Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Zhengzhou introduces the city’s mosques, Hui Muslim history, Henan halal food, huimian, hulatang, Fang Zhongshan, and practical notes from local visits around Erqi Square.

A Halal Trip to Zhengzhou is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Zhengzhou has 120 mosques, including 22 mosques for women. I have visited Zhengzhou several times and have been to 8 of these mosques in total. 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.

Zhengzhou has 120 mosques, including 22 mosques for women. I have visited Zhengzhou several times and have been to 8 of these mosques in total. These 8 mosques are not far from each other and are all located around Erqi Square. There are four districts in China named after the Hui Muslims. Besides the Huimin District in Hohhot, the other three are all in Henan: the Guancheng Hui District in Zhengzhou, the Chanhe Hui District in Luoyang, and the Shunhe Hui District in Kaifeng.

The Hui Muslims in Henan left a very good impression on me. They are open-minded, hardworking, studious, simple, and kind. The Central Plains region has produced scholars since ancient times. A significant portion of the treasure trove of Chinese Islamic academic knowledge comes from the contributions of scholars from the Central Plains. It is just that they are low-key and humble, do not seek fame, and their personal fame does not match their academic status.

1. Qingpingli Mosque



Built in 1918, this small mosque looks simple, but famous imams like Wang Jingzhai and Pang Shiqian once served as leaders here.



2. Wuyingli Mosque



There is a martial arts hall inside the mosque. Many mosques in Henan have martial arts halls. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Hui Muslims valued martial arts, and many imam scholars were skilled in both literature and martial arts.



3. Fuminli Mosque



Fuminli Mosque was built in the early years of the Republic of China, and the women's mosque was built in 1940.





4. Beida Mosque



This mosque was built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. It is the oldest existing mosque in the Zhengzhou area. Famous imams such as Ma Changqing, Pang Shiqian, and Shang Xixian once taught here.







The new main hall of the North Mosque (Beida Qingzhensi) was expanded, and I attended Jumu'ah prayer here in 2018.

5. Beixia Street Mosque (Beixiajie Qingzhensi)



It was first built in 1935. The original mosque was torn down, and it is now a modern building.





6. Xiaolou Mosque (Xiaolou Qingzhensi)



It was first built in the early years of the Republic of China. These mosques around Erqi Square in Zhengzhou were all built between the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China.



7. Lvzheng Mosque (Lvzheng Qingzhensi)



It was first built in the late Qing Dynasty. The first imam of Lvzheng Mosque was Mai Fenglou, and Ni Shilin once served as a martial arts teacher here.



8. Huayuan Street Mosque (Huayuanjie Qingzhensi)



It was first built in 1920. Huayuan Street Mosque is a central mosque that is quite active in missionary work and is popular with young people. I attended Jumu'ah here in 2014, visited again in 2016, and came back for Jumu'ah in 2022. During these visits, I met Imam Feng and the Arabic calligrapher Mr. Mi Guangjiang.



After Jumu'ah, Imam Feng invited us to the Cimin Building next door. It happened to be the day the Cimin Building was hosting a food tasting event. The Lanzhou halal seasoning brand Shuangmale brought various seasoning packets they sell to the Cimin Building for a display. The Cimin Building used these packets to make many snacks for everyone to taste.





We ate various boiled dumplings (shuijiao), sour soup fish (suantangyu), rice noodles (mifen), and beef noodles (niuroumian). The flavors were mostly Sichuan-style and tasted quite good. For people who are busy with work and not good at cooking, these seasoning packets help them make a delicious meal in a short time. These packets are very popular with fast food and snack shops.











Maru Japanese Cuisine



You can find halal restaurants everywhere in Zhengzhou. Besides Henan-style food, there are many restaurants with regional specialties. Some of these are hard to find even in Beijing, such as halal snail rice noodles (luosifen), Cantonese tea restaurants, and Chaoshan beef ball hot pot. Our trip to Zhengzhou this time is mainly to eat at these specialty restaurants.



This Japanese restaurant is run by a family of three Hui Muslims in Zhengzhou, with the son and his parents all busy cooking.



The small shop has been open for over a year. On the left, there is a tatami area where you must take off your shoes and put on shoe covers to sit. On the right, there is a bar counter.



Sea snail with wasabi

The owners insist on cooking everything fresh to order, so the food comes out slowly. If you are not in a rush, you can take your time and enjoy it.



Sashimi platter with salmon, arctic sweet shrimp, and arctic surf clam



Foie gras nigiri



Sushi



Miso soup



Eel rice bowl (unagi don)

While we were eating Japanese food at the shop, my student was still in class at the hotel. She could not use her phone during class and could not order delivery, so I packed a seafood sashimi rice bowl and brought it to her. She received this treat at 10 p.m. and was deeply moved.



Address: Exit A of Wuyi Park Station on Metro Line 1/5, 1st Floor, Shop 104, Shengrun Jinxiu City West Plaza.

Chaoshan Dingji Fresh Beef Hot Pot.



Chaoshan beef hot pot is a specialty of the Chaoshan region in Guangdong. I only had a halal version once in Dachang, but it was not as good as the shops in Zhengzhou. Zhengzhou actually has several halal Chaoshan hot pot brands, and they are even chain stores. We also found halal Cantonese-style hot pot (dabanlu) in Zhengzhou. I had this in Beijing before, but unfortunately, that shop closed down.





The kitchen is open and bright, showing the cooking process on the spot.





Drink the soup before eating the meat; this is the correct way to eat it that the server taught me.







The cooking time for each type of meat is measured in seconds.







Address: 50 meters north of the intersection of Zijingshan Road and Shangcheng Road, on the west side of the road.

Zhenguang Yuguang Cantonese Roast Goose.



I went to Guangzhou and Zhaoqing on business last month, but I did not get enough roast goose. I want to satisfy my craving in Zhengzhou this time because I cannot find roast goose once I return to Beijing.



Drink the soup before the meal; this soup is complimentary. The owner learned that one of our team members is from Zhoukou and is also a Hui Muslim from Zhoukou. He got the idea to make halal roast goose while working in Jiangmen, Guangdong.



Roast goose (shaoe) and white-cut chicken (baiqieji) are classic Cantonese dishes, and this place makes them taste very authentic.





The owner also recommended we try the crispy roast baby pigeon (cuipi kaoruge), which has delicious, crunchy skin. They offer boxed takeout, so I naturally had to get a portion for my apprentice.





Address: 322 Fengtai Road, Er Mingpin Store, First Floor, Unit 6.

Yang's Hand-Pulled Noodles and Braised Noodles (Yangji lamian huimian).



Most of the girls in my group are from the south and don't care for wheat-based foods, so we didn't try braised noodles (huimian) on this Zhengzhou trip. I ate at this shop during a previous visit to Zhengzhou; even though it is called Yang's, they actually serve He's Braised Noodles (Heji huimian).



Henan hand-pulled noodles (lamian) are different from those in the northwest. They are a blend of Central Plains and northwest styles, with more complex soup bases and ingredients.



Address: 100 meters east of the intersection of Qinling Road and Ruhe Road, on the south side of the street.

Jinxiang Sizzling Pot Fish (Jinxiang qiangguoyu).



Jinxiang Sizzling Pot Fish is a brand from Xi'an that opened a branch in Zhengzhou. The space is a full 3,000 square meters. During the meal, the servers perform a group dance to entertain guests, which is quite a unique idea, though we found it a bit awkward to watch.



With sizzling pot fish, you eat the fish first, then add broth to cook meat. A branch once opened in Beijing, but it closed after a short time.



Address: 2nd Floor, East Side, No. 15, 21st Century Building, West Street.

Yao Family Beef and Mutton Spicy Soup (hulatang) in Xiaoyao Town.



Xiaoyao Town Spicy Soup (hulatang) is a classic version of Henan spicy soup. Xiaoyao Town is in Zhoukou City. The heat in the soup comes from black pepper, not chili peppers. In Henan, people eat this soup for breakfast, and it is usually only served in the morning. You should pair it with pan-fried buns (shuijianbao).





Address: Units 9-11, 1st Floor, Building 3, Peichangmiao Street.

Ma's Fresh Whole Lamb Soup (yangtang).



Besides spicy soup, Henan breakfast also includes lamb soup (yangtang). You can add meatballs or shredded flatbread to the lamb soup. The soup is milky white and served plain without salt, so you need to add salt or other seasonings yourself.



Address: 50 meters south of the intersection of Yihe Road and Qinling Road.

Fang Zhongshan Spicy Soup (hulatang).



Fang Zhongshan is famous in Zhengzhou, but many local Zhengzhou people I know do not like it. They think their spicy soup has an unusual taste and is surprisingly spicy, which they call "xinqiu la" in the Henan dialect.



I have had Fang Zhongshan many times. It is indeed very spicy. I never finish a bowl, but I still want to try it every time. All Fang Zhongshan shops are very busy, and the main store always has a line. You have to admit that from a business perspective, Fang Zhongshan is a success.



Address: Intersection of Zijingshan Road and Shunhe Road.

We did not eat halal snail rice noodles (luosifen) on this trip because my teammates refused to try them, and I did not want to go alone. We also found halal tea restaurants, Western restaurants, chicken pot (jigongbao), hot dry noodles (reganmian), and charcoal pot fish in Zhengzhou. I will visit them if I have the chance in the future, Insha'Allah.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal restaurant guide maps issue 27 of the author’s food series, featuring skewer hotpot, Ningxia lamb, Qinghai dishes, Syrian coffee, Turkish delivery, Xinjiang food, and Pakistani halal dining.

