lingtang already had a mosque in 'Huihui Bay' by Gaoyou Lake, but it was later destroyed by floods. In the mid-Ming Dynasty, it moved to Yangdazhuang, then to its current location in the early Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt in 1844 (the 24th year of the Qing Daoguang reign), expanded again in 1921, and completed in 1924.















The golden osmanthus (jingui) tree next to the prayer hall was planted when local elder Xue Yukuan and his wife, Mrs. Xue Yang, had an imam perform their marriage ceremony (nikah). It is now over 130 years old.

















The exhibition hall at Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque displays a water kettle (tangping hu) gifted by the Jizhaoying Mosque in Nanjing during the Qing Dynasty, as well as Republic-era water kettles, a bronze Xuande incense burner, blue-and-white porcelain incense burners, and the boiler (guozhengzi) and bucket used in the mosque's 1950s washroom. The boiler was used to heat water, and the bucket had a hole at the bottom; pulling out the wooden plug allowed for a shower.

















The mosque is also a heritage site for the Yangzhou intangible cultural heritage known as 'Lingtang Hui Muslim Customs.'



Shaobo Mosque

Traveling north from Yangzhou city along the Grand Canal, the first place you reach is the ancient town of Shaobo. Historically, Shaobo was a bustling canal trading port and a key route connecting Yangzhou and Gaoyou. The ancient town still preserves a three-mile-long stone path and over 20 ancient houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Shaobo Mosque is said to have been built by Hui Muslims from Shandong during the Xianfeng reign. The gate and main hall still stand, and it is a protected cultural site in the Jiangdu District of Yangzhou. The mosque was once used as a residence and is currently abandoned.

The gate still has its original plaque and drum-shaped stone bases. The main hall is a hard-gable style building with blue bricks and dark tiles, typical of Jianghuai architecture.















Yangzhou Shaobo Mosque is three bays wide and seven purlins deep. The gable walls feature brick wind-bracing, the ridge purlin is supported by a dougong bracket system, and the columns rest on ancient mirror-style bases with carved patterns. Besides the main hall, Shaobo Mosque once had other buildings, but now only stone remains like column bases are left.































Xianhe Mosque

Xianhe Mosque is located on Nanmen Street in Yangzhou. It was founded in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign) by the Western Region sage Puhading before he passed away. It was rebuilt in 1390 (the 23rd year of the Ming Hongwu reign) by Ha San, renovated in 1523 (the third year of the Jiajing reign) by merchant Ma Zongdao and the imam Ha Ming, and repaired again in 1791 (the 56th year of the Qianlong reign).

The gatehouse has a single-eave, ridge-roofed, hard-mountain style roof, with some wooden parts dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases in front of the gate are very exquisite and rare among mosques in China.







The Xianhe Mosque layout uses small courtyards instead of the traditional four-sided courtyard style common in northern mosques. Xianhe Mosque divides the lecture hall, main prayer hall, and gate into three separate small courtyards, and the addition of a moon-viewing pavilion (wangyue ting) and covered walkways outside the south wall of the main hall gives the mosque a garden-like atmosphere.































Inside Xianhe Mosque stands a 745-year-old ginkgo tree, the oldest surviving ginkgo in Yangzhou.







Majianxiang Mosque

Majianxiang Mosque is located on Majianxiang Street near Yangzhou's East Gate. According to the Hui Muslims' Gu Family Genealogy, it was built in 1714 (the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign) by Gu Yuanbing, a 24th-generation descendant of Pu-ha-ding.

Majianxiang Mosque originally had dozens of rooms, including a gate hall, memorial archway, main prayer hall, reception hall, water room (shuifang), side rooms, and dormitories. Today, only the main prayer hall, a reception hall, and the water room remain. In the early years of the Republic of China, the mosque housed the second Yangzhou branch of the Beijing-based Zhenzong Newspaper and a religious book and newspaper room.

In 1932, Liu Binru, a famous Yangzhou imam and one of the founders of the China Islamic Association, along with Hua Ruzhou, then a director of the Jiangdu County Hui Muslim Association, established the China Islamic Scripture Translation Institute here to translate religious texts. Liu Binru, who was fluent in Arabic and Persian, was responsible for translating the Arabic originals, while Hua Ruzhou translated summaries from the English version by the Indian Islamic scholar Muhammad Ali, which were attached before each section of the scripture. On January 1, 1935, the Chinese Translation of the Quran with Ali's Summaries was officially published with an initial print run of 2,000 copies, sold by major bookstores across the country.

In 1933, the Yangzhou Islamic Association founded the Hui Muslim Cultural Institute at Majianxiang Mosque, led by Liu Binru. to teaching Arabic, the institute offered Chinese, English, and arithmetic, equivalent to upper elementary to junior high school levels, using a classroom-based teaching method instead of the traditional individual scripture hall instruction. Teachers included the Arabic-proficient Majianxiang imam Hua Jinhou, imam Ruan Dechang, imam Lan Baohua of the Huihui Tang Mosque outside the East Gate, and Liu Binru. They also hired Hui Muslim Association members Shen Junchen and Zhang Shaozhe to teach Chinese and arithmetic, and Hua Ruzhou to teach English.

Between 1934 and 1935, the missionary Claude L. Pickens visited Majianxiang Mosque and saw the reading room inside, which contained many books and magazines. He photographed the Gu Gong Memorial Stele erected in 1931. The inscription records the life of the mosque director Gu Sisu, who served for 11 years, repaired the water room and market shops, and built a new greenhouse, making great contributions to the mosque. He passed away in 1930, before the age of 40.

In 1958, Majianxiang Mosque was converted into a factory workshop and occupied by a craft sign factory, a sack factory, and a brush factory. The property was not recovered until 1997, and it was listed as a municipal cultural relic protection unit in 2008; it is currently used as a residence.















Huihui Tang Mosque

Legend says Pu-ha-ding was a 16th-generation descendant of the Prophet. He came to Yangzhou during the Xianchun period of the Song Dynasty (1265-1274) and died in Yangzhou in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign). He was buried on a high ridge east of the East Gate River in the New City, a place later called Huihui Tang (commonly known as Baba Tomb).

According to oral traditions from local Yangzhou imams, as told by imam Lan Baohua of Huihui Tang on July 17, 1947, Pu-ha-ding was born in 1204 (the 4th year of the Song Jiatai reign) into an aristocratic Arab merchant family and was the 16th-generation descendant of the Prophet. Pu-ha-ding was highly learned and well-versed in scripture and law. At age 57, following the saying 'Seek knowledge even if it is in China,' he spent four years preparing and, at age 61, led a team of 17 people across the Arabian Sea to China.

Pu-ha-ding arrived in Yangzhou in 1265 (the 1st year of the Song Xianchun reign). During his 10 years in Yangzhou, he presided over the founding of Xianhe Mosque, expanded the ancient mosque outside the South Gate, and rebuilt the Nanchao Guan Mosque. He died on a boat in 1275 (the 12th year of the Yuan Zhiyuan reign) while returning from a lecture, at the age of 71. Guangling Governor Yuan Guang'en buried him on a high ridge on the east bank of the Grand Canal, east of Yangzhou city.

The mosque southwest of the Puhading Cemetery is called Huihui Tang Mosque or Babayao Mosque. It was one of the six traditional Hui Muslim neighborhoods in Yangzhou during the Qing Dynasty and is the only one remaining outside the city walls. The current Babayao Mosque was rebuilt in 1776 (the 41st year of the Qianlong reign) and renovated in 1845 (the 25th year of the Daoguang reign), featuring the traditional architectural style typical of the Huaiyang region.

The main gate of Babayao Mosque is on the southwest side of the Puhading Cemetery. The stone plaque above the gate was installed during the Qianlong reign, and the rectangular stone door pillows have a very elegant design.

The main prayer hall is north of the main gate, right next to the stone-paved road of the Grand Canal, and features upturned eaves. The interior has a hard-mountain roof, floor-to-ceiling slatted partition doors, and a traditional timber-frame structure.





























Inside the north gatehouse of the Puhading Cemetery, there is a stone tablet from 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign) titled 'Record of the Tomb of the Sage from the Western Regions, Puhading.' Besides recording his birth and death, it tells legendary stories that the local community calls 'karamat' (miracles). The inscription records that an old monk from the Dragon King Temple tried to compete with Puhading in spiritual power, but he could not win and eventually submitted. It also records that in the early Qing Dynasty, thieves tried to dig up Puhading's tomb. After they opened the tomb cover, a fierce fire suddenly erupted and burned many of the thieves. Later, they saw there were no remains in the tomb, only a copy of the Quran (Tianjing), a hat, shoes, a fan, and a staff. The inscription is signed by 'the imam of this mosque and others who oversaw the carving.' The imam of this mosque refers to the leader of Babayao Mosque.



Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque

Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque is also called the West City Mosque or the Great West Mosque. Its original construction date is unknown. It was expanded during the Kangxi reign, destroyed by the Taiping Rebellion in 1853 (the 3rd year of the Xianfeng reign), and rebuilt in 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign). According to the 'History of Islam in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu,' the late Imam Tan Yuanshen, who lived to be over eighty, recalled hearing from his grandfather and the elders that before the Kangxi-era expansion, the West City Mosque was just three thatched huts. At that time, the area was sparsely populated and vast; one could see the Zhenjiang city gate tower to the east and Yuntai Mountain to the west.

After Zhenjiang opened as a treaty port, the area outside the West Gate became a busy commercial district. In 1865, the British established a concession by the river. With the opening of the Shanghai-Nanjing Railway, the area outside the West Gate developed further, and Hui Muslims kept moving there to trade and settle around Shanxiang Mosque.

In 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign), Zhenjiang Hui Muslims raised funds to expand Shanxiang Mosque, and the current layout dates back to this renovation.

Shanxiang Mosque consists of a small courtyard and a large courtyard. Entering the main gate, you find the first small courtyard. Passing through the front hall leads to the second small courtyard, with a side door on the side and the second gate directly ahead. Passing through the second gate leads to the third small courtyard, and then a corridor leads into the large courtyard, which contains the prayer hall, the south lecture hall, and the opposite hall. This layout of large and small courtyards is very characteristic of the Jianghuai region.

Main gate







During the War of Resistance, the front hall was used as a classroom for Muyuan Primary School. The plaque above was written by Imam Hua Guilin in 1984, and the couplets were written in 2010 by the famous Beijing Arabic calligrapher Li Wencai. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This third part of the Jiangsu mosque series continues through historic Hui Muslim mosque sites, inscriptions, architectural remains, and community stories across the province. It records mosque relocations, preserved prayer halls, Qing and Republic of China era tablets, family histories, and the changing urban settings around these sites.





The stone door base outside the front hall.



The rockery inside the second small courtyard.



The second gate.







Facing the side gate hall is a green screen door with the circular characters for "halal" written in the center.

After the mosque was smashed and occupied in the 1960s and 1970s, only the side gate hall remained, guarded by an elder named Ma Zhonglin. The occupying unit tried to force Ma Zhonglin out with various excuses, but he refused them all and spent ten difficult years there. During those ten years, all the Hui Muslims in Zhenjiang stored funeral supplies and held funeral preparations in this gate hall. At that time, only elder Ma Zhonglin washed the bodies of the deceased, performed the funeral dua (namaz), and recited dua at the gravesite. He also slaughtered poultry for the village elders in the side gate hall every morning.

In 1981, elder Ma Zhonglin passed away. Afterward, Tan Quanhong and Zhang Dagui took turns slaughtering poultry for the elders in the side gate hall every morning. That same year, the occupying unit began to move out, and the Shanxiang Mosque was finally recovered.







The third small courtyard outside the second gate.









The large courtyard. The courtyard has a cross-shaped path and is planted with pine and ginkgo trees. There were once two ginkgo trees over 200 years old in the courtyard, but they were cut down in 1958 to support the Great Leap Forward steel production.





Shanxiang Mosque was once an important national base for printing and publishing Islamic books. From the Qianlong to the Tongzhi periods of the Qing Dynasty, more than 20 types of philosophical and religious books, including the "Baoming Zhenjing," "Tianfang Dianli," "Guizhen Zongyi," and "Huihui Yuanlai," were woodblock printed in hundreds of editions and shipped across the country by land and water. To this day, the Cultural Palace of Nationalities in Beijing, the Central University for Nationalities Library, and the Peking University Library all hold books printed by the Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the Shanxiang Mosque was severely damaged, and none of its scriptures, woodblock plates, plaques, couplets, furniture, decorations, or other cultural relics survived.



















The opposite hall, decorated with calligraphy hanging in the center and on scrolls.













The traditional winding alley.





The alley name comes from the Persian word "Baba," which is what Hui Muslims often call their elders.



Stone carvings from the Ming and Qing dynasties at the Jianzi Alley Mosque.

Jianzi Lane Mosque was originally called Gurun Mosque. It was first built in Ren'an Ward on Fumin Street and served as a mosque for the Hui Muslims in Zhenjiang during the Yuan Dynasty. According to the 1333 (the fourth year of the Zhishun era of the Yuan Dynasty) Records of Zhishun Zhenjiang, there were 59 Hui Muslim households with 374 people in Zhenjiang during the Yuan Dynasty. The famous Yuan Dynasty Hui Muslim poet Sa Dula served as a darughachi (a seal-holding administrator) for the Zhenjiang Circuit Record Office for three years starting in 1328 (the first year of the Tianli era). According to the Guangxu-era Dantu County Annals, Sa Dula did many good deeds in Zhenjiang, such as stabilizing prices, opening granaries to help the people, curbing powerful servants, and breaking down superstitions. In 1326 (the third year of the Taiding era), a scholar named Zhemaluding, who had passed the provincial examinations in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, served as a professor at the Zhenjiang Circuit Confucian School, which was the highest educational official position at the time.

