China Mosque Travel Guide Yunnan: Jianshui Ancient Mosque, Dazhuang Mosques and Shadian Road Trip
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows a Yunnan road trip through Jianshui, Dazhuang, and nearby Shadian, covering ancient mosques, halal rice noodles, local restaurants, stone tablets, Hajj door signs, Xinzhai Mosque, and Hui Muslim history.
A Road Trip in Yunnan: Searching for Old Mosques in Jianshui and Dazhuang is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits.
I remember my first trip to Shadian. I asked the locals what good food they had, and they told me there wasn't much. They usually go to Jianshui and Dazhuang to find good food because there is more to eat there. That is why I kept those two places in mind. Jianshui, Dazhuang, and Shadian are less than 100 miles apart. It takes an hour to drive between them, and they form a triangle. If you plan to visit Shadian, it is best to visit all three places together.
Jianshui Ancient City Hanlin Garden (Hanlin Yuan)
Jianshui is a bit busier than other ancient cities in Yunnan. We chose to stay at Hanlin Garden, which is in the center of the ancient city. It is a state-owned hotel with a classic garden style. The rooms are huge and have complete facilities. The parking lot is right at the hotel entrance. The staff told us to use Gaode Maps to navigate to the hotel instead of Baidu, or we would go the wrong way.
The hotel breakfast offers halal rice noodles (mixian), but you must book them in advance. The staff goes to a halal shop outside to buy them early in the morning.
The little person next to the flower pot in the distance is Fahim. He can play to his heart's content in this garden.
Jianshui Ancient Mosque (Jianshui Qingzhen Gusi)
The ancient mosque is on Randengsi Street next to the ancient city. It was first built during the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty. It is the oldest mosque in southern Yunnan, and the hall in front of the main prayer hall dates back to the Yuan Dynasty.
Randeng Mosque is a Buddhist mosque built during the Jiaqing era of the Ming Dynasty, and it is less than 100 meters away from the mosque.
When I arrived, the women's study group at the mosque was having a class.
There are a few small halal shops on Mashi Street next to the Jianshui ancient mosque, but they only open at noon. I arrived too early and didn't see anything. Locals prefer to come here, but if you want more food, it is all concentrated on Zitao Street.
There are a few halal shops in the old town that are easy to find. I asked a student of mine named Ma from Shadian if I could use facial recognition payment here, and he said he had never even seen beef pancakes (niuroubing) in Shadian.
Koule Bakery is a chain store selling Western-style desserts that a local friend recommended. I bought some flower cakes (xianhuabing), but they were a bit too sweet; I still think the ones in Dali are better.
Jiahe Restaurant
Jiahe Restaurant is across from the Walmart supermarket at the entrance of the old town. We came out of the supermarket and didn't want to walk too far, so we went straight into this shop.
The owner's daughter took a liking to Fahim and tried to trade her Ultraman toy for the snacks in his hand, but Fahim wasn't interested.
We chatted and learned the owner is from Wenshan and married into Jianshui, where she has run this shop for many years. We actually have a mutual friend; her classmate is currently studying at the China Islamic Institute.
The owner recommended a few local specialties, including iron-plate tofu (tieban doufu) and steam-pot chicken (qiguo ji).
Everything was delicious. Jianshui tofu has a smooth texture and can be eaten in many different ways.
Zitao Street
Jianshui's Zitao Street is like the Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie) in Xi'an. Most of the food stalls inside are halal, and they also sell some small goods.
Yingfeng Grilled Rice Cake (shao erkua). There used to be a shop in Beijing, but it closed down.
The grilled tofu (shao doufu) is very popular locally. It costs one yuan per piece and is grilled fresh to order.
They sell big-pot beef rice noodles (niurou mixian) across the street. The seasonings and side dishes are self-serve, and a huge bowl only costs 10 yuan.
