Ankang Hui Muslim Street Guide: Halal Food and Muslim Heritage in Shaanxi
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Summary: This travel note introduces Ankang Hui Muslim Street Guide: Halal Food and Muslim Heritage in Shaanxi. Traveled from Shuhe along the Han River to Ankang. Ankang is the largest Muslim community in southern Shaanxi. It is useful for readers interested in Ankang Muslim Street, Halal Food, Shaanxi Travel.
Traveled from Shuhe along the Han River to Ankang. Ankang is the largest Muslim community in southern Shaanxi. Hui Muslims have settled here since the Ming Dynasty, and by the Republic of China era, seven mosques had already been built. The halal food in Ankang is also the most abundant in southern Shaanxi. Snacks include zhengmian (steamed noodles), rice noodles, ciba (glutinous rice cakes), youceng (layered fried bread), malatang jiamo (spicy hot pot ingredients in a bun), and more, with even more variety in banquet dishes. Moreover, because the Hui Muslim street in Ankang is not a tourist area, everything you eat is food loved by the locals. We really had a wonderful time eating and exploring this time.
Zhengmian (steamed noodles)
In the morning, we ate zhengmian with pickled vegetable soup at the most popular Huang's Zhengmian at the entrance of Gulou Street. The owner is a Haji who returned from Hajj in 2005. Ankang zhengmian is a type of Shaanxi liangpi (cold skin noodles). Unlike Xi'an liangpi, which is seasoned with raw vinegar, Ankang zhengmian uses boiled vinegar. Zhengmian is usually served with youpo lazi (hot chili oil), but I didn't add any because I can't handle much spice.
The yousu mo (crispy fried flatbread) across from Huang's Zhengmian also looked delicious.
Mosque
After finishing the zhengmian, we went to visit the ancient mosque. According to stone inscriptions, the Ankang Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty. It was initially called Libai Mosque, later renamed Jingjue Mosque, and changed to Mosque in 1767. In 1583, the mosque was destroyed by a flood and the grounds were occupied. In the early years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the property was returned and rebuilt on the original site. It was destroyed again in 1862, with only the screen wall remaining. The north and south lecture halls were rebuilt in 1867, and the prayer hall and other buildings were rebuilt in 1871. In 1923, a five-story, hexagonal, pointed-roof minaret was built, reaching 37 meters in height. The main hall was expanded in 1931.
In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang. The mosque's minaret collapsed, and the north and south lecture halls were destroyed, with only the main hall surviving. In 1984, the north and south lecture halls, minaret, and ablution room were rebuilt. The archway-style gate was rebuilt in 1999, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2013.
After leaving the ancient mosque, we ate tanggao (fried sugar cake) with douhua (soft tofu pudding) at the intersection of Bizi Lane and Xizheng Street. Yougao (fried cake) is found all the way from Zhaotong to Nanchong and Ankang, and the douhua here is salty and spicy. The lamb pie nearby also looked very tasty.
North Mosque
The North Mosque was first built in 1502. During the 1983 Ankang flood, all the buildings of the North Mosque were washed away. Construction began in 1984 and was completed in 1994.
Next to the North Mosque is a 232-year-old Chinese toon tree, nearly 40 meters tall. During the 1983 Ankang flood, 31 people climbed this tree and survived, so it is also called the 'Life-Saving Tree'.
Jingning South Mosque
Jingning South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty. In the 1583 Han River flood, the South Mosque was submerged, and the buildings collapsed, leaving only the Wangyue Tower (Moon-Watching Tower). It was rebuilt twice, during the Kangxi era and in 1890. After 1957, it was occupied. During the Cultural Revolution, a fire broke out, and the South Mosque was burned down, with only the Wangyue Tower surviving. After the property was returned, the main hall, north and south wing rooms, ablution room, and gatehouse were rebuilt. In 1998, the Ming Dynasty Wangyue Tower was demolished and replaced with a reinforced concrete structure. In 2018, the stone archway, Wangyue Tower, and north and south wing rooms were rebuilt again.
The main hall of Jingning South Mosque is the largest among Ankang's mosques. From the aerial view, you can see it is composed of three connected buildings, each with a different architectural style.
Vegetable rolls, ciba (glutinous rice cakes), and zhengpenzi (steamed basin dish)
After visiting the two mosques, we continued to eat snacks.
We ate vegetable rolls in front of Huang's Zhengmian. Various small vegetable dishes were rolled into freshly made pancakes. The vegetables were very flavorful, and the pancakes were fragrant. This two-yuan snack left me very satisfied.