Gurun Mosque was destroyed at the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty. In 1602 (the 30th year of the Wanli era), it was moved to Jianzi Lane inside the city and became known as Jianzi Lane Mosque. It was renovated three times in 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang era), 1904 (the 30th year of the Guangxu era), and 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong era).

In 1958, Jianzi Lane Mosque was occupied by a knitting factory and a color printing factory. From the 1970s to the early 1980s, the printing factory and other units demolished the main prayer hall, the lobby, and the water room to build factory buildings. A stone tablet titled Record of Gurun Mosque, written in 1620 (the 48th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty) by the scholar Li Yiyang, was used to mix cement, leaving the inscriptions damaged and blurry. The calligrapher for the Wanli renovation tablet was Ma Zhiqi, a Hui Muslim from Xinye, Henan. Ma Zhiqi was a runner-up in the 1610 (the 38th year of the Wanli era) imperial examinations. He was skilled in poetry and calligraphy. Between the Wanli and Chongzhen eras, he wrote renovation tablets for the Xiaopiyuan Mosque in Xi'an, Shaanxi, the Datong Mosque in Shanxi, the Jinshifang Street Mosque in Beijing, and the Wudu Chengguan Mosque in Gansu. In 1982, the Zhenjiang Islamic Association restored the stone tablet and moved it to Shanxiang Mosque, finally preserving it.

The printing factory occupying the mosque did not move out until 1993, and the Islamic Association regained ownership of Jianzi Lane Mosque in 1994. In 2005, when Zhenjiang built the First Building commercial pedestrian street, Jianzi Lane Mosque was completely demolished. A new Gurun Mosque was built on Xuefu Road, and the Wanli renovation tablet, the ancient well railing, and three Qing Dynasty renovation tablets from the original Jianzi Lane Mosque were placed in the courtyard for preservation.

















Qing Dynasty mihrab from the South Gate Mosque.

to the relics from Jianzi Lane Mosque, Gurun Mosque also houses the mihrab tablet from the kiln hall of the South Gate Mosque in Zhenjiang.

The South Gate Mosque in Zhenjiang was located at the east end of Miaojia Lane. It is believed to have been built in the early Qing Dynasty and was an east-facing courtyard house. Opposite the mosque gate stood a row of tall elm trees that provided dense shade. The prayer hall and the opposite hall were both three bays wide. There were tall ginkgo trees on both sides in front of the hall, with guest rooms to the south and a water room, kitchen, and storage room to the north.

In the early 20th century, the imam of the South Gate Mosque was an imam named Ma from Henan. In the early 1920s, he was hired by the community (dost) in Shou County, Anhui, and was succeeded by Imam Wan Shourong. The daily affairs of the mosque were managed by Jin Zhiguang from the Xinchangheng fabric store and Xia Songfu, the father of Xia Rongguang. During the Republic of China era, the firewood and rice market outside the South Gate was very prosperous, and more than 50 Hui Muslim households lived there.

In 1937, the South Gate Mosque was destroyed by war. The mihrab tablet from the kiln hall was kept in the home of Hua Baoren next to the mosque until it was moved to Gurun Mosque in 2005.

The lotus-shaped Arabic script at the top of the stone tablet is the Basmala. The middle part contains verse 163 of the Cow Chapter (Surah Al-Baqarah), and the diamond-shaped inscription at the bottom is in Kufic Arabic calligraphy, which reads: Prostrate yourselves, and worship your Lord.









Xinhe Street Mosque.

Xinhe Street Mosque was built in 1930. Zhenjiang Hui Muslims also commonly called it the Jinde Association. It was originally a private residence purchased with donations from Muslims in both Shanghai and Zhenjiang, so it is a Jiangnan-style courtyard house with three sections and two side wings.

Yihewani, also known as the New Sect, means brothers in Arabic. It was founded by Ma Wanfu from Guoyuan Township, Linxia, after he returned from the Hajj in Mecca at the end of the 19th century, and was later carried on by Hu Songshan. The Ikhwan sect advocates following the scriptures and reforming customs, basing their faith on the Quran and Hadith. They opposed certain traditional practices of the Gedimu sect, such as wearing mourning clothes or calling the adhan when moving into a new home.

The Ikhwan sect spread to the Jiangnan region in the 1920s. In 1926, Imam Ha Decheng and others founded the Jinde Association at the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque in Shanghai to promote Ikhwan teachings. Fa Jiesan (1872-1958), a local Hui Muslim from Zhenjiang who moved to Shanghai, discussed the teachings with Imam Ha Decheng. He accepted the Ikhwan views and returned to Zhenjiang to practice his faith at home according to Ikhwan rituals. Later, funds were raised in both Shanghai and Zhenjiang to build an Ikhwan mosque on Xinhe Street.

After the Ikhwan sect arrived in Zhenjiang, it was generally hard for the middle-aged and elderly to accept, but many young people embraced it. At the time, the new and old sects lived in peace and operated side by side.

The old Xinhe Street mosque had a stone plaque above the main gate engraved with the words 'Mosque' (Huijiaotang), but it no longer exists. The current building consists of three small bays with three courtyards and side rooms. There is a covered patio between the first and second courtyards, a garden gate connecting the second and third, and the third section is a two-story building.







The Zhenjiang Jinde Association usually held a dinner every Saturday night after the evening namaz. They invited an imam to give a sermon (wa'az), and everyone who came to listen was invited to eat. The costs were covered by members who had hired the imam to perform memorial prayers for their ancestors.

During summer and winter breaks, the Jinde Association also organized scripture classes for Hui Muslim children, and families from all sects sent their children to study.

After the mosque was built, many famous imams were hired to lead religious affairs. In 1947, the famous Imam Li Si (Li Zhenji) from Anhui came to the Xinhe Street mosque from the Luohe Mosque in Henan. According to Mr. Xia Rongguang, Imam Li Si was nearly 70 years old at the time. He had a kind and gentle appearance and a refined manner. When he explained the teachings, everyone, regardless of their level of understanding, felt inspired. Because of this, more and more elders from other neighborhoods came to the mosque for Friday Jumu'ah prayers. In the autumn of 1949, Imam Li Si returned to Luohe from Zhenjiang.

In 1950, 43-year-old Imam Zhang Zhushu came to the Xinhe Street mosque to serve as the head imam. Imam Zhang Zhushu was from Xiangfan, Hubei. Mr. Xia Rongguang recalled that he was well-versed in religious teachings and had broad modern knowledge. When he taught, he connected it to real life with vivid, simple language. He attracted ordinary elders and won the praise of intellectuals, and local Muslims in Zhenjiang called him an imam of the new era. In 1953, Imam Zhang Zhushu was invited by the Fuyou Road Mosque in Shanghai to serve as their imam, so he left Zhenjiang.

After that, the elder Tan Jizhen managed the prayers and affairs at the Xinhe Street mosque until it was merged into the Shanxiang Mosque in 1958. It later became a dormitory for a forestry machinery factory and has been abandoned ever since.





Jingjue Mosque

Jingjue Mosque is located on Sanshan Street in the south of Nanjing. It was originally called the Sanshan Street Mosque, but was renamed Jingjue Mosque during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. It is the primary mosque of Nanjing from the Ming era.

One account says Jingjue Mosque was built in 1388 (the 21st year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by imperial order to house officials from the Western Regions who had submitted to the Ming, such as Yibulajin and Kemaruding. Another account says it was built in 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign) by imperial order for Saihazhi, the seventh-generation descendant of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. Both accounts are recorded on Ming Dynasty stone tablets.

According to the 1493 (fifth year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty) inscription titled 'Imperial Decree to Build Two Mosques in Yingtian Prefecture, Jiangnan,' it states: 'In the 21st year of the Hongwu reign, Yibulajin, Kemaluding, and others, originally from the Rumi Kingdom in the Western Regions, followed the Duke of Song to submit to China after conquering the Jinshan and Kaiyuan areas. Therefore, two mosques were built by imperial decree to settle them, and five households including Kemaluding were assigned to live at the Jingjue Mosque near the Moon-Watching Tower (Wangyue Lou).' The family genealogies of two Hui Muslim branches with the surname Ma, known as 'Weiyitang' and 'Bojitang' in Hushu, Nanjing, both record that they are descendants of Ma Gutai and Ma Baihao, who were settled at the Jingjue Mosque at that time.

According to a 1405 (third year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) inscription at the Great Mosque on Huajue Lane in Xi'an, 'On the 14th day of the third month of the 25th year of the Hongwu reign, Saihazhi, the seventh-generation grandson of the Prince of Xianyang, Sai Dianchi, went to the inner court to receive an imperial decree:...two mosques were to be built in two locations, one at Copper Workshop on Sanshan Street in Yingtian Prefecture, Nanjing, and one on Ziwu Lane, Chang'an County, Xi'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province.' The 'Genealogy of Sai Dianchi' records that Saihazhi was granted the hereditary title of Marquis of Xianning, and 'when the Ming Emperor Taizu established the capital in Jinling, he commissioned Saihazhi to build a mosque in Jinling.' After the work was finished, he built the Great Mosque in Chang'an. When the Tiemao Lane Mosque in Taicang, Jiangsu, was rebuilt in the 1980s, a stone tablet was found inside the wall, revealing that the Taicang mosque was also built by Saihazhi.

Additionally, according to the Republic of China era 'Zhongnan and Huaibei Regional Gazetteer,' 'North of the street is the Jingjue Mosque. Wu Ru from the Western Regions came to China during the Ming Dynasty to serve in the Imperial Board of Astronomy. He lived in Nanjing and built this mosque next to his residence.' Therefore, the Jingjue Mosque may have originally been part of Wu Ru's residence.

The Jingjue Mosque was destroyed by fire in 1430 (fifth year of the Xuande reign), and Zheng He requested its reconstruction before his seventh voyage to the Western Oceans. According to the 'Record of the Imperial Decree for Eunuch Zheng He to Rebuild the Mosque,' it states: 'Your request has been received: The mosque on Sanshan Street in Nanjing has been burned down.' 'Because you wish to rebuild it to pray for the safety of the funds, grain, people, and ships for your voyage, this shows your respectful heart. How could this be neglected?' 'As an imperial envoy, since you have already set your heart on this, how could your wish be abandoned?' 'If the personnel and materials you use are insufficient and delay your project, you may draw supplies from the Nanjing Directorate of Palace Servants and the Ministry of Works so that it can be completed in time for the winds to set sail. This is the decree.'

During the Taiping Rebellion, most of the bricks, tiles, and wood from the Jingjue Mosque were dismantled to build the mansion of the feudal prince. After being rebuilt in 1877 (third year of the Guangxu reign) and renovated in 1879 (fifth year of the Guangxu reign), it took on its current layout. In the early years of the Republic of China, the wealthy Nanjing gentleman Jiang Xiudong and his wife funded the construction of the north and south lecture halls and the hall building for the Jingjue Mosque, and it was renovated again in 1957. After the 1960s, the Jingjue Mosque was occupied by a rubber company and the No. 3 Rubber Factory. The remaining Ming Dynasty brick and stone archway and the Butterfly Hall were demolished, and plaques, couplets, and stone tablets were severely damaged. It was reopened in 1983 after renovations in 1982, and the reconstruction of the archway was completed in 1985.



During the Ming Dynasty, the main hall of the Jingjue Mosque had 81 rooms and was built with nanmu wood. The current main hall was rebuilt in 1877 (third year of the Guangxu reign). It is convex-shaped and features a traditional wooden frame structure. The main hall and the opposite hall are connected by a corridor, forming a gong-shaped plan, which is typical of the Jiangnan style. The mihrab niche was moved from the original Xiaowangfu Lane Mosque, and the surrounding wooden carvings of scriptures were carved in 2001.



















The back of the prayer hall connects directly to a high wall, which is a typical practice of Jianghuai courtyard-style architecture and is very rare in the north.





During the 2007 renovation, the main hall was raised by 1 meter. During this process, workers dug two meters deep and unearthed Ming Dynasty glazed tiles, brick carvings, stone railings, and huge Ming Dynasty stone column bases. These bases were twice the diameter of those from the Guangxu period.













The only remaining Ming Dynasty brick and stone archway and the Butterfly Hall were both demolished in the 1960s. The archway was rebuilt in 1985, the Butterfly Hall was rebuilt in 2004, and a new stele pavilion was built in 1996.



















The only Jahriyya mosque in Nanjing.

Inside Nanjing's Jingjue Mosque, there is a stone tablet from the 17th year of the Guangxu reign titled 'Great Transformation to Truth' (Da Hua Gui Zhen). It records how Wu Defa followed his father Wu Dasong's final wishes and donated the back part of their family home at 59 Shigu Road (formerly Xiaofengfu Lane) to build the Shigu Road Mosque. The tablet mentions two Jahriyya imams, Fan Yuncai and Zhan Fengxiang. Witnesses included neighbors surnamed Chen, Cai, Zhou, and Yu; fellow Muslims surnamed Sun, Li, Wu, Zhan, Zong, and Jin; close relatives surnamed Ha, Ma, and Mai; and clan members surnamed Wu. This tablet was originally kept at the Shigu Road Mosque. After the mosque was demolished in 1986 for road expansion, the tablet was moved to Jingjue Mosque.