My friends in Jianshui do not think much of Purple Pottery Street (Zitao Jie). They find it expensive and say it is just for tourists. We actually liked it after we arrived. Tourists have different needs than locals, and some people just enjoy this kind of lively, bustling market. That is why the Hui Muslim Street in Xi'an is so popular. Locals should support it instead of tearing it down.
Lion cake (shizi gao) is probably the same as Beijing's sachima. It does not taste very good.
We bought grilled beef jerky (niuganba). It is delicious and comes in original and spicy flavors. This stall looks clean and hygienic.
Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan
Dazhuang in Kaiyuan has two mosques, a new one and an old one. The old mosque was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, and the new mosque was built during an expansion in the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. The old mosque was then converted into a women's mosque. The new mosque covers nearly 10,000 square meters and is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection site.
I have seen schools in almost every mosque I visited in Yunnan. Dazhuang Mosque belongs to the Gedimu tradition.
This stone tablet is from the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and records a list of charitable deeds.
This stone tablet is from the Republic of China era. The full text of the above tablets is included in the book "Kaiyuan Stone Tablets."
While walking around the village, I noticed many houses have a red sign on their doors that says "Obey Allah's Command to Perform Hajj." Families who have completed the Hajj (hadji) likely hang these signs to show their honor.
Xinzhai Mosque
Xinzhai Mosque was not originally on my planned route. I was on my way to Dazhuang when I saw a huge mosque by the road. I was so attracted to it that I turned in to visit.
Xinzhai Mosque was built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty and has just been renovated.
I saw a martyr monument (shexide) here just like the one in Shadian.
The Xinzhai martyr monument commemorates the Shadian Incident. Many friends (dosti) in Xinzhai suffered back then, and by percentage, the death toll here was even higher than in Shadian.
Every martyr has a name, with three hundred and fifty people in total.
The back is carved with a Quranic verse: Do not say that those who are killed in the way of Allah are dead; they are alive, but you do not perceive it. (2:154)
Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows a Yunnan road trip through Jianshui, Dazhuang, and nearby Shadian, covering ancient mosques, halal rice noodles, local restaurants, stone tablets, Hajj door signs, Xinzhai Mosque, and Hui Muslim history.
A Road Trip in Yunnan: Searching for Old Mosques in Jianshui and Dazhuang is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits. The account keeps its focus on Halal Travel, Yiwu Food, Mosque Travel while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Ten of my travelogues were deleted one after another recently, likely due to title violations, so I am reposting them after making edits.
I remember my first trip to Shadian. I asked the locals what good food they had, and they told me there wasn't much. They usually go to Jianshui and Dazhuang to find good food because there is more to eat there. That is why I kept those two places in mind. Jianshui, Dazhuang, and Shadian are less than 100 miles apart. It takes an hour to drive between them, and they form a triangle. If you plan to visit Shadian, it is best to visit all three places together.
Jianshui Ancient City Hanlin Garden (Hanlin Yuan)
Jianshui is a bit busier than other ancient cities in Yunnan. We chose to stay at Hanlin Garden, which is in the center of the ancient city. It is a state-owned hotel with a classic garden style. The rooms are huge and have complete facilities. The parking lot is right at the hotel entrance. The staff told us to use Gaode Maps to navigate to the hotel instead of Baidu, or we would go the wrong way.
The hotel breakfast offers halal rice noodles (mixian), but you must book them in advance. The staff goes to a halal shop outside to buy them early in the morning.
The little person next to the flower pot in the distance is Fahim. He can play to his heart's content in this garden.
Jianshui Ancient Mosque (Jianshui Qingzhen Gusi)
The ancient mosque is on Randengsi Street next to the ancient city. It was first built during the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty. It is the oldest mosque in southern Yunnan, and the hall in front of the main prayer hall dates back to the Yuan Dynasty.
Randeng Mosque is a Buddhist mosque built during the Jiaqing era of the Ming Dynasty, and it is less than 100 meters away from the mosque.