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 27) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Hello, Travel. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.



Hello, Travel

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that a group of people came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, 'Some people bring us meat, and we do not know if they mentioned the name of Allah when slaughtering it.' The Prophet said, 'Mention the name of Allah over it yourselves, and then you may eat.' Aisha added, 'Those people had only recently embraced Islam.' (Sunan an-Nasa'i, Sahih al-Bukhari)

This hadith reveals a few key points. First, Aisha was skeptical of new believers, worrying they might not have recited the Tasmiyah during slaughter. Second, the Prophet did not see it as a problem, suggesting that reciting it before eating is sufficient. However, if we followed the approach of some people today, we would refuse to eat meat from an unknown source. For more details, see: What foods are mentioned in the scriptures as not halal?

I cite this hadith to explain that when I am traveling and see a restaurant with a halal sign, I do not go into the kitchen to question the reliability of their food sources. I have fulfilled my duty by seeking halal food. If they deceive me with non-halal food, the sin is on them, not me, and I am not held accountable for what I do not know. However, if I dig deep and find out the ingredients are not reliable, then I certainly cannot eat there. Such an approach only adds unnecessary burdens to our daily lives and is not encouraged. After all, the five pillars of Islam—faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and pilgrimage—do not include eating, and there are many things more important than food.

Alright, rant over. Please read on.

1

Zhang Xiucai Skewer Hot Pot



It is a pity that the Yinmadeng Skewers in Pingle Yuan has closed, but a new Zhang Xiucai Skewers has opened on Gulou East Street. The owner is from Dezhou, Shandong, and many people from Dezhou work in the restaurant business in Beijing. Skewer hot pot (chuanchuan huoguo) shops are popping up all over Beijing now. You can find Big Beard (Dahuzi) and Seven Fragrances (Qilixiang) in Changying, Skewer Visit (Chuanmen'er) in Dongba, and Little Gizzard (Xiaojungan) in Fangshan.



You pick your own skewers. For the soup base, you can choose clear broth, a spicy beef tallow pot, or a split-pot (yuanyang guo) with both. We tried the spicy beef tallow pot once, and it was definitely very hot.



To us outsiders, spicy hot pot (malatang), spicy stew (maocai), Sichuan hot pot, and skewer hot pot (chuanchuan) don't seem very different. They are all just boiled dishes served in different ways, and they taste pretty much the same.







2

Wang Laowu Iron Pot Stew (Wang Laowu Tieguo Dun)



This is a newly opened restaurant near Guanzhuang that serves Heilongjiang-style iron pot stew. The server told us the chef and pastry cook are from Ningxia. The four of us ordered a set meal with a whole goose, which came with steamed flower rolls (huajuan) and cold side dishes.



Cold tossed fish skin is a classic home-style dish from Northeast China. It has pickled chili peppers in it, so it is a bit spicy.



The server helped us cook the cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) by placing them around the pot and covering it with a lid. We also put flower rolls on top to steam for 15 minutes. When we lifted the lid, the smell was amazing.



3

Huiwei Palace Ningxia Tanyan Lamb Restaurant (Huiwei Gong Ningxia Tanyan Yangguan)



Sanyuanqiao Branch

Ningxia cuisine has grown fast in Beijing over the last few years. High-quality Tanyan lamb, a specialty from central Ningxia, is becoming more popular. The Ningxia Tanyan Lamb Restaurant under the Huiwei Palace brand really takes the preparation of this lamb to the next level.



Handmade Red Army noodles (hongjun fen)

The owner is from Jingyuan, Ningxia. You can eat Jingyuan food here, and the Jingyuan vermicelli and yellow beef are worth a try.



Jingyuan yellow beef (huang niurou)

It is not easy to find Jingyuan yellow beef in Beijing. It is a specialty from the southern region of Ningxia, where people eat more beef than lamb.



Hand-grabbed salt-lake lamb (tanyang shouzhuarou)

Whether it is beef or lamb, it suits my taste perfectly. You have to eat the meat with fresh raw garlic to bring out the flavor.



The must-order staple at a Ningxia restaurant is raw-boiled noodle slices (shengcuan mianpian). A proper version includes meatballs. These noodle slices are a hometown favorite that Ningxia people love to talk about.

4

Sanjiangyuan Restaurant (Sanjiangyuan Shifu)



The spot where Yinmadeng Skewers used to be is now Sanjiangyuan Restaurant. It serves Qinghai local cuisine. The name Sanjiangyuan tells you it is from Qinghai, as it is the source of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers.



We usually eat Qinghai ramen, but here you can also find Qinghai specialties like pan-cooked Tibetan lamb chops (kanguo zangyangpai) and yak beef (maoniurou).



The lamb in the pan-cooked lamb chops is high quality, and the potatoes are cooked until soft. The peppers are not spicy, so you can eat them just like a vegetable.



Qinghai has a snack with a strange name called dog-pissing-pancake (goujiaoniao). It is a highland barley pancake. When cooking it, you keep drizzling oil over it, which looks a bit like a dog peeing, hence the name. When this snack was featured at the World Expo, the name was temporarily changed to Qinghai Cabbage Pancake because it sounded crude. I think this was unnecessary. Food names carry cultural and historical traces. Changing the name makes the food lose its cultural identity. It is like the famous Go-Believe (Goubuli) steamed buns; the meaning behind the name has long surpassed the taste of the buns themselves.



Qinghai hand-torn noodles (mianpian) are one of my favorite noodle dishes. My wife often makes them for me at home. Authentic Qinghai mianpian must be torn by hand. The pieces should be small, thin, and square. It requires great skill and is a real craft.



5

Dezhangmen Kung Fu Noodles.



This is a fast-food noodle shop near Daguan Ying on Guangwai Street. They serve various snacks and fast food with different flavors.



Although their signature dish is beef noodles, I prefer their Taiwanese braised beef rice.



They also offer wontons during breakfast hours. The wontons have thin skins and large fillings, and they are very tasty.



The Turkish kebab rice is just average. The braised pork rice is much more popular.



Their potstickers (guotie) taste pretty good and are made with great care.



They also sell twice-cooked beef. Twice-cooked pork is a famous Sichuan dish, but a halal version is very rare.



They have a wide variety of barbecue. The grilled squid and grilled chicken skewers are both very tender, though the flavor is on the spicy side.



6

BRBR Syrian Coffee



BRBR Syrian Restaurant opened a new cafe right next to their original location, serving Arabic coffee and Syrian desserts.



The cafe is small, but the decor is very Syrian. I heard many of the items were brought over directly from Syria.



This stretchy dessert is called KUNAFA. It is made with cheese and filled with crushed nuts, and I really like it.



The Syrian ice cream has a very strong milky flavor, and it has quite a lot of crushed nuts inside.



When you drink Syrian sand-boiled coffee, you are tasting history along with the flavor. The world's first coffee house was opened by Syrians. In 1554, a man from Aleppo and a man from Damascus opened it in Istanbul. It took another 100 years before France had its first coffee house in Europe.



7

Yiyuan Restaurant



Yiyuan Restaurant is in Yangfang Town, Changping. The name is easy to misunderstand; the 'Yiyuan' here has the same meaning as the name Zhang Yiyuan, it does not mean the food costs one yuan.

Local friends told me this place has a big history. It has been open in Yangfang for thirty years. The owner was the first person to run a hot pot (shuanrou) restaurant in Yangfang Town. He stopped doing that for personal reasons, and then he opened Yiyuan Restaurant.



Knife-cut noodles (daoxiaomian)

They have knife-cut noodles, pan-fried buns (shuijianbao), and oat noodles (youmian). These snacks are specialties from the border area between Inner Mongolia and Shanxi, which belongs to the Jin language region. Yangfang Town is located on the essential route for northern merchants traveling to the capital.



Pan-fried buns (shuijianbao)



Oat noodles (youmian)

8

Yanlan nourishing braised noodles (huimian)



This Henan braised noodles (huimian) shop has been open for years in the Donggaodi area. I asked and found out it is run by Hui Muslims from Zhoukou. A bowl of their braised noodles costs only 13 yuan, which is cheaper than pulled noodles (lamian).



Hot lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu). There is not much meat on them, so you use a straw to eat the marrow inside the bone.





Henan-style cold tossed beef. Adding meat to the braised noodles costs 10 yuan. This shop also sells raw beef and lamb in the nearby market.



9

Blue Turkish barbecue



This is a takeout-only stall located in SOHO Shangdu. There is no seating, so you just need to place an order for delivery nearby.



The staff member wears a headscarf and is from Northeast China. This shop is very careful about choosing ingredients, and their online business is doing well. This model was not affected during the pandemic. Friends working near Dongdaqiao can try placing an order.



10

Bostana



There are so many Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing now. It is hard to find bad Xinjiang food, but making it really good is not easy. This place, Bostana, makes excellent Xinjiang food.



The numbing pepper chicken (jiaomaji), cold starch noodles (liangpi), stir-fried meat with noodles (guoyourou banmian), and spicy lamb trotters (hula yangti) all suit my taste. I just could not get used to their flaky crust baked buns (kaobaozi). I am obsessed with the traditional kind baked over coal fires in a clay oven (nang keng), but you cannot find those in Beijing anymore.