Then we strolled along Gulou West Street and ate ciba at a sweet shop called Ma's Zongzi. We discovered a 1990s-era tangping (kettle) sign, which is extremely rare.
After walking around a lot, we went for lunch. Dongzheng Street is full of halal restaurants. We chose a place called Huifuzhai and ate their specialty, zhengpenzi (a large steamed basin dish). It was a huge basin for 68 yuan, with plenty of food, including lamb, chicken, beef sausage, shrimp dumplings, carrots, white radishes, yams, lotus roots, corn, and more. The portion was very generous. Zainabu loved it.
Grilled fresh fish, malatang (spicy hot pot)
In the evening, we ate grilled fresh fish at Ma Laowu Barbecue on Gulou East Street. Every fish was alive. I didn't dare to choose a big fish, so we ate the smallest yellow catfish, and also had some lamb skewers. After the grilled fish, we wandered to East Street to eat Ma Dasao Malatang. Ankang's malatang is also quite unique; the sauce used is different from other places and very fragrant. I really love this late-night snack atmosphere in the Ankang Hui Muslim district; it's all food loved by the locals.
Beef rice noodles, beef in a bun
Continuing with late-night snacks, we ate beef rice noodles and cumin beef in a bun at Ma Gang Rice Noodles on Gulou West Street. It's true that just across the Qinling Mountains, Ankang starts eating rice noodles. And Ankang people really can put anything in a bun: vegetable buns, malatang buns, cumin beef buns, ham buns, spicy meat buns, etc. I even saw a fried dough stick in a bun this morning. However, my favorite is still the cumin beef in a bun. The taste is completely different from Xi'an's roujiamo (meat in a bun). Ankang uses a sesame bun, which I personally feel has a better texture than Xi'an's baiji bun.
Vegetable bun, chicken soup wontons, lamb pie
In the morning, we ate a vegetable bun and chicken soup wontons at Ma's Rice Noodles next to Ma Gang Rice Noodles. The variety of breakfast here is also very rich; you can have whatever you want. Then we ate lamb pie at the entrance of Gulou Street. The flavor of Ankang's lamb pie is so rich that you can smell the fragrance from far away, making it impossible to walk past.
(Optional) Image description
[Muslim Community Food Tour] Grand Plan
Summary: This travel note introduces Ankang Hui Muslim Street Guide: Halal Food and Muslim Heritage in Shaanxi. Traveled from Shuhe along the Han River to Ankang. Ankang is the largest Muslim community in southern Shaanxi. It is useful for readers interested in Ankang Muslim Street, Halal Food, Shaanxi Travel.
Traveled from Shuhe along the Han River to Ankang. Ankang is the largest Muslim community in southern Shaanxi. Hui Muslims have settled here since the Ming Dynasty, and by the Republic of China era, seven mosques had already been built. The halal food in Ankang is also the most abundant in southern Shaanxi. Snacks include zhengmian (steamed noodles), rice noodles, ciba (glutinous rice cakes), youceng (layered fried bread), malatang jiamo (spicy hot pot ingredients in a bun), and more, with even more variety in banquet dishes. Moreover, because the Hui Muslim street in Ankang is not a tourist area, everything you eat is food loved by the locals. We really had a wonderful time eating and exploring this time.
Zhengmian (steamed noodles)
In the morning, we ate zhengmian with pickled vegetable soup at the most popular Huang's Zhengmian at the entrance of Gulou Street. The owner is a Haji who returned from Hajj in 2005. Ankang zhengmian is a type of Shaanxi liangpi (cold skin noodles). Unlike Xi'an liangpi, which is seasoned with raw vinegar, Ankang zhengmian uses boiled vinegar. Zhengmian is usually served with youpo lazi (hot chili oil), but I didn't add any because I can't handle much spice.
The yousu mo (crispy fried flatbread) across from Huang's Zhengmian also looked delicious.
Mosque
After finishing the zhengmian, we went to visit the ancient mosque. According to stone inscriptions, the Ankang Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty. It was initially called Libai Mosque, later renamed Jingjue Mosque, and changed to Mosque in 1767. In 1583, the mosque was destroyed by a flood and the grounds were occupied. In the early years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the property was returned and rebuilt on the original site. It was destroyed again in 1862, with only the screen wall remaining. The north and south lecture halls were rebuilt in 1867, and the prayer hall and other buildings were rebuilt in 1871. In 1923, a five-story, hexagonal, pointed-roof minaret was built, reaching 37 meters in height. The main hall was expanded in 1931.