When I arrived, the women's study group at the mosque was having a class.
There are a few small halal shops on Mashi Street next to the Jianshui ancient mosque, but they only open at noon. I arrived too early and didn't see anything. Locals prefer to come here, but if you want more food, it is all concentrated on Zitao Street.
There are a few halal shops in the old town that are easy to find. I asked a student of mine named Ma from Shadian if I could use facial recognition payment here, and he said he had never even seen beef pancakes (niuroubing) in Shadian.
Koule Bakery is a chain store selling Western-style desserts that a local friend recommended. I bought some flower cakes (xianhuabing), but they were a bit too sweet; I still think the ones in Dali are better.
Jiahe Restaurant
Jiahe Restaurant is across from the Walmart supermarket at the entrance of the old town. We came out of the supermarket and didn't want to walk too far, so we went straight into this shop.
The owner's daughter took a liking to Fahim and tried to trade her Ultraman toy for the snacks in his hand, but Fahim wasn't interested.
We chatted and learned the owner is from Wenshan and married into Jianshui, where she has run this shop for many years. We actually have a mutual friend; her classmate is currently studying at the China Islamic Institute.
The owner recommended a few local specialties, including iron-plate tofu (tieban doufu) and steam-pot chicken (qiguo ji).
Everything was delicious. Jianshui tofu has a smooth texture and can be eaten in many different ways.
Zitao Street
Jianshui's Zitao Street is like the Muslim Quarter (Huimin Jie) in Xi'an. Most of the food stalls inside are halal, and they also sell some small goods.
Yingfeng Grilled Rice Cake (shao erkua). There used to be a shop in Beijing, but it closed down.
The grilled tofu (shao doufu) is very popular locally. It costs one yuan per piece and is grilled fresh to order.
They sell big-pot beef rice noodles (niurou mixian) across the street. The seasonings and side dishes are self-serve, and a huge bowl only costs 10 yuan.
My friends in Jianshui do not think much of Purple Pottery Street (Zitao Jie). They find it expensive and say it is just for tourists. We actually liked it after we arrived. Tourists have different needs than locals, and some people just enjoy this kind of lively, bustling market. That is why the Hui Muslim Street in Xi'an is so popular. Locals should support it instead of tearing it down.
Lion cake (shizi gao) is probably the same as Beijing's sachima. It does not taste very good.
We bought grilled beef jerky (niuganba). It is delicious and comes in original and spicy flavors. This stall looks clean and hygienic.
Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan
Dazhuang in Kaiyuan has two mosques, a new one and an old one. The old mosque was built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, and the new mosque was built during an expansion in the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. The old mosque was then converted into a women's mosque. The new mosque covers nearly 10,000 square meters and is now a provincial-level cultural relic protection site.
I have seen schools in almost every mosque I visited in Yunnan. Dazhuang Mosque belongs to the Gedimu tradition.
This stone tablet is from the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and records a list of charitable deeds.
This stone tablet is from the Republic of China era. The full text of the above tablets is included in the book "Kaiyuan Stone Tablets."
While walking around the village, I noticed many houses have a red sign on their doors that says "Obey Allah's Command to Perform Hajj." Families who have completed the Hajj (hadji) likely hang these signs to show their honor.
Xinzhai Mosque
Xinzhai Mosque was not originally on my planned route. I was on my way to Dazhuang when I saw a huge mosque by the road. I was so attracted to it that I turned in to visit.
Xinzhai Mosque was built during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty and has just been renovated.
I saw a martyr monument (shexide) here just like the one in Shadian.
The Xinzhai martyr monument commemorates the Shadian Incident. Many friends (dosti) in Xinzhai suffered back then, and by percentage, the death toll here was even higher than in Shadian.
Every martyr has a name, with three hundred and fifty people in total.
The back is carved with a Quranic verse: Do not say that those who are killed in the way of Allah are dead; they are alive, but you do not perceive it. (2:154)