The noodles for the stir-fried meat with noodles must be chewy, and there should not be too much sauce. This restaurant gets both right.



The spicy lamb trotters are stewed until very soft and tender. They add chickpeas, and the meat on the trotters melts in your mouth.





11

Masala Pakistani Restaurant



This is a Pakistani restaurant in Huairou town. It is a chain connected to the Sudan Pakistani restaurant in the Huairou mountains. The shop is small and has two floors.



Overall, it offers better value for money than the one in the mountains, and the menu has more variety.



Butter naan



Besides traditional Indian and Pakistani curries and pilaf (zhuafan), the black pepper sausages and durian pizza are also delicious. They also have ice cream and burgers.



This is also a halal restaurant that does not serve alcohol. After eating here, I have now visited every halal Indian and Pakistani restaurant in Beijing.



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Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide covers Zhaoqing in Guangdong, including East City Mosque, West Mosque, ancient Hui Muslim tombs, local Muslim history, and halal Cantonese food such as crispy roast goose.

A Halal Trip to Zhaoqing, Guangdong: The Mosque, Ancient Tombs of Hui Muslims, and Crispy Roast Goose (Shaoge) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I had long heard that Zhaoqing has a halal Cantonese restaurant run by locals for many years, two mosques, and the largest ancient tomb complex for Hui Muslims in Guangdong. 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.

I had long heard that Zhaoqing has a halal Cantonese restaurant run by locals for many years, two mosques, and the largest ancient tomb complex for Hui Muslims in Guangdong. During our team-building trip to Guangzhou, I set aside one day to visit Zhaoqing. You can take an intercity train from Guangzhou and reach Zhaoqing in just over an hour, making it an easy day trip. I suggest buying a ticket to Zhaoqing Station instead of Zhaoqing East Station, as the East Station is a 40-minute drive from the city center.

Zhaoqing Station is only three kilometers from the mosques. Historical records show two mosques in Zhaoqing: the East Mosque and the West Mosque. The East Mosque was built between the late Ming and early Qing dynasties on Shuishiying Road in the Duanzhou District, which was the Shuixiangying area at the time. The West Mosque was built in the 32nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty on Kangle Middle Road in the Duanzhou District, formerly known as Kangle Middle Street on Zhujia Road near the West Gate. The two mosques are about two kilometers apart.

East City Mosque



Zhaoqing East City Mosque

The Zhaoqing East City Mosque was first built between the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. It currently houses 11 ancient stone tablets and plaques, along with a collection of ancient books. It was named a Zhaoqing municipal cultural relic protection site in 1984. According to ancient stone tablets, the mosque was originally a brick-and-wood structure and underwent repairs during the Kangxi, Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang reigns. In 1946, Imam Yang Maolin opened a scripture school inside the mosque. The following year, he turned it into a halal primary school. It became a public halal primary school after 1950 and was renamed Zhaoqing No. 17 Primary School in 1966. In 1991, the mosque and the primary school were separated; the north side of the main prayer hall was given to the primary school, and the south side was returned to the mosque.



Old photo of the halal primary school

The caretaker of the East City Mosque is from the Wang family of Hui Muslims, who were the first of their people to settle in Zhaoqing. According to the Wang Family Genealogy of Zhaoqing, People say Wang Jiyin had a brother who moved to Guangxi shortly after arriving in Zhaoqing, and they lost contact. Since Wang Jiyin, the family has lived here for over 200 years across eleven generations. The family has grown to over a thousand people, with relatives now living in Hong Kong, Macau, and overseas, far beyond their original small presence in Zhaoqing.



The East City Mosque is slightly older than the West City Mosque and was rebuilt in a traditional style.



The East City Mosque does not hold regular religious services; you must go to the West City Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers.



Hui Muslims in Guangdong live all over the province. They are mainly concentrated in the Pearl River Delta centered on Guangzhou, the West River region centered on Zhaoqing, and the North River region centered on Shaozhou and Nanxiong. There are also scattered populations in southern Guangdong, the East River area, and the Chaoshan region.



The Hui Muslims in Zhaoqing mainly came from military garrisons during the Ming and Qing dynasties, where they settled down and raised families. Others were Hui Muslims from across the country who came to do business, or Hui scholars who came to Guangdong to serve as imams, moving from places like Gansu, Shaanxi, Guangxi, and Hunan. A small number of Hui Muslims were also exiled here. For example, during the Hongzhi reign, the imperial court sent 181 tribute envoys from Turpan to be settled in Guangdong and Guangxi. Thousands of Hui Muslims from counties like Fengxiang and Fufeng in Shaanxi rose up in rebellion. After the uprising was suppressed, the men were all sent to Guangdong and Guangxi for military service. In the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign, Minister of War Ma Wensheng requested that 40 Turpan Hui tribute envoys, including Xieyiman Su'er, be sent to Guangdong, Guangxi, and Fujian as a punishment.



Recorded history of Hui Muslims in Zhaoqing dates back to the Ming dynasty. In the first year of the Jingtai reign (1450), Dong Xing requested that over 400 officers and soldiers under the command of Lian Zhong, a regional military commander sent from Nanjing to suppress Huang Xiaoyang, be allowed to stay and garrison in Guangdong. In the second year of the Chenghua reign (1466), Han Yong requested that they and their families be allowed to settle in Guangdong as part of the agricultural garrison troops. Some of these Hui Muslims settled near the naval camp east of Zhaoqing city, while those who settled in the west of the city arrived in the early Qing dynasty. Today, there are about 600 Hui Muslims in Zhaoqing with nine surnames: Liu, Li, Ma, Mu, Luo, Wang, Dong, Ha, and Sa.



In 1646, Zhu Youlang of the Ming royal family established the Southern Ming regime in Zhaoqing. The Qing government sent troops to suppress it. Once the fighting stopped, the Hui Muslim soldiers settled down as civilians, and these Hui Muslims later moved to Guangzhou one after another.



After the Southern Ming regime fell, the Qing government moved the Governor-General's office of Guangdong and Guangxi to Guangzhou in the 11th year of the Qianlong reign. Zhaoqing was no longer a major military hub, so the Hui Muslims moved out of Zhaoqing and into Guangzhou along with the government. Because of this, a saying spread among the Hui Muslims: First arrive in Zhaoqing, then live in Guangzhou.



West City Mosque



The West City Mosque in Zhaoqing was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign. Local elders pooled money to buy a house in Zhongyongshe outside the north of the city to serve as the first mosque. It was later moved to Longdinggang in Zhujia Lane outside the west of the city, and then expanded with funds raised by local elders during the Jiaqing reign.



The imam of the West City Mosque is from Hainan and has led the mosque in Zhaoqing for over thirty years. He just retired. The day after my visit was the first day for the new imam, who is from Xinjiang and has taught in Guangdong for many years.



Zhaoqing West City Mosque

The West City Mosque was built with a dome style. Since it has long been a municipal-level cultural relic protection site, there are no plans to renovate it.



Daily religious activities are held at the West City Mosque. The East City Mosque has no imam, so Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) are held at the West City Mosque.



































The ground of the mosque is covered in frangipani flowers (jidan hua), which have a very fresh scent. They can be dried and used in medicine or for making soup.



The only remaining historical site inside the mosque records the history of its construction.





Zhaoqing Hui Muslim Cemetery



The Zhaoqing Hui Muslim Cemetery is located in Ganshu Village, Gaoyao District, more than ten kilometers from the city center. It was originally located at Niumiangang in the west of the city and covered nearly 20,000 square meters. Later, due to urban planning, the graves were moved here, and the area was expanded to nearly 40,000 square meters.



A total of 2,521 graves were relocated. The remains of the ancestors were wrapped in white burial shrouds (kafan) and reburied.





The cemetery is overgrown with weeds and rarely visited. Only one local Hui Muslim caretaker stays here year-round.







The names carved on the stone tablets are those who donated money to renovate the cemetery. Many are from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region. For those who have passed away, the characters for "late Hui" (gu hui) are carved above their names.



The cemetery has an area specifically for burying scholars and imams from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The local Islamic Association rebuilt the graves for these predecessors based on historical records. However, the caretaker said that the descendants of these scholars are mostly missing, so he has never seen any descendants come to visit the graves.





Huangqing Gu refers to someone who returned to Allah during the early Qing Dynasty, while Qing Gu refers to someone who returned to Allah during the later years of the Qing Dynasty.







































Praise the Emperor Pavilion (Songsheng Ting).



The Praise the Emperor Pavilion (Songsheng Ting) donated and built by the Guangzhou Dost.





Li Family Genealogy.

The Zhaoqing Hui Muslim Li Family Genealogy records that their ancestor, Li Fengqi, was originally from Jinan Prefecture, Shandong, and came south to Guangdong with Ma Bohu during the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty. After Ma Bohu was defeated in battle, Li Fengqi lived in seclusion in Guangzhou (Yangcheng) and moved to Zhaoqing in the early Qing Dynasty. The Zhaoqing Hui Muslim Liu Family Genealogy records that their ancestor, Liu Zhongyi, was originally from Wumenlou, Beiguan, Chang'an County, Xi'an Prefecture, Shaanxi Province. He also came south to Guangdong with Ma Bohu in the early Qing Dynasty and served at the Guangdong Luoding Garrison Governor's Office (possibly the Luoding Garrison Vice General; the Yongzheng edition of the Guangdong Gazetteer mentions Liu Zhengli as the Luoding Garrison Vice General in the 47th year of the Kangxi reign, though it is unclear if this is Liu Zhongyi). His descendants then lived in Zhaoqing for generations. However, checking the official records in the Ming Dynasty Guangdong Gazetteer and the Qing Dynasty Guangdong Gazetteer, there is no mention of a person named Ma Bohu.