Shigu Road Mosque is the only Jahriyya mosque in Nanjing. In the late years of the Qianlong reign, a Hui Muslim of the Jahriyya order surnamed Wu from Taiyuan, Shanxi, settled on Shigu Road in Nanjing. Influenced by him, Jahriyya followers (gaomu) began to appear in the Shigu Road, Sanmaogong, and Nantai Lane areas of Nanjing. Most of them worked in the fish fry farming industry. Initially, Nanjing's Jahriyya followers practiced at the Wuxueyuan Mosque (Yuan Mosque) near Shigu Road. During the Taiping Rebellion, Wuxueyuan Mosque was destroyed by war, so the followers moved their practice to the Fengfu Road Mosque. Because their loud chanting style was different, Wu Defa later invited Jahriyya followers to practice at his own home on Shigu Road, eventually founding the Shigu Road Mosque in 1891 (the 17th year of the Guangxu reign).

The Nanjing Jahriyya order belongs to the Beishan Menhuan. The Beishan Menhuan is centered in Beishan, Zhangjiachuan, Gansu. Its leader, Ma Yuanzhang, was well-read in both Islamic and Chinese classics and adopted the ideas of Liu Jielian to explain Islam through Confucianism. After the Shigu Road Mosque was established, Fan Yuncai and Zhan Fengxiang from the Beishan Menhuan served as imams. Imam Fan Yuncai was from Siyang, Jiangsu. During the Republic of China era, his son Fan Zhaofa opened the 'Faji Carriage Company' in Nanjing, which was very successful. In 1905, Wu Wenlian, the grandson of Wu Defa, went to Gansu to study Islamic texts. After completing his studies in 1911, he was appointed by Ma Yuanzhang as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque.

After the Beishan leader Ma Yuanzhang passed away in 1920, his nephew Ma Dianwu took over the leadership. It remained the Beishan Menhuan, overseeing over 100 mosques in places like Zhangjiachuan, Tianshui, and Longnan in Gansu, Qiqihar in Heilongjiang, Runan in Henan, and Long County in Shaanxi. Nanjing's Shigu Road was its only mosque in East China.

In 1937, Ma Dianwu appointed Imam Su Ziying from Zhangjiachuan, Gansu, as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque. Imam Su actively visited other mosques, connected with community elders, and promoted education. This helped the Shigu Road Mosque flourish and trained over 20 students (hailifa). In 1953, Imam Yang Junwen succeeded as the imam of Shigu Road Mosque. In 1958, the mosque closed, and Imam Yang Junwen became an imam at Fengfu Road Mosque. Afterward, Imam Yang no longer maintained contact with the Beishan Menhuan, and his religious practices gradually merged with the Gedimu order.

In 1986, the Shigu Road Mosque was demolished for road widening. Although the mosque closed, some descendants of Nanjing's Jahriyya followers still kept up their religious practices. For example, Fan Songshou, a descendant of Imam Fan Wencai, made a living running a tofu shop. Even in his nineties, he insisted on performing the five daily prayers (namaz) and continued to fast during Ramadan. In the 1960s, he still volunteered to wash and bury the deceased and help with funeral arrangements.



Plaque inscriptions at Jingjue Mosque:

'Pure and Single-minded' (Wei Jing Wei Yi): An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the Gengyin year of the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing, by the Commander of the Jiujiang Town, Jiangxi.



'Correct Heart and Sincere Intent' (Zheng Xin Cheng Yi): June of the 11th year of the Republic of China, respectfully erected by members of the Nanjing Islamic Association.



The stele from the 47th year of the Qianlong reign records the four boundaries of Jingjue Mosque. It notes that a shop on the east side was rented out, and a shop on the west side near Horse Lane (Ma Xiang) was rented out for a flower shop. The elders who donated funds included those with the surnames Chen, Ma, Wu, Jin, Zheng, and Sha.



The stele from the 18th year of the Guangxu reign records that Imam Ma donated his own land next to the mosque to build the main prayer hall and the water room (wudu area).





Jingjue Mosque houses a memorial stele for Ma Yitang, a Hui Muslim merchant from Nanjing who lived in Shanghai. It was inscribed in 1931 by Ma Fuxiang, a famous Beiyang general who was serving as the chairman of the Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission.

Ma Yitang was born in 1869. His ancestors ran a money shop outside Jubao Gate in Nanjing, and the family owned the Ma Yulong Satin and Fan Shop. Ma Yitang used Shanghai as his base to expand his trade in Chinese and foreign general merchandise. He set up businesses in Chengdu and Chongqing, and his goods were sold as far away as the Tibetan regions. Ma Yitang was devoted to the faith. He served as a director for the North Mosque and West Mosque in Shanghai and helped fund the founding of the Hanxi Gate Girls' School and the Zhugan Lane Girls' School in Nanjing. In 1909, Ma Yitang became a special deliberative director of the Shanghai Islamic Board of Directors and participated in all its decision-making. In 1921, he was responsible for expanding the Xiaoshadu Mosque in Shanghai, which is now the Huxi Mosque.



Jingjue Mosque houses a notice stele from the 15th year of the Republic of China issued by the Police Department for the Shangfuqiao Mosque. It was erected by the West District Police Station of the Jiangsu Provincial Capital Police Department. It records that the police stepped in to protect the Shangfuqiao Mosque and the Dajiao Lane Mosque to uphold the rights of the faith. The petitioners included Hui Muslims with the surnames Bai, Tao, Pu, Ma, Yuan, Liang, Wei, and Jin.

Shangfuqiao Mosque was located in Chuanban Lane. It was first built in 1662 (the first year of the Kangxi reign), destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion in the Xianfeng era, and rebuilt in 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu reign). It was later occupied by Nanjing No. 62 Middle School, and the notice stele was moved into Jingjue Mosque. Dajiao Lane Mosque was first built in 1874 (the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign). The mosque once housed trade associations for the pavilion decoration, wedding, and fried rice industries. It was later occupied by a factory and eventually demolished.



Jingjue Mosque houses a Qing dynasty stone carving from the Neiqiaowan Mosque, which was rescued from under an excavator during the demolition of Neiqiaowan in 2019.

Neiqiaowan Mosque was located on Zhongshan South Road. One account says it was first built in 1645 (the second year of the Shunzhi reign), while another says it was built in 1662 (the first year of the Kangxi reign). In 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign), Shi Jialiang bought a group of houses in Neiqiaowan to rebuild the main prayer hall. The Shi family's ancestral home was in Wuwei, Gansu. They came to Nanjing during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty to develop the silk trade and later became a famous satin-trading family in Nanjing. They founded the Shi Juxing Satin Shop during the Daoguang reign. The Shi family moved to Shanghai during the Guangxu reign to develop their business and were members of the Shanghai Mosque Board of Directors.

Neiqiaowan Mosque once housed a primary school and a trade association for the glutinous rice food industry. It was demolished in 1991 due to road widening.

















The former Taiping Road Mosque.

Because the Jiangsu Hotel expanded to Taiping Road, the main prayer hall and the opposite hall of the Taiping Road Mosque were moved 40 meters south of the Old Caoqiao Mosque in 2003. The work was completed in 2005.

Taiping Road Mosque was originally called Huapailou Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun in the early Ming dynasty. It was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion and later rebuilt with funds raised by elders from the Ha, Ma, Zheng, Yang, Ding, and Chang families. It was renovated under the leadership of Ma Jingtao during the Tongzhi reign. In 1924, Nanjing wealthy merchants and brothers Jiang Muzhou and Jiang Sukan (Guobang) donated funds to rebuild a new mosque on the south side, which was still called Huapailou Mosque. When the road was widened in 1931, the gate tower was demolished. Huapailou was renamed Taiping Road, and Huapailou Mosque was also renamed Taiping Road Mosque.

After the victory in the War of Resistance against Japan in 1945, the Jiang family of Jinling funded the renovation of the main prayer hall and built the Jiang Family Shouxuan Hall in the north courtyard. In the same year, the China Islamic National Salvation Association moved into the Taiping Road Mosque and changed its name to the China Islamic Association. Its first chairman was Bai Chongxi. It was the highest Islamic organization in the country at the time until it moved to Taipei in 1949. After the 1960s, the Taiping Road Mosque was occupied. It was reclaimed in 1978, reopened in 1980, and designated as a municipal cultural relic protection unit in 1982. It remained there until it was demolished in 2003, when the components of the main prayer hall and the opposite hall were moved to a new site.

The wealthy Jiang family of Nanjing paid for the daily expenses of Taiping Road Mosque, making it the richest mosque in Nanjing during the Republic of China era. The Jiang family of Nanjing originally came from Yuncao, an ancient town in Hanshan County, Anhui. They moved to Nanjing in 1808 (the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign). They started as small vendors before expanding into the silk, salt, and pawnshop businesses. By the Guangxu reign, they had opened branches in major trading ports and became a wealthy merchant family. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: The fifth Jiangsu mosque entry is a short photo record in a larger series on the province's historic Hui Muslim mosque heritage. It preserves the original image order while keeping the focus on Jiangsu mosque sites, community memory, and remaining architectural traces.













Next to the mosque is a square that introduces famous Hui Muslims from Liuhe. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Liaoning mosque series traces historic Hui Muslim mosques, migration routes, and community life across the province. The article preserves founding dates, architectural layouts, imam and elder stories, old inscriptions, and photos of prayer halls, gates, and carved details.

I am sharing 12 ancient mosque (qingzhensi) buildings I visited in Liaoning, moving in a clockwise direction.

Lingyuan Mosque: First built during the Qianlong reign.

Suizhong Mosque: First built in 1737, moved in 1797, and renovated in 1927.

Luyang Mosque: First built in 1531 and rebuilt in 1925.

Beizhen Mosque: First built in 1522 and expanded in 1617.

Xinlitun Mosque: First built in 1842 and rebuilt in 1873.

Xinmin Mosque: First built in 1765 and rebuilt in 1883.

Shenyang South Mosque: First built in 1636, with expansions in 1662 and 1902.

Shenyang East Mosque: First built in 1803 and renovated in 1935.

Kaiyuan Old City Mosque: First built in 1406 and rebuilt in 1680.

Fengcheng Mosque: First built in 1775 and expanded in 1890.

Fuzhou Mosque: First built in 1649 and expanded in 1920.

Qingdui Mosque: First built during the Daoguang reign, rebuilt in 1895, and expanded in 1920.

Lingyuan Mosque

Lingyuan sits at the border of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. It was originally called Tazigou. Since the Qianlong reign, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei kept traveling through the gaps in the Great Wall near Xifengkou to reach the northeast. Lingyuan was their first stop after leaving the pass, and some Hui Muslims settled there.

Lingyuan Mosque was built during the Qianlong reign. According to the stone inscriptions inside, a Hui Muslim doctor named Zhang Lichen and others cured the illness of a Mongol prince from the Harqin Left Banner. The prince's mansion then provided the land and silver to build the Lingyuan Mosque.

Main gate





Hanging flower gate (chuihuamen)



The prayer hall consists of a porch, a main hall, and a rear niche (yaodian), just like traditional northern styles, but the architectural details are very different from styles found inside the pass.













The main hall has cracks due to years of neglect and is currently closed. Namaz is now held in a room nearby.



















Side rooms (xiangfang)















Suizhong Mosque

Suizhong is right next to Shanhai Pass and is the southwestern-most county in Liaoning. Starting in the 18th century, more than ten families of Hui Muslims, including the Zhang, Ding, Li, and Jin families, moved to Suizhong from Hebei Province. The first mosque was built in 1737 (the second year of the Qianlong reign) below the Kuixing Tower in the southeast of Suizhong city, and it was moved to its current location inside the West Gate in 1797 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign).

The Suizhong mosque was renovated between 1924 and 1927, suffered severe damage in the 1960s, and was restored again between 1981 and 1984.



Turn left after entering the gate to find the ablution room (shuifang).



Calligraphy in the ablution room (shuifang).



Opposite the main gate is the second gate.



A vase-shaped ornament on the porch roof (juanpeng).



Inside the second gate is the main prayer hall.





The porch (baoxia) in front of the main prayer hall is the most distinctive part of the mosque, and it is the most brightly colored mosque porch I have ever seen.



The front says "Mosque" (Qingzhensi), and the two sides are inscribed with "Rectify the Heart" (Zhengxin) and "Sincerity" (Chengyi).







A plaque reading "Recognize the Oneness of Allah" (Renzhu Duyi).



Details of the patterns.







Behind the porch (baoxia) is the main prayer hall, which features very delicate brick carvings.



The large character for "religion" (jiao) at the bottom is new work, while the brick carvings above are likely original.



You can take a close look at the content of the brick carvings, which include scrolls, painting tubes, incense bottles, and even a chessboard and various fruits.





Traditional Hui Muslim paintings on the door of the main prayer hall.







The interior of the main prayer hall was likely rearranged after the 1980s, and both the mihrab and minbar are very simple.





Above the rear kiln hall (yaodian) of the main prayer hall is the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou).







Luyang Mosque.

Luyang Town is located east of Jinzhou, not far from Goubangzi, the home of the famous Goubangzi smoked chicken. Luyang Mosque was first built in 1531 (the tenth year of the Ming Jiajing reign), renovated during the Qing Xianfeng period, and rebuilt into its current form between 1922 and 1925. During the reconstruction, Manager Wang of the Luyang Enliyong pastry shop was in charge of construction, and he invited Yang Peiran (Yuchun), who was a brigade commander in the Northeast Army at the time, to help raise funds. People say when the two main beams for the hall were transported from the Goubangzi train station to Luyang, they were pulled by over a dozen oxen, moving step by step for more than half a month. Work stopped several times to prepare materials, and it finally took two and a half years to complete.