In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang. The mosque's minaret collapsed, and the north and south lecture halls were destroyed, with only the main hall surviving. In 1984, the north and south lecture halls, minaret, and ablution room were rebuilt. The archway-style gate was rebuilt in 1999, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2013.
After leaving the ancient mosque, we ate tanggao (fried sugar cake) with douhua (soft tofu pudding) at the intersection of Bizi Lane and Xizheng Street. Yougao (fried cake) is found all the way from Zhaotong to Nanchong and Ankang, and the douhua here is salty and spicy. The lamb pie nearby also looked very tasty.
North Mosque
The North Mosque was first built in 1502. During the 1983 Ankang flood, all the buildings of the North Mosque were washed away. Construction began in 1984 and was completed in 1994.
Next to the North Mosque is a 232-year-old Chinese toon tree, nearly 40 meters tall. During the 1983 Ankang flood, 31 people climbed this tree and survived, so it is also called the 'Life-Saving Tree'.
Jingning South Mosque
Jingning South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty. In the 1583 Han River flood, the South Mosque was submerged, and the buildings collapsed, leaving only the Wangyue Tower (Moon-Watching Tower). It was rebuilt twice, during the Kangxi era and in 1890. After 1957, it was occupied. During the Cultural Revolution, a fire broke out, and the South Mosque was burned down, with only the Wangyue Tower surviving. After the property was returned, the main hall, north and south wing rooms, ablution room, and gatehouse were rebuilt. In 1998, the Ming Dynasty Wangyue Tower was demolished and replaced with a reinforced concrete structure. In 2018, the stone archway, Wangyue Tower, and north and south wing rooms were rebuilt again.
The main hall of Jingning South Mosque is the largest among Ankang's mosques. From the aerial view, you can see it is composed of three connected buildings, each with a different architectural style.
Vegetable rolls, ciba (glutinous rice cakes), and zhengpenzi (steamed basin dish)
After visiting the two mosques, we continued to eat snacks.
We ate vegetable rolls in front of Huang's Zhengmian. Various small vegetable dishes were rolled into freshly made pancakes. The vegetables were very flavorful, and the pancakes were fragrant. This two-yuan snack left me very satisfied.
Then we strolled along Gulou West Street and ate ciba at a sweet shop called Ma's Zongzi. We discovered a 1990s-era tangping (kettle) sign, which is extremely rare.
After walking around a lot, we went for lunch. Dongzheng Street is full of halal restaurants. We chose a place called Huifuzhai and ate their specialty, zhengpenzi (a large steamed basin dish). It was a huge basin for 68 yuan, with plenty of food, including lamb, chicken, beef sausage, shrimp dumplings, carrots, white radishes, yams, lotus roots, corn, and more. The portion was very generous. Zainabu loved it.
Grilled fresh fish, malatang (spicy hot pot)
In the evening, we ate grilled fresh fish at Ma Laowu Barbecue on Gulou East Street. Every fish was alive. I didn't dare to choose a big fish, so we ate the smallest yellow catfish, and also had some lamb skewers. After the grilled fish, we wandered to East Street to eat Ma Dasao Malatang. Ankang's malatang is also quite unique; the sauce used is different from other places and very fragrant. I really love this late-night snack atmosphere in the Ankang Hui Muslim district; it's all food loved by the locals.
Beef rice noodles, beef in a bun
Continuing with late-night snacks, we ate beef rice noodles and cumin beef in a bun at Ma Gang Rice Noodles on Gulou West Street. It's true that just across the Qinling Mountains, Ankang starts eating rice noodles. And Ankang people really can put anything in a bun: vegetable buns, malatang buns, cumin beef buns, ham buns, spicy meat buns, etc. I even saw a fried dough stick in a bun this morning. However, my favorite is still the cumin beef in a bun. The taste is completely different from Xi'an's roujiamo (meat in a bun). Ankang uses a sesame bun, which I personally feel has a better texture than Xi'an's baiji bun.
Vegetable bun, chicken soup wontons, lamb pie
In the morning, we ate a vegetable bun and chicken soup wontons at Ma's Rice Noodles next to Ma Gang Rice Noodles. The variety of breakfast here is also very rich; you can have whatever you want. Then we ate lamb pie at the entrance of Gulou Street. The flavor of Ankang's lamb pie is so rich that you can smell the fragrance from far away, making it impossible to walk past.
(Optional) Image description
[Muslim Community Food Tour] Grand Plan