The Zhaoqing Hui Muslim Liu Family Genealogy (revised in the 50th year of the Qianlong reign), Li Family Genealogy (revised in the 23rd year of the Daoguang reign), Luo Family Genealogy, Wang Family Genealogy, and the Liangguang Sa Family Genealogy (based on the Daoguang 17th-year edition, reprinted in the Republic of China era) all record that their respective ancestors came from Chang'an in Shaanxi, Jinan in Shandong, Xuanping in Zhejiang, Taiyuan in Shanxi, and other places. They settled in Zhaoqing after taking official posts there during the Qianlong and Daoguang reigns of the Qing Dynasty.







The Zhaoqing City Luo Jiyuan Family Genealogy records: Tracing our Luo Jiyuan family, People say we originated from Xuanping County, Zhejiang Province. During the Qianlong reign, they received an imperial order to lead troops south to eastern Guangdong and were stationed in Duanzhou (Zhaoqing). They later settled there, and the family branches have multiplied and flourished for nearly 300 years, with a long and deep history.







Although the cemetery is located in a remote mountain area, I asked the caretaker, and he said he has not encountered any ghosts or supernatural events in the decades he has been here. I wanted to give the old gentleman some money, but he politely declined and told me I could give it to the mosque instead.









The photos show that the Hui Muslim cemetery has fallen into disrepair and is overgrown with weeds, with many tombstones hidden by grass taller than a person. Every year, family members still invite an imam to recite prayers in memory of the deceased. Most Hui Muslims from Zhaoqing have moved away or work elsewhere, and few are very wealthy. The owner of the Zhaoqing Halal Restaurant is a local Hui Muslim who stays true to his faith, which is not easy.



Halal Restaurant



The Halal Restaurant was founded in 1957. Luo Xutang, president of the Zhaoqing Islamic Association, explained that four Hui Muslims who lived in Zhaoqing—Luo Shiyong, Sa Zhinan, Dong Shi, and Liu Youxing—were entrusted with setting up the restaurant. In 1998, the Halal Restaurant moved to its current location by the river.



There used to be three local halal restaurants in downtown Zhaoqing, but this is the only one left. It is famous for its Zhaoqing crispy roast goose (cui pi shao e), which locals have eaten since they were children, making it a fond childhood memory for many.



The restaurant is about 300 square meters and has private rooms and display areas, making it suitable for daily dining and hosting weddings or funerals.



This is the only halal restaurant in Zhaoqing that serves Cantonese food, though there are over twenty noodle shops.





My friends in Guangzhou told me the roast goose was a must-order before I arrived. The skin is crispy and the meat is tender; it is the best Cantonese-style roast goose I have ever had. You can dip it in a sweet and sour sauce so you can eat plenty without it feeling greasy.



Roast goose

Cantonese people care a lot about healthy eating and are especially good at making soups, using all kinds of ingredients and herbs. The bowl of black-eyed pea, chicken foot, and clam soup (meidou jijiao bang tang) I had tasted a bit medicinal. I asked Imam Liu what the difference is between Zhaoqing food and Guangzhou food. He felt that Zhaoqing has a wider variety of soups, though perhaps that is because we Hui Muslims have fewer soup options, so we can only compare the Zhaoqing Halal Restaurant with those in Guangzhou.



Black-eyed pea, chicken feet, and clam soup (meidou jijiao bangtang).

Stir-fried rice noodles with beef (ganchao niuhe) is a famous street food in Guangdong. I think it is a main dish that really shows a Cantonese chef's skill. It is made with beef slices and flat rice noodles, and the green parts are yellow chives (jiuhuang). I was surprised that the portion at the halal restaurant was huge; one serving is enough for two people.



Stir-fried rice noodles with beef (ganchao niuhe).

When I was in Guangzhou, I could easily get a group together for a meal. But when I said I wanted to go to Zhaoqing to visit graves, no one would go with me. So, I ended up eating alone at the halal restaurant, which meant I could not try everything on the menu. Sand ginger poached chicken (shajiang baiqieji) is also a Zhaoqing specialty, but I could not finish it by myself. It was a shame, but I will come back again.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide follows a road trip from Beijing to Baotou for a Hui Muslim wedding, with stops at Zhangjiakou Dongguan Mosque, Inner Mongolia halal food, local shaomai, mosques, and community life.

A Halal Travel Journey in Baotou, Inner Mongolia is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Last weekend, I drove from Beijing to Baotou to attend the wedding of Zhe-Zhe, the COO of Halal Life. 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.

Last weekend, I drove from Beijing to Baotou to attend the wedding of Zhe-Zhe, the COO of Halal Life. I have known her for a long time. We first followed each other on Weibo, then added each other on WeChat. I only learned she grew up in Qinghai when she came to support the opening of my mother-in-law's new shop.

Zhe-Zhe is a Tsinghua University graduate who later studied in France. She is the kind of girl who looks smart and sharp at first glance, with high IQ and EQ, so she is very easy to get along with. When I was building my Mingya insurance brokerage team, I invited her to join. Mingya already had a Tsinghua alumni group. Although she did not refuse at the time, I could see her heart was set on continuing her career at Halal Life. Her dream was to do what she could for the Muslim community, so I did not push her. As a result, among the top domestic university graduates in my team, she is the only one missing from Tsinghua, which is a small regret.

I am honored that Zhe-Zhe is also my VIP client, so how could I miss her wedding? I decided to leave on Saturday with Jiche-Tian to attend the wedding on Sunday, then drive back to Beijing overnight. I did not have to rush, but Jiche-Tian had to be back at the office on Monday.



It takes about seven or eight hours to drive from Beijing to Baotou. We left at 5:00 after passing Bangda and arrived in Zhangjiakou around 8:00. We decided to stop for breakfast and visit the local mosque.



Following the GPS, we arrived at the Zhangjiakou Dongguan Mosque. There was a breakfast shop right next to it. I had hoped to have a bowl of lamb bone broth (yangtang) there, but unfortunately, the nearby shops were all closed. We ended up eating yuanbao soup and fried dough cakes (youbing) instead.



The fried dough cakes were very fluffy and crispy. Eating them with the yuanbao soup, also known as wontons, was delicious. Hui Muslims in North China usually call wontons yuanbao soup to distinguish them from non-halal versions.



Sesame flatbread (shaobing) and lamb bone broth are very special in the Zhangjiakou area. If you have the chance to visit, remember to find a place to try them.



The Zhangjiakou Dongguan Mosque was funded by Hui Muslims from Changping and was first built in 1919 during the Republic of China era. Many Hui Muslims in Changping worked as bodyguards. The Guangyu Escort Agency in Yangfang Xiguanshi, Changping, once escorted Empress Dowager Cixi as she fled to Xi'an.



The mosque we see today was renovated not long ago. According to the elders in the mosque, the original building had a dome. The main prayer hall has two floors, but the second floor is not open. About a hundred people can attend Friday prayers (Jumu'ah), mostly locals.



Zhangjiakou is a city in Hebei Province with a relatively large Hui Muslim population and some famous ancient mosques. We did not visit them because they were not on our way, but I hope to visit the Xuanhua Great Mosque next time.



After leaving Zhangjiakou, we drove straight to Baotou and arrived at 2:00 PM, just in time for the afternoon prayer (Asr). We prayed at the Baotou Qingkun Mosque. Since we were traveling, we were allowed to shorten and combine our prayers, so it was quite convenient.



I visited Qingkun Mosque before 2016, when it had a dome. Now it has been renovated into a traditional style. Three other mosques in Baotou are also being renovated and are currently closed; they all originally had domes.



The interior of Qingkun Mosque still looks the same as it did before 2016. I asked, and the time for the call to prayer (bangda) is 4:30. We arranged to meet our friends there for namaz the next morning.



Finding lunch after leaving the mosque was difficult. All the restaurants here close after 2:00 PM. We checked the entire Qingkun District but could not find a single place open.



The halal steamed dumplings (shaomai) on May 1st are something only those in the know understand; don't let your imagination run wild.



We decided to go back to our hotel to rest. The wedding was held at the Qingshan Hotel, where we were also staying. The hotel has a halal banquet restaurant.



We arrived at the Shalimai Music Restaurant at the wrong time; it doesn't open until 5:00 PM. We checked three or four halal restaurants. By 4:30 PM, we finally found one place open. It wasn't really a restaurant, but a beef and lamb butcher shop that sells halal barbecue.



The shop's storefront had pictures of cows, sheep, pandas, horses, and tigers, which looked quite interesting. I asked the owner what a panda sheep was, and he said it's a sheep with black circles around its eyes. The name is very descriptive.



We were almost past the point of hunger, so we ordered a set from the menu. It was surprisingly delicious, especially the crispy baked flatbread (beizi) stuffed with lamb skewers. I don't think many people can resist this way of eating meat in bread.