Luyang Mosque is a rare historic mosque in China that places the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) directly above the main prayer hall, and you can climb up to sight the moon using a wooden ladder inside the hall. A plaque inscribed by the anti-Japanese hero General Zuo Baogui, reading 'Gu Shi Ming Ming,' originally hung in front of the main hall. Sadly, it was destroyed along with other plaques during the Cultural Revolution. The current plaque was re-inscribed in 1984.

















Beizhen Mosque

Beizhen Mosque is located outside the Xiaonan Gate of Beizhen in Jinzhou. It was first built in 1522 (the first year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty), expanded in 1617 (the 45th year of the Wanli reign), and renovated again in 1798 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign). Historically, Beizhen Mosque was inside the south city of Guangning. When the city was renovated during the Qianlong reign, the south city was abandoned. The south city wall gradually disappeared, and later Guangning City was renamed Beizhen City, turning Beizhen Mosque from a city mosque into one located outside the city walls.

Beizhen Mosque follows the traditional northern mosque structure of a porch (juanpeng), main hall, and rear hall (yaodian), but it is unique because the porch and the main hall are separate and not connected. The beams and brackets of the building feature painted floral patterns and exquisite wood carvings.





















Plaques currently preserved at Beizhen Mosque

The Way of Heaven's Mandate: Respectfully presented to Guangning County Mosque by General Wuwei of Fei County, Shandong, Zuo Baogui, in the first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty (1875), during the first ten days of the twelfth lunar month. This was presented by the famous anti-Japanese general Zuo Baogui while he was passing through Beizhen on his way to fight in the war in Korea.



Ancient Islamic Faith: Respectfully erected by followers Yang Yuxi and Yang Yuzhen in the first ten days of the seventh lunar month in the year of Yiyin (1795) of the Qianlong reign.



Everlasting Golden Daylily: Presented by Xu Guangzhang, an official of Guangning County, Jinzhou Prefecture, and Bai Yongfu, a local officer, in the first ten days of the fourth lunar month in the year of Yisi (1845) of the Daoguang reign.



Sincere Righteous Act: The ancient mosque was renovated in the autumn of 1617 (the 45th year of the Wanli reign), respectfully presented by the Northeast Islamic Association.



Gratitude for Great Kindness: Respectfully erected in the first ten days of the fourth lunar month in the year of Yisi (1845) of the Daoguang reign by Jin Qiyuan, a follower and newly appointed patrol officer of Guangning County.



Universal Mercy for All Things: Respectfully erected in the year of Yimao (1794) of the Qianlong reign by follower Yang Yuzhen and his son Jianming.



Righteousness Among Peers: Mr. Zhang, whose wealth-generating name was Juxing. He was a registered resident of Beizhen. He was generous, righteous, and enthusiastic about public affairs. Whenever there was something in our faith that needed to be done or reformed, he was always the first to advocate for it and support it with all his might. Because of this, in recent years, although the affairs of our faith have not reached perfection, they have moved closer to civilization and begun to shine. When drinking water, one must think of the source; Mr. Zhang's contribution is truly worthy of praise. Unexpectedly, Heaven did not grant him a long life, and he was killed in the line of duty for the sake of the country on a certain day of a certain month. Beyond our deep grief, we feared his life's deeds would be forgotten, so we gathered together to erect a stone tablet to honor his name. We still felt a sense of regret, knowing that a tablet might not fully capture his merits. We have now carved this plaque to ensure his memory lasts for a long time and to serve as a small token of our gratitude. The Beizhen County Mosque was established by the entire congregation, on a lucky day in the middle of the twelfth lunar month in the ninth year of the Republic of China (1920).



Xinlitun Mosque

Xinlitun is an ancient town in Jinzhou, western Liaoning, known as the 'First Town Beyond the Border'. During the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Jinzhou, Yixian, Heishan, Yingkou, and other places settled in Xinlitun and built the Xinlitun Mosque in 1842 (the 22nd year of Daoguang).

On the 15th day of the first lunar month in 1873 (the 12th year of Tongzhi), Xinlitun held a stilt-walking festival. During the event, a conflict broke out between the Manchu leader Dashan (Fifth Master) and Hui Muslims including Liu Hua, Zhao Guang'en, and Wang Yao, which escalated into a clash between the Manchu and Hui communities, eventually leading to the burning of the Xinlitun Mosque. Afterward, both the Manchu and Hui communities learned from the incident and decided to rebuild the Xinlitun Mosque. After several years of preparation, General Zuo Baogui, an anti-Japanese hero and commander of the Fengtian Army, led the effort by donating 300 taels of silver to complete the reconstruction.



















The main gate of the Xinlitun Mosque features two couplets: 'Transforming people and things, it can transform all; giving life to heaven and earth, it gives life to all.'

The light that gives life to heaven, earth, people, and all living things, the one Lord of all creation.

Saints, sages, emperors, and kings all follow the one and only supreme authority.

Above the main gate, there is also a stone carving of two dragons playing with a pearl.







The brick and stone carvings at the Xinlitun Mosque are very exquisite and feature various traditional patterns. The stone carvings on both sides of the main prayer hall feature inscriptions, which is very rare for an ancient mosque.











The traditional calligraphy at the Xinlitun Mosque includes both the 'miaohui' (tracing) style and the 'kuanbi' (broad-brush) style, both of which are very distinctive. The plaque in the center of the main prayer hall was handwritten in 1983 by Imam Bai Hexi. Imam Bai was born in 1911 in Pingquan, Hebei, and studied under the famous Great Imam Liu Pinyi from Hebei.























In front of the main prayer hall of the Xinlitun Mosque, there are four steles from the Guangxu era renovation, which contain detailed information about the donors. The 'Stele for the Renovation of the Xinlitun Mosque' from the 13th year of Guangxu (1887) lists not only the name of the anti-Japanese hero and Fengtian Army commander General Zuo Baogui but also the Manchu leader Dashan, who was involved in the earlier conflict, symbolizing the resolution of Manchu-Hui tensions in Xinlitun during the Guangxu era.

The 'Stele of Donor Names and Silver Amounts for the Mosque Renovation' lists a number of contributing mosques that was the highest in Northeast China, showing the close connections between the various mosque communities in the region at that time.

Fengtian Province: South Mosque, North Mosque, Fumin Hall South Mosque, Fumin Hall North Mosque, Huimin Tun Mosque, Banlamen Mosque, Guangning Mosque, Qinghemen Mosque, Shaohuying Mosque, Shijiagou Mosque, Huihui Tun Mosque, Yizhou City Mosque, Jinzhou Prefecture Mosque, Hongluoxian Mosque, Gaoqiao Town Mosque, Zhonghousuo Mosque, Shanhaiguan Mosque, Laogongwo Three Mosques, Tieling Mosque, Kaiyuan Mosque, Fakumen Mosque.

Jilin Province: West Mosque, East Mosque, North Mosque, Manjia Tun Mosque, Yitong Prefecture Mosque, Yingchengzi Mosque, Ashiha Mosque, Wula Street Mosque, Shanqianhuai Mosque, Kaoshan Tun Mosque, Nong'an City Mosque, Taipingzhuang Mosque, Xiaohelong Mosque.

Kulu Street: Public Council, Zhou Junkui, various shop guests, and the Mosque.

Beyond the Northern Border: Shaodang Firm, Niuzhuang City, Haizhou City, Gaizhou City, Fuzhou City, Liaoyang City, Fenghuang City, Xiuyan, Tianzhuangtai, Shegouying, Pikou, Dengshang, Fujia Tun, Bajiaotai, Tongliu Two Forts.















Xinmin Mosque

Xinmin is in the northwest part of Shenyang. In the early years of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, many new immigrants came here to farm during the migration to the northeast, which is how the name Xinmin started. During the Qianlong reign, many Hui Muslims came to Xinmin. In 1765, they built Xinmin Mosque in Nanyingzi. Xinmin Mosque burned down in 1866. It was rebuilt in 1883, which is the structure we see today.

The main building of Xinmin Mosque consists of a porch (juanpeng), the main prayer hall, the rear kiln hall (yaodian), and the Moon-Watching Tower (wangyuelou) on top of the kiln hall. The Moon-Watching Tower has a double-eaved roof with four corners coming to a point, and it has a 1.5-meter-tall copper spire on top. The beams of the porch are painted with Suzhou-style patterns, and the wooden screens feature delicate openwork carvings. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This second part of the Liaoning mosque series continues through old mosque communities in the province, including buildings rebuilt or altered across the Qing Dynasty, Republic of China era, and later decades. The article records mosque origins, prayer hall structures, community elders, steles, and architectural details still visible today.











The main gate and side rooms of Xinmin Mosque. Above the main gate hangs a plaque reading "Correct Yourself, Correct Others," presented in 1883 by Liu Dianyuan, a military officer with the rank of Blue Feather Guard.







There are three plaques in front of the main prayer hall. The first plaque, "The One and Only for Eternity," was presented in 1873 by Zhang Delu, a military official; Ha Zhongguang, a hereditary noble; and Ma Shaochun, a local magistrate.



The second plaque, "Be Pure, Be One," was presented in 1883 by Ding Chunxi, a military commander and decorated hero.



The third plaque, "Sincere Intentions and Respectful Heart," was presented in 1883 by Zuo Baogui, a high-ranking military commander in charge of the Fengtian camp. Zuo Baogui was a famous general in the late Qing Dynasty and a hero in the war against Japan. He led troops to guard Fengtian in 1875 and began commanding the Fengtian army in 1880. Zuo Baogui was stationed in Fengtian for twenty years. During this time, he was devoted to his faith, supported public welfare and education, donated to build many mosques, set up schools and soup kitchens, and wrote plaques for many mosques.



The mihrab, minbar, and roof gables of the Xinmin Mosque main hall feature beautiful calligraphy. This is a traditional Chinese calligraphy style that originated in Shandong during the Ming and Qing dynasties and became popular in Northeast China through the Shandong school.



















Qing Dynasty door stones and stone tablets are piled up in the backyard of Xinmin Mosque. A tablet from the Tongzhi era contains a contract for a cemetery, including the names of donors and the boundaries of the land. The inscription also provides a rare mention of the now-vanished Xinmin North Mosque. Xinmin North Mosque was built in 1853. Its kiln-style prayer hall had a moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) with double eaves, but it was destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s.













Shenyang South Mosque.

Shenyang South Mosque was built in 1636. The ancestors of the Tie family who founded it were Hui Muslims who came to the interior of China during the Mongol western campaigns. In the early Ming Dynasty, Tie Xuan served as a government official in Jinan. During the Jingnan Campaign in 1400, Tie Xuan led the defense of Jinan. The Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, attacked for three months without success. It was not until 1402, after the Prince of Yan captured Nanjing and returned north, that Jinan finally fell. Tie Xuan was captured and executed. After Tie Xuan passed away, his second son, Tie Fushu, fled outside the Great Wall and moved from Jinzhou to Shenyang between 1573 and 1620.

The original Shenyang South Mosque was quite simple. In 1662, Tie Kui expanded it into a large mosque and invited the famous imam She Yuanshan from Beijing to teach there. After Imam She's student Tie Hongji finished his studies, he became the leader. From then on, the position of imam at the South Mosque was passed down through the Tie family for 11 generations, with the last imam, Tie Zizhang, serving until 1956.

The rear hall of the mosque was expanded in 1902. The main hall is not the traditional T-shape but features a structure with a rolled-shed roof, a front hall, a rear hall, and a hexagonal kiln-style prayer hall. This style of adding a pavilion-like kiln hall to the rear is common in Northeast China.





















The mihrab of the South Mosque is very unusual; instead of a traditional niche, it uses a "great spirit tablet" design, which is a unique local feature.























Shenyang East Mosque.

Shenyang East Mosque was built in 1803. In 1935, the prayer hall was rebuilt in a Western style, while the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) kept its original Chinese style. The East Mosque was occupied in 1958, returned in 1980, and became the Shenyang Islamic Institute in 1988.















Kaiyuan Old City Mosque

Take a train from Shenyang to Kaiyuan, then take a taxi to the Kaiyuan Old City. Located inside the East Gate of the old city, the Kaiyuan Old City Mosque was first built in 1406 (the fourth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and is the oldest mosque in Northeast China.

The current main prayer hall follows the style of the 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign) reconstruction, consisting of a small porch (juanpeng), the main hall, and a hexagonal pavilion-style rear hall (yaodian), similar in style to the South Mosque in Shenyang.















Porch (juanpeng)





The Old City Mosque once had many plaques and couplets, but only the 'Allah is One' (Zhenzhu Duyi) plaque, gifted by the Kaiyuan County government in 1832 (the 12th year of the Daoguang reign), remains hanging above the main hall.



Inside the main hall









Old items stored in the mosque's reception hall include roof drip tiles, eave tiles, ridge beasts, and carved wooden railings from the main hall, the finial from the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) of the rear hall, and a plaque inscribed with 'Silk and Gauze' (Lingluo Shajuan).



























Wood carvings and stone engravings stored in the reception hall.









Very exquisite calligraphy









Fengcheng Mosque

Fengcheng Mosque was first built in 1775 (the 40th year of the Qianlong reign), renovated in 1862 (the first year of the Tongzhi reign), expanded with a north lecture hall and side rooms in 1876 (the second year of the Guangxu reign), and finally reached its current size after the moon-viewing tower was added in 1890 (the 16th year of the Guangxu reign).