This is the same type of flatbread (beizi) I ate when I first came to Baotou. Before I arrived, I asked a local if they still sold this kind of bread. My friend said these shops that bake bread over coal fires are hard to find now and asked me to let him know if I found one. See the Halal Food Map for Ordos, Baotou, and Hohhot for details.



Remember that Sunite lamb skewers are better than beef skewers, and you should try the liver wrapped in fat (youbaogan).



If I come to Baotou again, I will definitely eat at this barbecue place. That day, the bride and groom were hosting us guests from afar in the evening, so we didn't dare eat too much for fear of not having room for dinner.



For our first dinner in Baotou, we chose the old Ma Shoujiang restaurant. I noticed this place when I visited Baotou before, but I was alone then and felt I couldn't order many dishes, so I skipped it. It shows that traveling and eating alone is much less fun.



Today the groom is hosting, and since many people came, we can try all the signature dishes and eat everything on the menu.



Ma Shoujiang lived in the late Qing Dynasty and was one of the first Hui Muslims to make halal steamed dumplings (shaomai) in Baotou. The current Ma Shoujiang restaurant is run by his apprentice, whose surname is Zhou.



Surprisingly, the signature dish at Ma Shoujiang is not lamb, but crispy bone fish (sugu yu). As the name suggests, you can even eat the fish bones. Almost every table orders this fish. When the server brings it out, they say some auspicious words, though I couldn't hear them clearly.



This is lamb head meat. You can eat lamb anywhere in Baotou, and it tastes good no matter how it is cooked. The quality of the meat is excellent and the supply is high, so you can really eat your fill.



Shredded potato stir-fry (yangyu caca) was likely brought over by people from Shanxi. The Baotou accent is very similar to the northern Shanxi dialect, and many Shanxi people have settled here, so the food is very similar.



This is Baotou lamb offal (yangza). You could say this table is a full lamb feast, with every part of the lamb included. The lamb in Baotou is cooked very tender and melts in your mouth, which is perfect for lazy people like us who don't want to chew too much.



Here is a photo of the bride and groom with us. On the left is Jiche Tian, and on the right is a part-time muezzin from the Huxi Mosque who came all the way from Shanghai. They are both our old friends. We were in a rush to get back to Beijing after the wedding and didn't get a photo with the newlyweds in their wedding clothes, but life is rarely perfect.



The next morning, we went to the Ma Family Shaomai Restaurant again. We missed the meal time the day before, so this time we ordered three liang of lamb shaomai, served in six steamer baskets. This shop is well-regarded by locals and has several branches.



Shaomai is a breakfast food, and it was very crowded in the morning. It was cooler sitting outside, but we waited a long time for the shaomai. An auntie next to us said regular customers call the shop to order before they leave home, so it's ready when they arrive, which saves time.



Baotou shaomai, also called shaomai, is pronounced 'shaomei' to better match the local Baotou accent. The biggest difference from Hohhot shaomai is the size. In Hohhot, one liang is eight pieces, while in Baotou, one liang is six pieces. This 'liang' refers to the weight of the dough wrapper, so don't order a whole jin, or you won't be able to finish it.



Besides the delicious shaomei, another favorite food of mine in Baotou is lamb offal soup (yangza). It is a bit pricey, costing 20 yuan for a small bowl.



I eat the lamb offal soup with fried dough (youxiang) dipped in the broth. The fried dough here is different from the kind in North China, and I still prefer the North China version.



Although the lamb offal soup is expensive, the side dishes are free and come in many varieties.



After breakfast, I returned to the wedding venue to watch the ceremony. It was held at the halal restaurant in the Qingshan Hotel.



The wedding venue was decorated with many brightly colored flowers. The color scheme was inspired by the French painter Monet, as the couple first met in Paris.



I cannot share the details of how they fell in love, but the point is to keep an open mind and travel more. Marriage is destined by Allah, but you still have to take action to find it.



At the wedding banquet, we sat with the bride's family and met her close relatives. The elders came to eat only after they finished their dua (pieshi).



Since we had to drive back to Beijing overnight, we met with Ma Dudu, the founder of Dudu Design Studio, after the wedding. She is a true Baotou local and happened to be visiting her parents. It is rare for us to get together. I have known Dudu for a long time, but we had not seen each other since she moved to Jiangmen. We last met in 2017 in Urumqi while eating at a Kazakh uncle's house. Now, she is a mother of two.



We took a different route back to Beijing when leaving Baotou. By nine in the evening, we passed through Datong and ate spicy hot pot (malatang) and grilled meat skewers at Jiang Jibing New Style Barbecue.



This was not my first time in Datong. I previously visited specifically to see the ancient mosque in Datong. See the Ulanqab and Datong Winter Halal Tour for details.



Jiang Jibing's way of serving barbecue is quite novel. You pick the skewers yourself and grill them at your table. You take only what you eat, which helps avoid waste.



The spicy hot pot (malatang) next door is owned by the same people, so you can bring it over to eat in the barbecue shop. The spicy hot pot tastes good, but it is really quite spicy.



We arrived in Beijing safely at 3:00 a.m., and this trip ended peacefully.

Traveling everywhere over these years, besides visiting Muslim communities and checking out mosques, the most valuable thing is meeting a group of friends who have faith and personality. Otherwise, my perspective would still be limited to my own life and work. Some travel experiences are not mentioned in books, and some feelings cannot be conveyed by books either. Through traveling these years, I have corrected some fixed ideas I previously gained from reading. So, if you have the ability, you should go out and travel more. Insha'Allah.

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Reposted from the web

Summary: This Islamic finance article translates Ibrahim Khan’s discussion on car insurance and mortgage loans, explaining riba, necessity, transaction responsibility, and Sharia reasoning in plain English.

This is my translation of the third article in Ibrahim Khan's series on the Islamic law of insurance. The first article discussed the basic legal principles of insurance: Ibrahim Khan: Is Insurance Halal? The second article specifically discussed the unique nature of life insurance within insurance categories: Ibrahim Khan: Is Life Insurance Halal? Although this third article is titled Car Insurance, the reasoning method explained in the text applies to all financial fields. It is not limited to car insurance or home mortgage loans; it applies to any financial area involving interest or other unlawful gains.

Before starting the main text, I will briefly summarize the main point in plain language: when we trade with others, as long as the transaction itself is legal, it does not matter to us if the person we are trading with turns around and does something illegal. It is just like how we cannot refuse to let non-Muslims eat at a halal restaurant.

Is Car Insurance Equivalent to a Riba-Based Mortgage?

Author: Ibrahim Khan

Translated by Yahya

About the author: Ibrahim Khan holds a bachelor's degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Oxford and a master's degree in Islamic Finance from the Al Salam Institute. He previously worked as a private equity/venture capital lawyer in New York City and is a co-founder of Islamic Finance Guru.

In a seminar I recently attended with Shaykh Akram Nadwi, the discussion turned to the Islamic stance on conventional mortgage loans. Shaykh Akram argued that he now agrees with Shaykh al-Qaradawi's famous fatwa on mortgages, which states that if long-term renting is not feasible for a family, they are permitted to apply for a conventional mortgage.

In this blog post, I do not want to discuss the specific situations where long-term renting is not possible, as I have discussed that before. I want to discuss some interesting arguments used by Shaykh Akram Nadwi that inspired me. This first set of arguments is:

1. Someone cannot rent long-term and needs to buy a house now;

2. Islamic mortgages are just a form of conventional mortgages;

3. To buy a house, someone must apply for a mortgage;

4. Therefore, someone can obtain a conventional mortgage that includes interest because it is necessary—just as car insurance is permitted because it is also necessary.

I want to focus on point 4 for further analysis.

Shaykh Akram Nadwi points out that the nature of a home mortgage is not consistent with car insurance. Buying car insurance is a necessary condition for driving a car, but a home mortgage is not a necessary condition for buying a house, even though buying a house is sometimes considered a necessity.

Some very important points

Because there are many positions on these issues, this argument is an important deciding factor for which camp you join. The second set of arguments:

1. Some say that conventional mortgages and car insurance are allowed based on life needs (for example, Sh. Akram and Sh. Suhaib Hasan).

2. Some say traditional mortgages are haram, but car insurance is allowed due to necessity (most Muslim scholars, such as the AlQalam Shariah Panel and Sh. Wahba

Zuhayli).

3. Some say both traditional mortgages and car insurance are haram (I do not know who).

4. Some say traditional mortgages are halal, but car insurance is haram (I do not know who).

So, which of these two sets of views is actually correct?

The argument for allowing car insurance is that people need cars to get around in the UK, since we cannot be expected to use public transport and taxis all the time. Therefore, we need to buy insurance for legal reasons, and under Islamic law, we are also permitted to buy car insurance.

Sheikh Akram Nadwi and some others argue that no one forces us to buy car insurance since we could walk or take public transport, so it is not strictly necessary. Likewise, we do not have to buy a house because we can just rent, so that is not strictly required either. The problem is that living without a car or a house is very difficult today, so is it appropriate for us to live that way? The second group believes car insurance is halal while mortgages are haram, but Sheikh Akram Nadwi and some scholars believe both are halal.

Let us discuss this further.

The second group might argue that because a rented property is exactly the same as a property bought with a mortgage, you would not face any major hardship if you kept renting. Public transport or taxis are very different from owning your own car, so it is difficult to get around if you have to rely on them all the time.

I think this is a good point, especially outside city centers like London. Once we talk about London, the benefits of public transport or taxis are not as clear because of the constant availability of taxis, Uber, and tube stations, plus the usual hassles of owning a car like parking and traffic jams. Even in a place like London, people still end up using cars for good reasons. They are convenient, and a woman traveling to her mother's house at night is much safer in her own car than in a taxi. These two options are still very different.

A second point the second group could make is that every form of transport in the UK must legally have some level of insurance, whether it is public transport or a taxi. Since you cannot avoid supporting insurance indirectly anyway, you might as well buy insurance for your own car. However, not every house in the UK has a mortgage. The one you happen to rent might have one, but that is not always the case. So, renting is not necessarily tied to a standard mortgage, while any type of public transport, taxi, or your own car involves insurance. This is another difference between mortgages and car insurance, and it explains why some people think mortgages are not halal, while car insurance is.

To me, this is not a new idea. In Islamic law, the business practices of a landlord, taxi driver, bus company, or subway operator generally do not concern you. You are just doing business with them, just like you would with shops like Tesco or Lidl. No one can suddenly claim that shopping at these places is haram just because the owners do something that is not permitted in Islam. In both cases, your transaction is completely halal, whether you are renting a property or paying for a transport service. I feel the same logic applies to car insurance and mortgages, as there is no fundamental difference between them.

Conclusion

The first group of scholars makes a solid point that conventional mortgages and car insurance should be allowed due to necessity in some cases, since they are similar. However, for the reasons discussed above, I think their argument is wrong, so the second group is more convincing to me.

It is important to remember that the first group of scholars was pushed toward allowing conventional mortgages because they believe Islamic mortgages are the same as or even worse than traditional ones. Therefore, to them, there is no real Islamic mortgage alternative other than leasing. However, many scholars in the second group are happy to declare that traditional mortgages are haram because there are other viable alternatives besides leasing, such as Islamic mortgages, which we will discuss in another article.

Of course, there is another school of thought: those who believe all insurance is fine, not because it is necessary, but because of the nature of insurance itself, but we will discuss that another time. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food map covers new Muslim-friendly restaurants opened around Ramadan, including Korean-style barbecue, Yanji cold noodles, Anhui banmian, Turkish food, Indian food, and local Hui Muslim dining.



— Hello, Travel —

This is the third Ramadan I have spent during the pandemic. In March, I was locked down for nearly a month in Dachang, which had zero confirmed cases. I could only move around within the community, so I could not go out to visit restaurants. When Langfang lifted the lockdown in early April, I immediately packed my bags and took my family back to our home in Beijing overnight.

Back in the capital after a long absence, I was greeted by many halal restaurants that had just opened. I had only been away for half a year, but halal restaurants in Beijing were opening one after another. Overall, although some shops closed, the speed of new openings was slightly faster than the closures, so I do not have to worry about having nothing to write for my official account.

During Ramadan, we visited a new restaurant almost every night. Sometimes I treated everyone to iftar, and sometimes others treated me. There is a reward for feeding someone who is fasting, so everyone scrambled to pay the bill. The thrilling part was that just as I finished visiting the new restaurants on my list, Beijing suspended dine-in services during the May Day holiday.

This issue (the 25th issue) is very rich in content, with new additions including halal versions of Yanji cold noodles (lengmian), Anhui flat noodles (banmian), Northeast-style barbecue, Turkish food, Indian food, Korean barbecue, and new-style Chinese cuisine.

1

Korean-style Xiaohuiniu Barbecue



Xiaohuiniu Barbecue is located in the ground-floor shops of Maying Village in Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou. It is near a residential area for Hui Muslims and close to Universal Studios, so there are many halal restaurants nearby. We even saw a barbecue night market on the roadside with stalls selling halal deep-fried stinky tofu and grilled skewers. This kind of lively atmosphere is hard to find in Beijing nowadays.



We bought a 4-person set meal on Dazhong Dianping for 288 yuan, which is 70 yuan per person. Overall, the price is cheaper than in the city center. The quality of the beef in the set is good, there are servers to help grill the meat, and the restaurant environment is spacious, making for a comfortable dining experience.



The set includes a portion of Hui beef belly and thick-cut beef tongue, as well as lamb butterfly chops and Orleans-style chicken wings. Paired with some cold dishes, it basically satisfies the appetites of four people.



The main courses are a portion of cold noodles (lengmian) and a portion of stone pot bibimbap. These two are the standard main course pairings for Korean barbecue. Both are quite delicious, and the portions are not too large, so there is no waste.



A major highlight of this place is the self-service sauce bar, which offers many flavor options. There are various dry and wet dipping sauces, and I suggest trying each one. I personally prefer the dry dipping sauces.



I have tried grilling meat at home, but a drawback is that the smoke fills the whole room. So, whenever I want to eat barbecue, I still recommend going to a restaurant. There are now several halal Korean barbecue restaurants in Beijing, such as Toupiqi and Qingu in Changying, as well as Japanese-style places like Chidao Yakiniku and Niushi, all of which are good restaurants.



Address: Shop 5, Ground Floor, Maying Village, Zhangjiawan Town

Phone: 17610562606

2

Taihe beef flat noodles (banmian) from Anhui.



We originally planned to break our fast at Xiaohuiniu, but when we arrived at Zhangjiawan, we stumbled upon this halal Anhui flat noodle shop. It is located right at the entrance of the street where the Zhangjiawan mosque stands. The guys and I agreed immediately to eat our noodles here to break our fast before heading off for barbecue. Sometimes plans just cannot keep up with changes.



Taihe beef flat noodles are a specialty snack from Anhui that originated during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. Taihe is a place in Fuyang, Anhui. The name flat noodles comes from the way the dough is flattened with a rolling pin and slapped against a cutting board.



To save room for the barbecue at Xiaohuiniu, we each ordered a small bowl of noodles. The small bowl was actually quite large and cost 10 yuan. The beef broth was rich and the wide noodles were chewy. My teammates could not stop praising them. It was everyone's first time having halal flat noodles, and we all felt the trip was worth it.

3

New Chinese-style pastries: Tanggusu and Guiyizhai.



Tanggusu and Guiyizhai are the same business, located right next to each other with an interior connection. Tanggusu is the takeout window, while you can walk into Guiyizhai to shop. Young people who are not used to traditional pastries can find new flavors here.



They have halal meat floss cakes (xiaobei), egg tarts, jujube cakes, chocolate pies, muffins, Napoleon cakes, and sweetheart cakes (laopobing), as well as sugar-free cakes.



The chocolate pie is their best-selling dessert and is cheap at 8 yuan each. Given the limited options for halal desserts, this shop is quite affordable, even if it is not as good as what my wife makes.



The chocolate pie was packed with filling. Since I was still fasting, I did not get to taste it; my wife ate it all (nursing mothers do not have to fast).



Napoleon cake.

Address: Bungalow 1, Courtyard 2, Jiaomen Road.

Phone: 01067532366.

4

New-style Beijing cuisine: Yimanxuan.



One evening, Tiantian had the intention (niyyah) to treat everyone to break their fast. Since we wanted to keep the cost per person reasonable, I specifically chose this newly opened restaurant near Xidan.



Qianlong cabbage.

Qianlong cabbage (qianlong baicai) is a cold dish made with Chinese cabbage, sesame paste, honey, and sugar.



Dry-fried young chicken (ganbian ziji).

This Sichuan-style dry-fried young chicken is deep-fried first, so it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It is topped with dried chili strips for a spicy, fragrant flavor that is just right.



Stir-fried lamb (baohu).

Baohu is basically stir-fried lamb, but cooked over higher heat for a longer time. You eat it with sesame flatbread (shaobing), which is soft enough to stuff the meat inside. This dish is quite popular.



Fried cornmeal buns with stinky tofu (zha wotou choudoufu).

This is a favorite among old Beijingers. You spread stinky tofu on fried cornmeal buns. Don't smell it; just hold your breath and eat it, and you won't notice the smell.



Noodles with thick gravy (dalu mian).

We chose these noodles with thick gravy as our main course. One big bowl serves three people. The handmade noodles and the gravy are both carefully prepared and highly recommended.

5

Northwest cuisine at Lili Yangke.



During Ramadan, Lili Yangke provides dates for those fasting to break their fast. They also prioritize serving food to guests breaking their fast; just tell the server it is an iftar meal, and the chef will serve it on time.



The waitresses at Lili Yangke wear headscarves, and I saw them performing namaz after breaking their fast.



We use boiled dates to break our fast, following the Sunnah.



The deluxe version of eight-treasure tea (babao cha), also known as three-cannon tea (sanpaotai) in Lanzhou, is always filled to the brim when you visit a home in the Northwest.



Hezhou steamed buns (Hezhou baozi) are not a main course here; in the Northwest, they are served as an appetizer before the meal.



Milk and egg fermented rice soup (niunai jidan laozao) is a Northwest dessert that can be eaten before or after a meal.



Their Dongxiang free-range chicken (Dongxiang liuda ji) is excellent. The meat is tender and has a great texture that is clearly different from regular chicken.