The most distinctive feature of Fengcheng Mosque is the moon-viewing tower, built during the Guangxu reign, which has a double-eaved, four-cornered pyramidal roof, flying eaves, brackets, and intricately carved decorative brackets (que-ti).



















The mosque features 300-year-old Chinese junipers, a stele from the Guangxu renovation, and very exquisite wood and brick calligraphy carvings on the brackets and wall corners.



















Fuzhou Mosque

Fuzhou is a thousand-year-old city established during the Liao Dynasty. It was a major commercial hub in southern Liaoning from the Ming and Qing dynasties onwards, filled with merchants, until it was gradually replaced by Wafangdian along the South Manchuria Railway in modern times.

Around 1641 (the sixth year of the Chongde reign of the Qing Dynasty), Hui Muslims from the four major surnames of Yin, Ma, Dai, and Hui migrated from Cangzhou, Hebei to Fuzhou, and later established Fuzhou Mosque in the southwest of the city in 1649 (the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign). Three thatched rooms were built as the main hall in 1656 (the 13th year of the Shunzhi reign), which was rebuilt in 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong reign) and expanded again in 1880 (the sixth year of the Guangxu reign), still with a thatched roof. In 1920, the front porch and rear hall were expanded, and the roof was changed to blue brick tiles, resulting in its current form.



















Hanging in front of the Fuzhou Mosque main hall is a 'Return to Simplicity and Truth' (Huanpu Guizhen) plaque, respectfully presented in 1897 (the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign) by Wang Tingxiang, a third-rank official and imperial censor.







Additionally, there are brick carvings of traditional calligraphy featuring dua on the wall corners. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: The final part of the Liaoning mosque series is a short, image-led record of historic mosque sites and remaining architectural details. It keeps the original photo order and focuses on Liaoning Hui Muslim heritage, mosque preservation, and local community memory.





Qingdui Mosque (Qingdui Si)

Qingdui Town is a thousand-year-old town that has served as a fishing port and commercial hub on the Liaodong Peninsula since the Tang Dynasty. Qingbu Port officially opened in 1743 (the eighth year of the Qianlong reign), making Qingdui Town an important transit point for people from Shandong and Hebei moving to Northeast China. During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Qingdui Town was home to over three hundred businesses, with shops lining the streets and bustling with activity. Today, Qingdui Town still preserves many old houses with green bricks and dark tiles from the late Qing and Republican periods, and Qingdui Mosque is one of them.

Qingdui Mosque was first built during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, starting as just three thatched rooms. In July 1894, when the First Sino-Japanese War broke out, the famous Hui Muslim general Zuo Baogui led his troops to Korea to fight the Japanese and passed by Qingdui Mosque. General Zuo Baogui got along very well with the mosque's imam, Zhang Chaozhen. He later donated money, and with additional funds raised by his personal Hui Muslim guards and three local halal restaurants—Deshengyuan, Qingshengyuan, and Yongshengyuan—they prepared to expand the mosque. Unfortunately, before the expansion was finished, General Zuo Baogui died heroically while fighting the Japanese in Pyongyang.

In 1895 (the twenty-first year of the Guangxu reign), the mosque's elder, Hui Wanchun, oversaw the rebuilding of the main hall into the three-room green brick and tile structure seen today. In 1920 (the ninth year of the Republic of China), the gate tower was rebuilt and the lecture hall was expanded, giving the mosque its current size.

The mosque's main gate features a brick-carved couplet that reads: 'The pure palace spreads the teachings of the Muhammadan path, the true sage passes down scriptures that bestow grace from the Western Regions.' This is a very precious piece of Republican-era brick-carved calligraphy. The main gate is usually closed, so you must enter the mosque through the south wing where the imam lives. The imam is from Gansu and warmly introduced us to the history of Qingdui Mosque; it is not easy for his family to stay and maintain this small community mosque. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Inner Mongolia mosque series introduces historic Hui Muslim mosques shaped by Qing-era migration, frontier trade, and settlement on the grasslands. The article covers founding dates, mosque layouts, carved woodwork, inscriptions, and the communities that built and maintained these sites.

I am sharing 12 historic mosque buildings I visited in Inner Mongolia, moving from east to west.

Chifeng North Mosque: First built in 1739 and rebuilt in 1747.

Jingpeng Mosque: First built in 1852 and rebuilt in 1908.

Duolun South Mosque: First built during the Yongzheng reign and expanded in 1761.

Duolun North Mosque: Built in 1798.

Duolun West Mosque: Built in 1880.

Duolun Central Mosque: First built in 1908 and rebuilt in 1935.

Longshengzhuang Mosque: First built in 1751 and expanded in 1831 and 1926.

Hohhot Great Mosque: First built in 1693 and expanded in 1798 and 1925.

Chasuqi Great Mosque: First built in 1760 and rebuilt in 1909.

Salaqi Mosque: First built in 1747 and renovated in 1947.

Baotou Great Mosque: First built in 1743, renovated in 1833, and expanded in 1913.

Baotou Small Mosque: First built in 1908 and rebuilt in 1918.

Chifeng North Mosque

During the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei provinces kept traveling through Gubeikou and Chengde to find work in eastern Inner Mongolia. In the 1730s, ten Hui Muslim families with surnames like Zhang, Ma, and Bai moved from Shandong and Hebei to settle in Chifeng. They were known as the ten great Hui Muslim families or the original settlers (zhanshanhu).

In 1739 (the fourth year of the Qianlong reign), a community elder named Zhang Yueming led the effort to lease seven point six mu of land from a Mongol prince. They built five mud rooms and a three-room main prayer hall, which became the first Chifeng mosque.

In 1742 (the seventh year of the Qianlong reign), elder Ma Fen, who once ran the Desheng Security Bureau in Shenyang, started a project to rebuild the mosque. He bought a plot of land, and the imam and several elders traveled to different places to collect donations through fundraising letters (nietie). Afterward, elder Ma Fen went to Shenyang to hire craftsmen. Construction took four years and finished in 1747 (the twelfth year of the Qianlong reign). All the wood used came from red pine trees in the mountains south of Chifeng. From then on, the imam of the North Mosque was always a scripture reader from the Ma family line.

The main prayer hall of the North Mosque consists of a front porch (juanpeng), the main hall, the rear niche (yaodian), and a moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) on top of the niche. The moon-sighting tower has a double-eaved hexagonal roof with a gilded bronze vase on top and intricate carvings of two dragons playing with a pearl. The front porch sits on a pedestal base (xumizuo). Between the eaves pillars, there are openwork carvings of clouds and flowers, which is a very distinct style from Northeast China.















The beams of the front porch are painted with Suzhou-style patterns and feature wooden dragon head carvings, which are very rare in the country.



The beautiful stone carvings on the gable walls of the main hall feature bats representing good fortune and intertwined lotus patterns.





The phoenix, peony, sun, and moon carvings on the corner stone pillars of the main hall.



The drum-shaped stone bases (baogushi) in front of the porch.



The calligraphic brick carvings on the gable ends (xitou). This style of calligraphy relates to the Shandong school of scripture hall education that spread through the Northeast region.













Jingpeng Mosque (Jingpeng Si).

During the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, Jingpeng Town became a major trading hub on the grasslands, located on the main route between Mongolia and the Northeast. During the lama temple fairs, merchants from inland China brought cotton cloth, sugar, and tea to trade with the Mongols for furs, livestock, and local products. In 1723 (the second year of the Yongzheng reign), severe droughts in Shandong and Hebei forced disaster victims to head north to find work. To solve the problem of displaced people, the Qing government implemented a policy of borrowing land to support the people in the southeastern Mongolian grasslands, including Hexigten Banner. During the Qianlong reign, Hui Muslims from Yangxin and Guan counties in Shandong, and Cangzhou and Hejian in Hebei, traveled through Chifeng and Duolun to reach Jingpeng Town to trade on the grasslands, eventually settling there.

After the 19th century, the Hui Muslim population in Jingpeng reached nearly 1,000, with family names including Feng, Cong, Ma, Bai, Li, Jin, and Ha. In 1852 (the second year of the Xianfeng reign), they officially built a mosque (masjid), which started as five mud-brick rooms. In 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign), community elders including Liu Qi, imam Ha Zhaobin, Li Wenrong, Cong Laofeng, Ma Changtai, and Jin Fengming led a fundraising effort to rebuild the Jingpeng Mosque. Liu Qi and Ha Zhaobin traveled inside the Great Wall three times to collect funds. After four years, the current building was completed in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign). It was named a key cultural relic protection site of Hexigten Banner in 1992.

The north and south lecture halls and the main hall of the Jingpeng Mosque are all Qing Dynasty structures. The main hall consists of a porch, the main hall itself, and a rear kiln-style hall (yaodian) topped with a moon-watching tower (wangyuelou). The moon-watching tower was torn down in 1967 and rebuilt after 1981.



































Duolun South Mosque (Duolun Nansi).

Duolun County is located at the southeastern end of Xilin Gol League and was once a political and economic center on the Mongolian grasslands during the Qing Dynasty. In 1691 (the 30th year of the Kangxi reign), Emperor Kangxi held the Duolun Alliance with the nobles of the three Outer Mongolian tribes and the forty-eight banners of Inner Mongolia, officially bringing Outer Mongolia into the Qing territory. Later, at the request of Mongolian nobles, Kangxi allowed inland merchants to open trade routes between China and the Mongolian grasslands, granting them official titles and favorable treatment. This caused merchants from Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, and Shaanxi to flock there, quickly turning Duolun into a commercial hub for Mongolian trade. In 1710 (the 49th year of the Kangxi reign), Xinghua Town was officially established in Duolun. In 1741 (the sixth year of the Qianlong reign), Xinshengying was built north of Xinghua Town, forming the layout of the old city of Duolun.

After the city of Duolun was established, Hui Muslims from Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, and Henan traveled through Zhangjiakou to trade on the grasslands, moving back and forth between the Mongolian plains and inland China. In his book 'Records of Dolon Nor' published in 1908, the late Qing Japanese scholar Jian Hongsheng recorded that the Hui Muslim population in Duolun had already reached 3,000.

The Hui Muslims of Duolun built six mosques: the South Mosque, North Mosque, East Mosque, West Mosque, Central Mosque, and Da'erhao Mosque. The Da'erhao Mosque was transferred to Guyuan County in 1950, and the East Mosque was demolished in the 1960s. Today, the old city still preserves the South, North, East, and West mosques. In 2006, they were collectively listed as a national-level cultural relic protection site under the name 'Duolun Ancient Architectural Complex'.

The South Mosque is the first mosque in Duolun, located on Taiping Street in the old city. It was first built during the Yongzheng reign, and in 1761 (the 26th year of the Qianlong reign), Hui Muslim merchants Mo Tianming and Ma Guifang initiated an expansion to create the current structure. In July 1933, after the anti-Japanese hero General Ji Hongchang recaptured Duolun, the Hui Muslims of Duolun hosted a banquet for him at the South Mosque. The South Mosque is currently closed and not open for visitors.

















Duolun North Mosque

The North Mosque is located on Erdao Street in the old city. It was built in 1798 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign) with funds donated by Hui Muslim merchants from the cattle, horse, and camel trade. It later became the largest mosque (masjid) in the city. In July 1933, after the anti-Japanese hero General Ji Hongchang recaptured Duolun, he stayed at the North Mosque for a short time. Today, the North Mosque is active and holds regular services.

































Duolun West Mosque

During the Tongzhi reign, some Hui Muslims from Shaanxi, Ningxia, and Gansu moved to Duolun to settle down. Since then, Hui Muslims from North China have been called "Kouli people," while those from the Northwest have been called "Westerners."

The East Mosque was located outside Nanjin Fort in the old city. It was started in 1869 (the eighth year of the Tongzhi reign) by Hui Muslims Xiu Mingliang and Liu Changfu from Shaanxi, and was completed in 1878 (the first year of the Guangxu reign). The West Mosque is located on Daxijie Street in the old city. It was built in 1880 (the fifth year of the Guangxu reign) by camel merchants Li Xianyu and Wang Jichen, who were from Ningxia and Gansu. After the 1960s, the East Mosque was completely demolished, and the gate and the north and south lecture halls of the West Mosque were also torn down. Today, only the main prayer hall of the West Mosque remains, and it is open to the public as a historical site.































Duolun Central Mosque

The Central Mosque is located on Nanquangfeng Street in the old city. It was built in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign) by Wang Guofu and Shan Yunxing. In 1930, He Xingzhou, Cong Dianqing, and others initiated the reconstruction of the main hall, which was completed in 1935. The Central Mosque is currently open for regular activities.





















The Duolun Central Mosque houses plaques and couplets from various mosques in Duolun: Do not be greedy for this life, only for the afterlife; the heavenly way and human way return to the true faith. Carefully guard the righteous path, avoid what is improper, keep your heart happy and your body at peace, and recognize the One. Dedicated in the eighth month of the 24th year of the Jiaqing reign.



Heavenly decree teaches the pure and unique faith, recognizing the truth since ancient times through the seven days; the Prophet's practice spreads the righteous faith, which is one and returns to the belief in the five daily prayers.



Blessings of the One True God: Dedicated on a lucky day in the fifth month of the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Great Qing Dynasty by Zheng Kuishi, Imperial Commissioner overseeing military affairs in Ningguo, Commander-in-Chief of the Zhejiang provincial military, controller of all land and water garrisons, and specially granted the title of Jianwei General and Shalama Gai Batulu.