The golden bread roasted lamb leg (huangjin mianbao kao yangtui) is their signature dish. You need to order it an hour in advance because it is baked to order. Once the bread is cut open, it is filled with pre-cut pieces of lamb, and the quality of the meat is excellent.



The small fried dough (youxiang) is fluffy and delicious, and you can eat it like a snack. Many places do not fry youxiang regularly, only on important days, which makes the food feel sacred. There is even a custom that you must break it by hand to eat it. These are local traditions that do not come from the Quran or Hadith. We respect these traditions, but we should also know where they come from.

Address: No. 15 Guangqu Jiayuan, Guangqumen Outer Street.

Phone: 13777836511.

6

Xinjiang Cuisine: Ziyuan.



There are Xinjiang restaurants everywhere in Beijing now, but this one stands out for its decor. People say they hired the famous Japanese designer Shuhei Aoyama. The master's design fee was as high as 2,000 yuan per square meter, which shows the owner has very high standards for aesthetics.



Since they hired a master designer, they are naturally careful about choosing ingredients. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Xinjiang, so the ingredients come directly from Xinjiang.



We saw a note on the menu: 'The restaurant's chefs all come from ethnic minority regions in Xinjiang.' This description speaks for itself. Those who know, know. This is how ethnic restaurants from Xinjiang write it these days.



Actually, before eating at Ziyuan, we had already broken our fast at a nearby Yunnan restaurant called Dianxinyuan. We just happened to pass by here and thought, since we came all this way, we might as well go in and sit for a while.



We ordered a meat-filled flatbread (rou nang). Even though we were very full, we still thought it was delicious. It had plenty of filling and lots of meat.



We also ordered a skewer of grilled lamb liver and a skewer of red willow grilled meat (hongliu kaorou). The ingredients were all very fresh and satisfying.



Address: Block B, Podium Building, AVIC Plaza, Ronghua South Road.

Phone: 13511041942.

7

Turkish Cuisine: SIMIT PALACE.



This is a newly opened Turkish restaurant in the Asian Games Village. The owner is a Turkish man from Istanbul, and his wife is from Beijing. In 2005, they opened a Turkish restaurant called Osman on Lucky Street.



The restaurant has only one floor, with the kitchen on the second floor. The first floor serves desserts, bread, and coffee, making it a great spot for a casual afternoon tea.



I bought some bread to try. It was made very delicately, and after my wife checked it, she said it was quite good.



I love drinking coffee and enjoy the feeling of relaxing in a cafe. Since we cannot drink water during the day in Ramadan, we went at night. I couldn't resist ordering a cup of strong Turkish coffee, even if it meant I might not sleep well later.



The coffee cups here are very delicate and decorated with patterns of dragon robes.



Rice pudding (sutlac) is a small dessert that originated in the Middle East, made by baking cooked rice with milk and butter.



Usually, you should eat Turkish food at a Turkish restaurant, but I saw fried chicken, french fries, and burgers on the menu and couldn't resist. After all, halal Western-style fast food is not as common in Beijing as Turkish restaurants, and we consider Turkish food to be Western cuisine anyway.



The fries and burgers are made to order. The cheese and meat patty in the burger were delicious. This burger combo costs over 50 yuan.

Address: First floor, Building 17, Courtyard 5, Anding Road.

Phone: 13718618634.

8

Yanji Cuisine: Xiangyu Jubinyuan.



This place also opened recently. They serve halal Yanji cold noodles (lengmian) and double-stir-fried meat (guobaorou), which my friends from Northeast China will recognize.



The double-stir-fried meat is sweet and sour, and it is eaten as a side dish with the cold noodles.



Although this is the first restaurant to focus on halal Yanji cold noodles, many barbecue restaurants in Beijing serve halal cold noodles that taste just as good.



Spicy shredded pollock (ban mingtaiyu si).

Spicy shredded pollock is a specialty snack of the Korean ethnic group. It is mixed with Korean chili paste and has a salty, sweet, and slightly spicy taste.



Spicy mixed beef (la ban niurou).

Spicy mixed beef is also a common cold dish for the Korean ethnic group, but they usually use dog meat. Since we cannot eat dog meat, we use beef instead.

Address: No. 1 Beicaochang Hutong, a century-old classic.

Phone: 18501952822

9

Fusion cuisine, Qingxiangge Crayfish, and Anhui Flat Noodles King.



Qingxiangge opened a crayfish shop in Tuanjiehu, specializing in fresh, spicy crayfish. They also opened an Anhui Flat Noodles King (Anhui banmian wang) next door. The iron pot stew (tieguo dun) upstairs and the two shops downstairs all belong to Qingxiangge.



As usual, we couldn't resist ordering a bowl of beef flat noodles (niurou banmian) from next door. Coincidentally, they also sell hot dry noodles (reganmian), so we brought both bowls over to the crayfish shop to break our fast.



Hot dry noodles (reganmian)

In my opinion, the hot dry noodles are better than the beef flat noodles. The hot dry noodles are a bit spicy but very fragrant, similar to what I ate in Wuhan. For beef flat noodles, I prefer the place in Zhangjiawan.



Beef flat noodles (niurou banmian)



The crayfish are fresh, and you can taste it. You must order at least two jin (one kilogram). The price is a bit high, but the chef can help peel the shrimp. You can add noodles to the leftover sauce after eating the shrimp. It is very fragrant but also quite spicy. If you cannot handle spice, I suggest choosing the thirteen-spice (shisanxiang) flavor.



The hand-rolled noodles mixed with the sauce are delicious. The texture of the noodles is similar to noodles with stir-fried meat (guoyourou banmian).



Spicy chicken (lazi ji)

The spicy chicken at this shop is very delicious. The chili peppers are especially fragrant, and it is worth recommending.



Spanish mackerel dumplings (bayu shuijiao)

Qingxiangge started by selling Dalian seafood, so their menu naturally includes Spanish mackerel dumplings. The filling is made of whole mackerel meat, which is pure, soft, and savory.

Address: Five single-story houses on the south side of Building 20, Baijiazhuang Dongli.

Phone: 18911210255

10

Indian Cuisine: Love in Curry



This shop is tucked away. It has been in the basement of Hongqiao Market for five years, but I only found out about it this year.



The space is small, just a stall in the basement food court, but it is clean and hygienic. They do not sell alcohol. Honestly, I have never seen an Indian or Pakistani brother run a restaurant that sells alcohol.



When eating Indian food, curry and naan bread (nangbing) are must-haves. If I want more options, I add fried rice or roasted chicken. Naan and curry come in many flavors, but I recommend the butter naan and lamb curry.



Indian and Pakistani barbecue has bright colors because it is marinated with spices. The green dipping sauce is made from spinach juice.



Deep-fried vegetable curry puffs (samosa)

Address: B1 Food Court, Hongqiao Market, Chongwenmen Outer Street

Phone: 15210944043

11

Beijing Cuisine: Yuelangzhai



In Xiguanshi Village, Changping, there is a halal restaurant with a famous history. Before I arrived, I learned that the restaurant was once an Imperial Escort Agency (yushan biaoju), named for protecting Empress Dowager Cixi during her escape to Xi'an.

Yuelangzhai Restaurant started in 2014. The Li family ancestors were professional escorts. Although that trade no longer exists, the descendants of the Li family are good cooks. Using their ancestral property, they decided to open a restaurant.



At the entrance, a screen wall is carved with the four characters for Imperial Escort Agency. Research confirms it was indeed bestowed by the emperor. The Imperial Escort Agency was originally called Xiguangyu Escort Agency. To protect Empress Dowager Cixi as she left Beijing, the owner Li Entao recommended Yang Juchuan to accompany her all the way to Xi'an and back to Beijing.



The front hall has a dragon chair with a yellow robe hanging nearby. In the center hangs a plaque that reads Yuelangzhai, showing that this shop once served the royal family.



Walking through the porch into the main hall, the space is wide. The interior uses a traditional Chinese style that is simple and elegant. The restaurant has two floors: the first floor has open seating, and the second floor has private rooms.



Inside a private room, the decor remains traditional Chinese with square tables and wooden stools. Calligraphy and ink paintings hang on the walls, creating an atmosphere that feels like traveling back to the late Qing Dynasty.



Vinegar-fried wood-ear and egg (culiu muxu) is a common Beijing home-style dish found in many restaurants. It should be called culiu muxi because the fried eggs look like osmanthus flowers (muxi). It requires high culinary skill; it looks simple, but it is not easy to make well.



Manager Li highly recommended these beef meatballs. He said he usually avoids ordering this dish at other restaurants because they often use too many fillers and not enough beef, but the beef meatballs at Yuelangzhai are made with real, quality ingredients. I picked one up and took a bite. It was just as Manager Li said, full of beef flavor with no taste of starch or other fillers. The meatballs were soft, delicious, and melted in my mouth.



Pan-seared tofu (guota doufu) is a classic Beijing-Shandong dish. You cut the tofu into 5-centimeter squares, mince shrimp into a paste, and mix it with egg wash. Dip the tofu in the egg mixture, pan-fry it over low heat, and when the oil is about 60 percent hot, slide the tofu into the pan. Fry both sides until golden brown, then cover and simmer until the sauce reduces.



For the main course, we had grilled noodles (zhizi kaomian). I had heard of grilled meat (zhizi kaorou) before, but never grilled noodles. Manager Li said he invented this dish. He seasons hand-rolled noodles and stir-fries them on a hot iron grill, similar to stir-fried noodles. The high heat of the grill adds a lot of aroma and texture, and it is very popular with diners.