Zheng Kuishi was a famous general in the late Qing Dynasty and a Hui Muslim from Wanquan, Zhangjiakou, Hebei. He fought against the Taiping Rebellion and the Nian Army for many years. He was the first to break through Luzhou and suffered over twenty wounds in Huaiyuan, nearly losing his life, which earned him great praise from the imperial court. When Zheng Kuishi inscribed the plaque for Duolun in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign, he was serving as the Commander-in-Chief of Zhejiang and overseeing military affairs in Ningguo, which was the highest rank he reached in his life. In a memorial to the throne, Li Hongzhang highly praised Zheng Kuishi, saying he was "hardworking, resolute, and brave beyond compare... he was the first to face the enemy's sharp edge, braving death, and suffered severe wounds eight or nine times. His body was covered in scars, and among all the famous generals north and south of the Yangtze River, everyone considered Kuishi the best."



The Ancient Pure Faith: Respectfully presented by Song Rui, who was specially granted a peacock feather and served as the Duolun Camp Commander. A lucky day in the sixth month of the first year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



Benevolence spreads everywhere: To the honorable official Zhu, who wears a peacock feather (hualing) and holds a fourth-rank title while serving as the acting prefect of Duolunnuo'er. Respectfully presented in the first month of summer in the 31st year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty by Hui Muslim community leaders Shan Yunxing, village head Ma Wanxing, and others.



Merciful in this life, uniquely merciful in the hereafter: Dedicated in the seventh lunar month of the eighth year of the Republic of China, managed by the public.





Longshengzhuang Mosque.

Longshengzhuang sits on the border of Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. From the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, it was a crossroads for trade routes between Hohhot, Datong, and Zhangjiakou. It was a key town for Shanxi merchants trading in Mongolia and was officially named Longshengzhuang in 1765 (the 30th year of the Qianlong reign). Shanxi merchants traveling to Mongolia brought rice, flour, tea, oil, wine, and daily goods from Longshengzhuang to Mongolia. They returned with furs, livestock, and leather, bringing great wealth to the town.

The economy of Longshengzhuang peaked during the Xianfeng reign, with 500,000 sheep sold and transported through the town each year. Longshengzhuang reached its height in the early Republic of China. The town had over 300 shops and more than a dozen stables (madian) used for trading and transporting cattle, horses, and sheep. At that time, the street from the south to the north of Longshengzhuang stretched nearly 2 kilometers, lined with rows of shops.

Starting in the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Hebei and Shandong moved to Longshengzhuang in Inner Mongolia to do business. In the late Qing Dynasty, many Hui Muslims from Shaanxi also migrated there. During the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Hui Muslim population in Longshengzhuang grew to two or three thousand. In the early Republic of China, it reached a peak of over five thousand people. At that time, Longshengzhuang had a large halal restaurant and nearly twenty businesses including livestock traders, brokers, and stables. After the Ping-Sui Railway opened in 1921, Longshengzhuang declined rapidly. After the 1930s, many people moved away. Today, only about 30 Hui Muslims remain, mostly elderly, and there are no longer any halal restaurants.

Longshengzhuang Mosque was first built in 1751 (the 16th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty). It originally had only three main halls. As more Hui Muslims came to do business, they added 13 main halls, a front gate, a second gate, side rooms, and a screen wall in 1831 (the 11th year of the Daoguang reign), creating a three-courtyard layout.



















The mosque's porch (juanpeng) was expanded in 1926 and features beautiful ironwork decorations from the Republic of China era.



















The main hall was also expanded in 1926. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This second part of the Inner Mongolia mosque series follows historic mosque communities across Chifeng, Jingpeng, Duolun, and Longshengzhuang. The article records Qing-era trade routes, Hui Muslim settlement, mosque founding dates, timber structures, plaques, stone carvings, and preserved prayer halls.











The 'Zun Da Qing Gao' plaque from 1915 (the fourth year of the Republic of China) bears the signature of the Koubei Mongolian Salt Bureau (Koubei Mengyanju). From the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, all salt produced in the salt lakes of the Inner Mongolian Plateau was collectively called Mongolian salt (Mengyan). In 1913, the Beiyang government used salt taxes as collateral to sign a 25 million pound sterling reorganization loan with a banking consortium from Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan, which required China to hire foreigners to help reorganize salt taxes. China began salt administration reforms and established the Koubei Mongolian Salt Bureau, with its main office in Duolunuo'er and branch offices in Longshengzhuang, Fengzhen.



In 1861 (the eleventh year of the Xianfeng reign), the Fengzhen prefectural government presented the 'Dao Tong Qian Kun' plaque.



Prince De inscribed 'Shou Zhen Cun Cheng' in 1940, dating it to the '734th year of the Genghis Khan era,' which is 1940, as Prince De was a descendant of Genghis Khan. Prince Demchugdongrub was a Mongolian noble and Prince of the Sunid Right Banner who launched the 'Inner Mongolia High Autonomy Movement' in Bailingmiao in 1933 and became chairman of the puppet 'Mongolian United Autonomous Government' in 1939, which is when he inscribed this plaque.



This was inscribed in 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong reign) by Hui Muslims Deng Risheng and Ma Jiansheng from Datong. The Ma family of Hui Muslims originated from Youwei, Shanxi, and were a prominent military family during the Ming Dynasty; the 'Ma Family Army' formed by Ma Gui and his brothers and nephews in the mid-Wanli period was famous for its combat skills and earned great merit by defending Youwei against Altan Khan for six months. The Ma family has been a major Hui Muslim clan in Datong since the Ming Dynasty, and they frequently helped rebuild the Datong mosque and served as imams during the Ming and Qing dynasties. After the Qing Dynasty turned military garrisons into counties, the Ma family of Hui Muslims in Datong left the military for civilian life, achieved success in business and government, and for a time became the actual managers of the Datong mosque.



This is a commemorative plaque left by local Hui Muslims during the expansion of the prayer hall in 1926.



In 1926, the Hui Muslim general Ma Fuxiang, who was then a general and the Suiyuan military governor, inscribed the 'Qi Zun Wu Dui' and 'Kai Tian Gu Jiao' plaques to celebrate the mosque's expansion. The Great Mosque of Hohhot and the Great Mosque of Baotou also have inscriptions by Ma Fuxiang.





The Great Mosque of Hohhot.

The establishment of the community around the Great Mosque of Hohhot originated with Hui Muslim officers and soldiers in the Qing Dynasty's Green Standard Army. After the fall of the Ming Dynasty, most of the officers and soldiers guarding the Nine Frontiers joined the Qing Dynasty and were organized into the 'Green Standard Army,' which included many Hui Muslim soldiers from the three towns of Xuanhua, Datong, and Taiyuan. In 1693 (the thirty-second year of the Kangxi reign), the Qing government increased its troops in Hohhot to fight the Dzungar Khanate, which included many Hui Muslim soldiers from the Green Standard Army. At that time, the Green Standard Army's Hui Muslim soldiers and Hui Muslim merchants built the mosque community together at the north gate of the old city, which was the predecessor to the Great Mosque of Hohhot.

After the mid-Kangxi period, as there were no more wars on the borders, most of the Hui Muslim soldiers from Datong and the two garrisons of Zuoyun and Youyu became small merchants and artisans, and many Hui Muslims moved to settle near the Great Mosque of Hohhot; to this day, the dialect of Hohhot's Hui Muslims is still deeply influenced by the Datong dialect. By the late Kangxi period, two large livestock trading markets, 'Niuqiao' (Ox Bridge) and 'Yanggangzi' (Sheep Mound), had formed near the Great Mosque of Hohhot, and the cattle and sheep slaughtering industry was controlled by Hui Muslims.

The early Great Mosque of Hohhot only had a few earthen rooms, and it only reached its current size after being rebuilt in 1723 (the first year of the Yongzheng reign) and undergoing a large-scale expansion in 1789 (the fifty-fourth year of the Qianlong reign). The funds for the Qianlong-era expansion were mainly donated by three wealthy Hui Muslim merchant families: the Kang, Ma, and Chen families. To commemorate the contributions of these three families, the mosque decided to recite three extra volumes of scripture every year during the opening of the scriptures in Ramadan. Between 1923 and 1925, the Great Mosque expanded its main hall and the north and south lecture halls, creating the unique Republic-era architectural style seen today. At that time, Widow Yang from Tongdao South Street donated her own property behind the mosque, so the mosque committee decided to recite an extra box of scriptures every year during Ramadan.

The most famous imam of the Hohhot Great Mosque during the Republic of China era was Imam Wang Kuan from Niujie, Beijing. Imam Wang was a famous educator who founded the Chinese Muslim Progressive Association. In 1915, he established the first primary school for Hui Muslims in Hohhot, the Gui-Sui Hui School.

The mosque gate was built in 1892 (the 18th year of the Guangxu reign). Above it hangs a plaque inscribed with 'Great Mosque' from 1890 (the 16th year of the Guangxu reign), with plaques reading 'National Prosperity' and 'People's Peace' on either side.









After entering, you can see the brick-carved screen wall behind the main hall, built in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign). It is inscribed with 'Rectify the heart and be sincere in self-cultivation,' 'Recognize the Oneness of Allah,' 'Clear the heart,' and 'See one's true nature,' all written in 1924 by Ma Fuxiang, who was the Suiyuan Military Governor at the time.













The prayer hall was expanded in 1923 and consists of a porch, a front hall, a middle hall, and a kiln hall. It features a connected roof structure with five pointed pavilions on top, symbolizing the Five Pillars of Islam: faith, prayer, fasting, charity, and pilgrimage. The porch is a blend of Chinese and Western styles, featuring arched doors, Arabic plaques, couplets, and floral patterns on the walls.

























The Moon-Watching Tower was built in 1939. It is 36 meters high, with a hexagonal brick base and a single-eave hexagonal pointed roof at the top.





Chasuoqi Great Mosque

Tumd Left Banner in Inner Mongolia is located west of Hohhot. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was the base of the Mongol Tumd tribe, known for its fertile land and abundant water and grass. In 1739 (the 4th year of the Qianlong reign), the Qing government established a sub-prefecture office in Shandai Town, Tumd Left Banner, making it an important commercial hub. Shortly after, Hui Muslims from four families arrived in Shandai to make a living: the Bai family from Gaotou in Zhengding, Hebei (now Gaotou Hui Ethnic Township in Wuji County), the Ma family from Baoding, Hebei, the Xue family from Xueying, Beijing, and the Jin family from Niujie, Beijing.

In 1760 (the 25th year of the Qianlong reign), the Shandai sub-prefecture office was abolished, and the center of the banner shifted to Chasuoqi Town. The Bai, Ma, Xue, and Jin Hui Muslim families all moved to Chasuoqi Town in the late Qianlong period. At that time, the Chasuoqi Guandi Mosque was being dismantled and moved to a new site, so the families bought the original land and built the first Chasuoqi Great Mosque.

The Chasuoqi Great Mosque originally consisted of only two mud houses facing the street. During the Daoguang reign, as the number of Hui Muslims moving to Chasuoqi increased, a mud-and-wood main hall was added. In 1909 (the first year of the Xuantong reign), Imam Wang Shi'en led the construction of the current brick-and-wood main hall. The widow of Bai Shengyu, surnamed Gan, donated bricks, tiles, wood, and the elm trees in the courtyard. Other funds came from the local community and from Hohhot, Baotou, Saratsi, Togtoh, and Longshengzhuang. The elders in charge were Luo Cheng, Bai Youfu, Ma Youfu, and Wu Fengqi. Imam Wang Shi'en was originally from Wudu, Gansu. He was deeply knowledgeable in Islamic studies and is the most famous imam in the history of the Chasuoqi Great Mosque.

































Saratsi Mosque

Saratsi Town in Tumd Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, is located between Hohhot and Baotou. After the Saratsi sub-prefecture office was established in 1739 (the 4th year of the Qianlong reign), it gradually prospered and became a major trade hub on the merchant route to Mongolia. In the early Qianlong years, 23 Hui Muslim households from Shandong and Hebei moved to Saratsi via Shandai. They included families with the surnames Ma, Bai, Yang, and Wei, and most worked as livestock traders. In 1747 (the 12th year of the Qianlong reign), they raised funds to build the Saratsi Mosque in Nanyingzi.

In 1760 (the 25th year of the Qianlong reign), Saratsi was upgraded to a sub-prefecture office, also handling Mongolian-Han affairs for the Urat Three Banners, the Ordos Left Wing Middle Banner (Junwang Banner), and the Ordos Left Wing Rear Banner (Dalad Banner). After this, the number of Hui Muslims moving to Saratsi continued to grow. Around the 40th year of the Qianlong reign, the Hui Muslim population in Saratsi had grown to over 100 households and more than 400 people. In 1782 (the 47th year of the Qianlong reign), local residents expanded the main hall of the Salaqi Mosque to fifteen rooms. The mosque still has a door lintel inscribed with the date 1782, which serves as proof of this expansion.

In 1947, the south side room of the main hall suddenly collapsed. The village elders hired Wu Youlong, one of the only two college students among the Hui Muslims in Baotou at the time, who had graduated from the Civil Engineering Department of Beiyang Institute of Technology, to rebuild the hall. When designing the hall, Wu Youlong boldly placed a millstone and a roller under each pillar. This design prevented moisture from rising and also improved the lighting inside. After the renovation, the main hall took on its current form.















Baotou Great Mosque

The Baotou Great Mosque is located in the Donghe District of the old town of Baotou. It was first built in 1743 (the 8th year of the Qianlong reign) and is the most important religious building in the western Tumochuan area. Today, it is a protected cultural site of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In 1697 (the 36th year of the Kangxi reign), after Emperor Kangxi defeated Galdan, immigrants from inland China began to flood into the Tumochuan Plain in Inner Mongolia, moving westward along the route from Hohhot to Chasugi and then to Salaqi. In the early years of the Qianlong reign, Wang Xiu, a Hui Muslim from Cangzhou, Hebei, and Bai Sanmu, a Hui Muslim from Wuding, Shandong (near present-day Binzhou and Dezhou), arrived at Baotou Village, west of Salaqi, becoming the first Hui Muslims in Baotou.

According to family records, the Wang family's ancestral home was Erdaogang Wailiushu Village in Nanjing. Their distant ancestor was a military scholar (wulinsheng) during the Ming Dynasty and later served as a military officer. In 1421 (the 19th year of the Yongle reign), the Ming Dynasty officially moved its capital to Beijing. The Wang family was ordered to escort the emperor north and was later granted land in Cangzhou. During the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Wang family moved to their granted land at Wangjia Sheqiao and gave up their official posts to become farmers. In the early years of the Qianlong reign, the Wang family fell on hard times. Faced with a drought in Cangzhou, Wang Xiu carried his wife and children, along with a shoulder pole carrying goods, and traveled a long distance to Zhaowan in Inner Mongolia. Wang Xiu first made a living by selling mountain goods and sewing supplies door-to-door. Later, he received a piece of pasture land from a lama, bought livestock, and started a career in animal husbandry. Wang Xiu traded livestock between Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Hebei, and his family's financial situation gradually improved.

In the early years of the Qianlong reign, Baotou Village, west of Salaqi, began to take shape, and shops and businesses opened one after another. Wang Xiu rented a slope from a Mongol person north of Baotou Village to build a house, and people called it the "Wang Family on the High Slope." After that, other Hui Muslim families, including the Bai, Ma, Yang, and Zhou families, moved into Baotou. In 1743 (the 8th year of the Qianlong reign), the Wang and Bai families mobilized other Hui Muslim families to build the first Baotou Great Mosque.

The original Baotou Great Mosque was a five-room earth-and-wood hall. It once had a plaque inscribed with "Pure and Clean" (Qingjing) dated to the 8th year of the Qianlong reign, but it was unfortunately lost later. The first imam was surnamed Fu and was hired from Hebei.

In 1809 (the 14th year of the Jiaqing reign), Baotou Village was renamed Baotou Town and gradually developed into an important commercial hub. Wang Xiu's grandson, Wang Daxing, opened the "Sanhe Horse Inn" in Baotou, and his long-distance horse trading business flourished. By 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), there were already over 100 Hui Muslim households in Baotou, totaling six or seven hundred people. Because of this, Wang Daxing and Bai Sanmu's grandson, Bai Kede, led the effort to rebuild the earth-and-wood hall into a brick-and-tile structure and inscribed the plaques "Unique" (Duyi Wu'er), "Ancient Autumn" (Guqiu), and "Quiet One" (Jingyi). Only the plaque reading "Ancient Autumn" (Guqiu) remains, signed by community leaders (toushou) Wang Daxing and Bai Kede.

In 1913, community elders from the Ma, Wang, Chen, Ding, and Bai families hired a carpenter known as "Living Lu Ban" named Guo Sansuo to expand the main hall. He moved the porch (juanpeng) forward and added a section to the back, giving the Baotou Great Mosque its current layout. The mosque houses a plaque inscribed with "Promoting the True Faith" (Xianyang Zhengjiao) by Lieutenant General Ma Fuxiang, dating back to the second year of the Republic of China.



















An appreciation of the traditional Chinese-style Arabic calligraphy found on the mihrab (mihalabu) niche and the minbar (minbaier) pulpit inside the main hall of the Baotou Great Mosque.



















The qibla wall of the Baotou Great Mosque features 32 stunning pieces of traditional Chinese-style Arabic calligraphy in large-character (bangshu) script.



















The architectural details of the Baotou Great Mosque, including the brick and wood carvings, are incredibly exquisite.



















The swastika (wanzi) and taiji brick carvings in the main hall of the Baotou Great Mosque show the influence of different cultures.

During the late Qing Dynasty, under the trend of interpreting Islam through Confucianism, scholars like Liu Zhi introduced concepts like "taiji" and "yin-yang" into the faith. The book "Nature and Principle of Islam" (Tianfang Xingli) contains the record: "Movement creates yang, stillness creates yin; this is the manifestation of taiji, which is the manifestation of the True One." This is the end of the record.

The "endless swastika" (wanzi budao tou) is a traditional Chinese auspicious pattern. The swastika represents good fortune, and "endless" means it continues forever; it frequently appears in brick, stone, and wood carvings.







Baotou Small Mosque.

Also known as the Baotou North Mosque or Wayougou Mosque, the Baotou Small Mosque was first built in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign). The main hall was rebuilt in 1918, and it is currently a cultural heritage site protected by Baotou City. The Baotou Small Mosque is built on a very steep slope against a cliff, making the main hall much higher than the ablution room (shuifang), which is a unique feature.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the population of Hui Muslims settling in Baotou grew steadily, expanding from the old town's Beiliang area from east to west. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the eight streets and alleys near Wayougou had become a Hui Muslim residential area, home to inns, flour shops, oil mills, and dozens of cattle, sheep, and camel slaughterhouses. The slaughterhouses also operated as kitchens, meat shops, and livestock pens.

Because traveling between Wayougou and the Baotou Great Mosque required crossing gullies and ridges, it was very inconvenient. In the late Guangxu years, Hui Muslim families including the Chens, Mas, Dings, Yangs, and Wangs proposed digging a well in Wayougou and building an ablution room called "West Water Hall" (Xishuitang). In 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign), they bought a flat piece of land on the hillside of the West Water Hall and built the first Baotou Small Mosque.

In 1918, the elders of the small mosque raised funds to build a five-room main hall with a porch (juanpeng) against the home of elder Xing Fa. In the 1920s, Xing Fa donated the empty land at the north end of the main hall to build north and south rooms and a north wing, turning the small mosque into a complete courtyard.

After it was built, the Baotou Small Mosque was long under the jurisdiction of the Great Mosque. The imam was selected and sent monthly by the students (hailifan) of the Great Mosque, and both Eid festivals (Da'erde) and the Prophet's Birthday (Shengji) were held at the Great Mosque. After 1958, the small mosque was closed due to a merger of mosques, but it reopened in 1990. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: The final part of this Inner Mongolia mosque series is a photo-heavy record of historic Hui Muslim mosque sites and architectural details. It preserves the original image sequence while keeping the article focused on Inner Mongolia mosque heritage and local Muslim history. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Baotou in Inner Mongolia had five historic mosque communities from the Qing Dynasty and Republic of China era, tied to Hui Muslim trade, migration, and local settlement. This article records mosque origins, family histories, rebuilding dates, preserved tablets, and the religious geography of old Baotou.

Salachi Town in Tumed Right Banner, Inner Mongolia, sits between Hohhot and Baotou. It grew prosperous after the Salachi Assistant Magistrate's Office was set up in 1739 (the fourth year of the Qianlong reign), becoming a key trading hub on the merchant route to Mongolia. In the early Qianlong years, 23 families of Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei moved to Salachi from Shandai Town. These families, including the Ma, Bai, Yang, and Wei clans, mostly worked in the livestock trade. In 1747 (the twelfth year of the Qianlong reign), they pooled their money to build the Salachi Mosque (Salachi Si) in the Nanyingzi area of the town.

In 1760 (the twenty-fifth year of the Qianlong reign), Salachi was upgraded to an Assistant Magistrate's Office. It handled affairs between Mongol and Han people in the Urat Three Banners, the Ordos Left Wing Middle Banner (Junwang Banner), and the Ordos Left Wing Rear Banner (Dalad Banner). After this, the number of Hui Muslims moving to Salachi Town kept growing. By around the fortieth year of the Qianlong reign, the Hui Muslim population in Salachi had grown to over 100 families and more than 400 people. In 1782 (the forty-seventh year of the Qianlong reign), the local community expanded the main hall of the Salachi Mosque to 15 rooms. The door plaque inside the mosque still bears the date of the forty-seventh year of the Qianlong reign, serving as proof of the expansion.

In 1947, the south side room of the main hall suddenly collapsed. The community elders hired Wu Youlong, one of the only two college students among the Baotou Hui Muslims at the time, who had graduated from the Civil Engineering Department of Peiyang Institute of Technology, to rebuild the hall. When designing the hall, Wu Youlong boldly placed a millstone and a roller under each pillar. This design helped keep the pillars dry and improved the lighting inside. The rebuilt main hall took on its current form and is now a cultural heritage site protected by Baotou City.



















The Great Mosque of Baotou (Baotou Dasi) is located in the Donghe District of the old city of Baotou. First built in 1743 (the eighth year of the Qianlong reign), it is the most important religious building in the western Tumed Plain and is now a protected cultural heritage site of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In 1697 (the thirty-sixth year of the Kangxi reign), after Emperor Kangxi defeated Galdan, migrants from inland China began pouring into the Tumed Plain of Inner Mongolia, moving westward along the route from Hohhot to Chasugi and then to Salachi. In the early Qianlong years, Wang Xiu, a Hui Muslim from Cangzhou, Hebei, and Bai Sanmu, a Hui Muslim from Wuding, Shandong (near present-day Binzhou and Dezhou), arrived at Baotou Village west of Salachi, becoming the first Hui Muslims in Baotou.

According to family records, the Wang family's ancestral home was Erdaogang Wailiushu Village in Nanjing. Their distant ancestor was a military student (wulinsheng) during the Ming Dynasty and later served as a military officer. In 1421 (the nineteenth year of the Yongle reign), the Ming Dynasty officially moved its capital to Beijing. The Wang family was ordered to escort the emperor north and was later granted land in Cangzhou. During the Ming Yongle period, the Wang family moved to their granted land at Wangjia Sheqiao and gave up their official posts to become farmers. In the early Qianlong years, the Wang family fell on hard times. After a drought in Cangzhou, Wang Xiu carried his goods on a shoulder pole and traveled a long distance with his wife and children to Zhaowan in Inner Mongolia. Wang Xiu first made a living selling mountain goods and sewing supplies door-to-door. Later, he received a piece of pasture land from a lama, bought livestock, and started working in animal husbandry. Wang Xiu gradually became well-off by trading livestock between Inner Mongolia, Shandong, and Hebei.

In the early Qianlong years, Baotou Village, west of Salachi, began to take shape, and shops and businesses opened one after another. Wang Xiu rented a hillside from a Mongol person north of Baotou Village to build a house, and people called him the Wang of the High Slope (Gaopo Wangjia). After that, more Hui Muslims with the surnames Bai, Ma, Yang, and Zhou moved into Baotou. In 1743 (the eighth year of the Qianlong reign), the Wang and Bai families organized other Hui Muslim families to build the first Great Mosque of Baotou.

The original Great Mosque of Baotou was a five-room earth-and-wood hall. It once had a plaque inscribed with the words "Pure and Clean" (Qingjing) dated to the eighth year of the Qianlong reign, but it was unfortunately lost later. The first imam (ahong) was surnamed Fu and was hired from Hebei.

In 1809 (the fourteenth year of the Jiaqing reign), Baotou Village was renamed Baotou Town and gradually developed into a major commercial hub. Wang Daxing, the grandson of Wang Xiuzhi, opened the Sanhe Horse Inn (Sanhe Madian) in Baotou and ran a successful long-distance horse trading business. By 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), the Hui Muslim population in Baotou had grown to over 100 households, totaling six or seven hundred people. Wang Daxing and Bai Kede, the grandson of Bai Sanmu, led the effort to rebuild the original earth-and-wood main hall into a brick-and-tile structure. They also inscribed plaques reading "Unique" (Duyi Wu'er), "Ancient Autumn" (Guqiu), and "Quiet One" (Jingyi). Only the "Ancient Autumn" (Guqiu) plaque remains today, signed by the community leaders (tou) Wang Daxing and Bai Kede.

In 1913, community elders from the Ma, Wang, Chen, Ding, and Bai families hired a carpenter named Guo San suo, known as the "Living Lu Ban," to expand the main hall. He moved the porch (juanpeng) forward and added a section to the back, giving the Baotou Great Mosque its current layout. The mosque houses a plaque inscribed with "Promoting the True Religion" (Xianyang Zhengjiao), gifted by Lieutenant General Ma Fuxiang in the second year of the Republic of China.



















The main hall of the Baotou Great Mosque features a prayer niche (mihrab) and a pulpit (minbar) decorated with traditional Chinese-style Arabic calligraphy.



















The qibla wall of the Baotou Great Mosque is decorated with 32 pieces of traditional Chinese-style large-character Arabic calligraphy, which is very impressive.



















The architectural details of the Baotou Great Mosque, including the brick carvings and wood carvings, are all very exquisite.



















The swastika (wanzi) and taiji brick carvings in the main hall of the Baotou Great Mosque show the influence of different cultures.

During the late Qing Dynasty, under the intellectual trend of interpreting Islam through Confucianism, scholars like Liu Zhi introduced concepts like "taiji" and "yin-yang" into the faith. The book "The Nature and Principle of Islam" (Tianfang Xingli) contains the record: "Movement creates yang, stillness creates yin; this is the manifestation of taiji, which is the manifestation of the True One."

The swastika (wanzi) is a traditional Chinese auspicious pattern. The swastika represents good fortune, and the "never-ending" (budao tou) design represents continuity. It frequently appears in architectural brick, stone, and wood carvings.







The Baotou Small Mosque, also known as the Baotou North Mosque or the Wayao Ditch Mosque (Wayao Gou Si), was first built in 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign). The main hall was rebuilt in 1918, and it is currently a Baotou municipal cultural heritage site. The Baotou Small Mosque is built on a very steep slope against a cliff. The main hall sits much higher than the ablution room (shuifang), which is a very unique feature.

In the late Qing Dynasty, the Hui Muslim population in Baotou grew steadily, expanding from the Beiliang area of the old city from east to west. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, the eight streets and alleys near Wayao Ditch had become a Hui Muslim residential area, home to horse inns, flour shops, oil mills, and dozens of cattle, sheep, and camel slaughterhouses. The slaughterhouses also operated as kitchens, meat shops, and livestock pens.

Because traveling between Wayao Ditch and the Baotou Great Mosque required crossing ditches and ridges, it was very inconvenient. In the final years of the Guangxu reign, Hui Muslim families including the Chens, Mas, Dings, Yangs, and Wangs proposed digging a well in Wayao Ditch and building a bathhouse called the "West Water Hall" (Xishui Tang). In 1908 (the 34th year of the Guangxu reign), they bought a flat piece of land on the hillside of the West Water Hall and built the first Baotou Small Mosque.

In 1918, the elders of the Small Mosque raised funds to build a five-room main hall with a porch (juanpeng) against the home of elder Xing Fa. In the 1920s, elder Xing Fa donated the empty land at the north end of the main hall to build north and south rooms and a north wing, making the Small Mosque a complete courtyard.

After it was built, the Baotou Small Mosque was long under the jurisdiction of the Great Mosque. The imam was selected monthly by the students (hailifan) of the Great Mosque, and the two Eid festivals (Duerde) and the Prophet's Birthday (Shengji) were all held at the Great Mosque. The Small Mosque was closed in 1958 due to the merger of mosques and reopened in 1990.

































The Baotou Zhiluyu Mosque, also known as the Yushu Ditch Mosque (Yushu Gou Si) or the West Mosque, was first built with funds raised by "Eastern Route Hui Muslims" who came from Zhili (Hebei), Shandong, and Henan, hence its name. At the mosque entrance, there is a shop selling clear tea and beef steamed dumplings (shaomai), and another selling fried dough cakes (youbing) with vermicelli soup and buckwheat noodles. These are great for breakfast.

During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Baotou became a major hub for trading furs. Many Hui Muslims from Hebei came to Baotou to sell furs and livestock. Others came to work in leather tanning, soap making, or to run small stalls. By the early years of the Republic, there were over a hundred such households. In 1922, Hui Muslim families named Hai, Ma, Ge, Yang, and Wang from Hebei, Henan, and Shandong rented a house at the east end of Fuchengyuan Lane in Baotou and built the first Zhiluyu Mosque. In the autumn of 1923, Ma Jincai, Ge Taizhong, and Yang Minglu traveled to Gansu and Ningxia to collect donations (nietie). After returning, they bought a former ox-cart shop in Yushugou and officially established the Zhiluyu Mosque. In 1925, Jiang Tingshan from Linxia, Gansu, bought seventeen fur rafts at the Yellow River ferry in Baotou. He used the wood to rebuild the main hall of the Zhiluyu Mosque and renamed it the Shanganzhiluyu Mosque. The Shanganzhiluyu Mosque closed in 1966, reopened in 1982, and was renamed Yushugou Mosque. It was rebuilt into its current structure in 2008.





The Ganqingning Mosque in Baotou, also known as the Shengli Road Mosque or the Middle Mosque, was built in 1943 on Minsheng Street by He Huaizhong and He Huaicheng, Hui Muslims from Ningxia living in Baotou. In the summer of 1949, Li Fengzao, a Hui Muslim from Ningxia, donated a small building on Zhongshan Road. The upper floor served as the main hall, and they hired Imam Wang Zhen from the Longshengzhuang Mosque in Inner Mongolia as the first head of the mosque. In the winter of 1949, Li Fengzao donated a rented courtyard that had been the Yidecheng cold goods shop on Shengli Road. After clearing and renovating it, it was named the Ganqingning Mosque. The imams were mostly hired from Tongxin and Lingwu in Ningxia.

In 1958, the Ganqingning Mosque merged with the Baotou Small Mosque. The original site on Shengli Road was later occupied by a noodle workshop of a food factory and then a printing factory. It reopened in 1984, and the main hall was rebuilt in 1987.

A traditional house with a pitched roof stands at the entrance of the Shengli Road Mosque. It is now a workshop for the Huixiang Food Shop, though its original purpose is unknown.

There is a lot of good food near the Shengli Road Mosque, which I will introduce specifically later. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.

Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.

Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.

During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.

A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.

On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.

































The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.

As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.

Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.

In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.

On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.

In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.











On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.

We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.













After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.

















When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge. view all

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Summary: This weekend food walk at Chaoyang Park International Food Carnival covers global food stalls and halal-friendly dishes in Beijing. The account keeps the original food names, stall details, and tasting notes while focusing on what was actually eaten at the festival.

The International Food Carnival was held at the Fireworks Plaza near the South Gate of Chaoyang Park this weekend. The halal lineup was similar to last week's food festival at Scitech, featuring Azerbaijan's Siting Se, Egypt's Cleopatra, and Bangladesh's Benjibi and Samarkand. The difference was the addition of the Pakistan China-Pakistan Friendship Restaurant.

It was extremely crowded when we went on Saturday at noon. We had to line up at almost every stall, and not every dish was available. Chaoyang Park is a popular spot for people in Chaoyang District to take their kids, so many families were there eating with their children. Our main goal was also to take the kids out, with eating as a secondary activity.

We first bought potato and chicken fried curry puffs (samosa) at the Pakistan China-Pakistan Friendship Restaurant. Samosas are made from the Arab world, Persia, South Asia, and Central Asia all the way to the Hui Muslims. Whether baked or fried, vegetarian or meat, they are all signs of cultural exchange.







Then we bought butter chicken curry with saffron rice at the Bangladesh Benjibi restaurant, along with mint lemonade and mango yogurt drink (lassi). I personally feel that butter chicken is the South Asian curry most acceptable to Chinese people. It is not spicy and has a milky aroma, and even my mom likes it. The mango lassi was also a big hit with the kids, reminding me of the time I drank lassi on the streets of India.









After that, we bought hibiscus tea (pharaoh tea) and lemon-flavored Barbican at Cleopatra. Hibiscus tea is a classic drink for breaking the fast in Egypt; you can check my introduction from last week. Barbican originated in the UK, was introduced to the Middle East by the Saudi company Aujan in 1982, and began independent production in Dubai in 2005. It is now the most famous malt beverage in the Middle East. I first drank Barbican at an imported goods supermarket near my university. Back then, I didn't have much money, so I could only drink it occasionally in the summer, and it felt especially refreshing. Ten years have passed in a flash, and now that I earn my own money, I can finally drink Barbican whenever I want.











We bought grilled meat with flatbread (nang) and a beef burger at Samarkand. Their place is a mix of foods made by Hui Muslims, but the taste is quite good. The beef burger had catnip (jingjie) in it, which was interesting, and the beef patty tasted good too. Everyone liked it, though I am not sure if they serve it at their restaurant. view all

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Summary: This Beijing embassy district account visits the prayer halls of the Iranian Embassy, Sudanese Embassy, and Pakistan Embassy College. It records diplomatic history, Shia turbah practice, Sudanese Taraweeh traditions, Maliki prayer customs, Pakistani community schooling, and mosque spaces inside the embassy area.

Embassy of Iran in China

The Embassy of Iran in China is located on East 6th Street in Sanlitun, Beijing, and was built in 1972. In 1971, Princess Ashraf and Princess Fatemeh of the Pahlavi dynasty of Iran visited China. The two countries officially established diplomatic relations on August 16 of that year, and the Iranian embassy was completed in 1972.

In the prayer hall of the Iranian embassy, you can see the clay tablets (turbah) that are characteristic of the Shia tradition. The turbah is also called a mohr. Because Shia jurisprudence requires prostration to be performed on soil or natural materials, a turbah is usually used indoors. The most revered turbah is made from the soil of Karbala.





























Embassy of Sudan in China

The Embassy of Sudan in China is located on East 2nd Street in Sanlitun, Beijing. Sudan and China established diplomatic relations in 1959. The embassy was built in 1971 and rebuilt into its current structure in 2006.

Every Ramadan, the prayer hall of the Sudanese embassy opens for foreign friends (dost) to perform Taraweeh prayers. I went in both 2024 and 2025.

Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which is common across most of North and West Africa. It has many differences from the Hanafi school followed by Hui Muslims in China. The Taraweeh prayer at the Sudanese embassy consists of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz specifically hired by the embassy leads the first four rak'ahs, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam leads the final four rak'ahs. During the third rak'ah of the Witr dua, people raise their hands to recite a long dua, and there is another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious and cultural atmosphere.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began spreading the faith along the upper reaches of the Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate, which ruled Sudan, had nominally converted to the faith but still retained traditions of witchcraft and sacrifice. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate underwent a change of dynasty, which led to a pursuit of more orthodox religious practices and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that practiced orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as a common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Sunni Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.





















Pakistan Embassy College Beijing

The Embassy of Pakistan in China is located on Dongzhimen Outer Street in Beijing and was built in 1951. The founder of the Pakistani embassy in China was the famous Pakistani writer and scholar Ahmed Ali, who gained international fame for his masterpiece, Twilight in Delhi. This book uses rich symbolic imagery to describe the changes in the Indian Muslim community under British colonial rule in the early 20th century.

Pakistan Embassy College Beijing is located inside the Pakistani embassy. It was opened in 1969 by Premier Zhou Enlai at the request of Pakistani Prime Minister Ayub Khan and was the first international school in Beijing. The college offers a full curriculum from kindergarten to high school. to the children of Pakistani expatriates and diplomats, the college enrolls international students from over 60 different countries and holds an International Cultural Day event every year.

In 2024, I attended the International Culture Day at the Pakistan Embassy College and performed namaz in the school's prayer hall. Pakistanis also mostly follow the Hanafi school of thought, so their movements are basically the same as ours. There was even a basket of prayer caps at the door, which matches our custom of wearing caps, unlike the Arabs or Iranians who do not have this practice. view all

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Summary: This Beijing Mediterranean Food Festival visit covers Palestinian musakhan, Egyptian karkadeh, Caucasian venison stew, Bangladeshi curry, and other halal food stalls near Jianguomen. The article keeps the restaurant names, dish details, and cultural background of Jaffa, roselle tea, and Ramadan drinks.

On Sunday, I went to the Mediterranean Food Festival outside the Scitech Plaza at Jianguomen. Since the start of summer, Beijing has hosted several specialty food festivals every month, which is a great way to take an evening stroll and satisfy a craving. This time, the food festival at Scitech featured stalls from Xiting Xiuse (Azerbaijan), Cleopatra (Egypt), Benjiebi (Bangladesh), and Jaffa (Palestine).

We first bought Palestinian-style Musakhan chicken rolls and hummus (hummus) at Jaffa, and the Palestinian brother even gave Suleiman a donut.

Musakhan is known as the national dish of Palestine and is especially popular among Palestinians and Jordanians. Palestinians heat up freshly made Taboon bread (taboon), then roll it with roasted chicken, onions, sumac powder, allspice powder, saffron, and fried pine nuts, all brushed with olive oil.

Jaffa is an ancient Palestinian city that was once primarily Arab during the Ottoman period, and in the 19th century, it was famous for its vast orchards and Jaffa oranges. In the early 20th century, Jaffa was also a news hub for Palestine, with many newspaper offices located there. After 1948, most of the Arab population was expelled from or fled Jaffa.













Then we bought Caucasian venison stew at Xiting Xiuse. They use traditional Caucasian mountain cooking techniques to slow-cook the venison until it is soft and tender. The rich soup is also very flavorful when dipped with bread.







We ate chicken rice and milk pudding with hibiscus water at the Cleopatra restaurant. Their shop is located in Sanlitun SOHO, and they also set up a stall every year at the International Neighborhood Festival at the Jianguomen Diplomatic Residence Compound. The rice was mixed with cashews, raisins, and fried noodles, and it tasted great with the shredded chicken. I especially liked the hibiscus water and drank two cups.

Hibiscus water is actually roselle tea. Roselle is native to Africa and is often used in Egypt and Sudan to make hibiscus water called Karkadeh, which has a history of over 6,000 years and is also known as Pharaoh's tea. Hibiscus water can be found at various celebrations in Egypt, especially during the iftar meal in Ramadan. Egyptians make hibiscus water in both cold and hot ways. You can soak the dried petals in cold water overnight, then filter and add sugar before refrigerating, or boil them for 5 to 10 minutes, filter, add sugar, and refrigerate after cooling.



















At the Bangladeshi stall Benjiebi, I ordered masala beef curry with saffron rice, and also ordered grilled lamb chops with mint chili sauce; their lamb was very tender. Their shop is on Haoyun Street, diagonally across from Solana, and we often go there to eat after walking around Solana. Their weekday lunch curry set is also very affordable. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.

The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.

On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).

Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.

The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.















In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).













North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.

In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.

Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.









On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.

Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.



















After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.

The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other. view all