Address: No. 8, Houchang Street, Xiguanshi Village, Yangfang Town

Phone: 01069760863

12

Northeast Chinese Cuisine: Baixiaobei Northeast Barbecue



This is the only halal Northeast-style barbecue restaurant in Beijing. It just opened, so we organized a group of friends to visit during the trial period. Northeast barbecue is known for small skewers, which is different from Northeast stir-fry dishes that come in large portions.



Boiled beef tripe (shuan niudu)

I don't mind small portions because it lets me try more flavors and helps avoid food waste.



Stir-fried screw snails (baochao dingluo)

Once the tips of the screw snails are broken off, you just suck on them to pull the meat out. The texture is crisp, tender, and chewy.



Fruit cold noodles (shuiguo lengmian). I have to say, the cold noodles here are quite authentic and taste much better than the halal Yanji cold noodles I mentioned earlier.



The skewers are called 'Five Elements Lacking Skewers' (wuxing que chuan). I don't know what that means, but I can tell it's beef, and the yellow part is cheese.



This dish is called 'Super Big Salad' (wocao chaoji da shala) because it is served on a huge plate. People from the Northeast love eating raw vegetables, and the owner gave us this cold salad for free.



Grilled oysters and scallops are a must. The ingredients are very fresh, but they are not cheap.



Deep-sea turbot head (shenhai dieyutou). This fish has sharp teeth and a fierce temperament. The more aggressive the fish, the firmer and tastier the meat.



The cold-tossed fish skin (liangban yupi) has no fishy smell, which shows it is very fresh, and it tastes crisp and refreshing. Cold-tossed fish skin is a classic home-style dish in Northeast China. I wanted to try the roasted silkworm pupae (kao canyong), but my friend talked me out of it because they were scared.



Shenyang chicken rack (jijia) is also a very famous local specialty in the Northeast. The chicken rack is fried until it is golden and crispy, and you can even chew the bones. This shop has a wide variety of small skewers, covering almost all the signature barbecue dishes of the Northeast. The prices are a bit high, with an average cost of over 150 yuan per person.

Address: Ground floor shops on the east side of Dajiaoting International Business Hotel, Guangqu Road.

Phone: 13041118808

13

Beijing Cuisine · Xingyuanzhai Halal Restaurant



It is not easy to find a halal restaurant near the Mutianyu Great Wall in Huairou. Fortunately, there are two halal restaurants right next to each other in Sanduhe Village. I introduced one before, called Sudan Pakistan Restaurant, and the other is this Xingyuanzhai. Xingyuanzhai is a farmhouse-style restaurant with a spacious, two-story layout. In the summer, you can also sit in the courtyard to eat barbecue.



The owner is a Hui Muslim from Shunyi. This shop was originally located in Shunyi and is related to the famous Fushouzhai Hot Pot Restaurant in Shunyi. They just moved to Huairou during the pandemic.



A must-eat in Huairou is the roasted rainbow trout (kao hongzunyu), which is a local farmhouse specialty. Rainbow trout is a cold-water fish with teeth in its mouth. It has a fierce nature and requires high water quality, so its meat is quite delicious.



I originally said I wanted to eat small skewers, but the owner recommended that they have freshly slaughtered lamb, so I could have a pound of freshly grilled large skewers, which are even more fragrant.



Cornmeal flatbread (hubing) stuffed with chives and eggs.



Address: Sanduhe Village, Bohai Town, Huairou District.

Phone: 18910316080

14

Fusion Cuisine · Sayierier



Sayierier Silk Road Cuisine focuses on food from the Silk Road, so it should not be seen as just Xinjiang-style. It also features Mediterranean specialties, as well as Sichuan, Huaiyang, Hunan, Cantonese, and seafood dishes, making it a fusion restaurant.



The environment is upscale and the prices are not cheap, with an average cost of around 200 yuan per person.



There is free ice cream and snacks you can help yourself to while waiting for a table.



The complimentary bread and spicy onion salad (pilahong) served before the meal are also delicious, not just some thrown-together freebie.



For the Mediterranean salad, the dragon fruit and mango are shaped like roses.



Four of us shared a classic grilled meat platter for 328 yuan, which included beef, lamb, vegetables, and seafood. Adding a few carb-heavy sides was plenty. The food tasted great and the service was attentive. I plan to bring more people next time to try other dishes.

Address: 1st Floor, No. F2 Huayuan Road

Phone: 13161344588

Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing mosque guide gives public transport routes, addresses, and visiting details for 70 mosques, helping Muslim travelers find historic prayer places across the city.

The author Shi Wenbo gave me this travel guide before he passed away. He hoped it would add to my work on existing and lost mosques in Beijing. The article lists transport details for 70 mosques in Beijing, which was missing from my original text.

About the author:

Shi Wenbo (1989-2022) was born in Shenyang, Liaoning Province. In September 2006, he was admitted to the Basic Science Class of Mathematics and Physics at Tsinghua University without an entrance exam. He transferred to the Department of Materials Science at Tsinghua in 2007 and earned his bachelor's degree in engineering in 2010. In 2010, he was admitted to the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University to pursue a doctorate in inorganic chemistry without an entrance exam.

1 Xicheng District (formerly Xuanwu District)

1.1 Niujie Mosque

The oldest and most famous mosque in Beijing.

Address: Niujie, Xicheng District (facing the main road).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 7 to Guang'anmennei Station (Exit C). Walk east along Guang'anmennei Street to the north entrance of Niujie, then turn right and walk straight south along Niujie to reach it.

(2) Take bus 10, 48, 88, or 717 to the Niujie Mosque stop. Or take bus 5, 6, 38, 57, 109, 381, 477, or Te 5 to the Niujie Lukou Xi stop, then walk straight south along Niujie to reach it.



1.2 Houheyan Mosque

Address: Houheyan, Changchun Street, Xicheng District (inside the residential compound).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 2 to Changchun Jie Station (Exit C1). Walk along the west wall of Building 12 on Xuanwumen West Street to enter the compound. The mosque is in the alley opposite the Sanmiao Community Residents' Committee.

(2) Take bus 9, 67, 337, 673, Te 2, Te 7, Te 13, or Te 14 to the Changchun Jie Lukou Dong stop. Walk along the west wall of Building 12 on Xuanwumen West Street to enter the compound. The mosque is in the alley opposite the Sanmiao Community Residents' Committee.



1.3 Qianmen Mosque

Also known as the "Saozhu Hutong Mosque."

Address: Saozhu Hutong, Qianmen, Xicheng District (inside the hutong).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 2 to Qianmen Station (Exit C). Walk south along Meishi Street on the west side of Tiananmen Square to Beihuoshan Hutong. Turn right, follow Beihuoshan Hutong to the intersection, then turn left to arrive.

(2) Take bus 5, 8, 17, 20, 22, 48, 59, 66, 69, 71, 82, 93, 120, 622, 623, Te 4, Te 7, or Te 11 to Qianmen Station. Alternatively, take bus 9, 22, 44 (inner), 44 (outer), 67, 337, 608, 901 (express), or Te 2 to Qianmen West Station. Walk south along Meishi Street on the west side of Tiananmen Square to Beihuoshan Hutong. Turn right, follow Beihuoshan Hutong to the intersection, then turn left to arrive.



2 Xicheng District

2.1 Sanlihe Mosque

Address: Yuetan South Street, Xicheng District (inside the residential compound).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 1 to Muxidi Station (Exit A1). Walk north along Sanlihe Road to Yuetan South Street. Turn right, walk east along Yuetan South Street to the Everbright Bank, then turn left into the residential compound.

(2) Take bus 13, 21, 32, 65, or 68 to Sanlihe East Entrance Station. Walk west along Yuetan South Street to the Everbright Bank, then turn right into the residential compound to arrive.



2.2 Fayuan Mosque

Also known as the Deshengmen Outer Mosque.

Address: Northeast corner of Deshengmen Bridge, North Second Ring Road, Xicheng District (by the road).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 2 to Jishuitan Station (Exit A). Walk east along the North Second Ring Road to Deshengmen Bridge to arrive.

(2) Take bus 5, 55, 305, 625, 670, 909, or Te 13 to Deshengmen Outer Station. Alternatively, take bus 27, 44 (outer), 315, 380, 409, 872, 880, 880 (express), 880 (section), 883 (express), 885, 919, 919 (express), or Te 13 to Deshengmen Station. You can also take bus 44 (inner), 344 (express), 345, 345 (express), 881, 883, 886, 888, 888 (express), 888 (section), 889, Te 12 (inner), or Te 12 (outer) to Deshengmen West Station to arrive.



2.3 Zhengyuan Mosque

Address: Dongguanying Hutong, Xicheng District (inside the residential compound).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 4 to Xinjiekou Station (Exit C). Walk south along Zhaodengyu Road to Dongguanying Hutong. Turn right into Dongguanying Hutong and you will arrive at the residential complex.

Take bus 7 or 47 to Baochan Hutong Station. Walk north along Zhaodengyu Road to Dongguanying Hutong. Turn left into Dongguanying Hutong and you will arrive at the residential complex.



2.4 Jinshifang Street Mosque

Also known as the Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, it was originally located on Jinshifang Street in Xicheng District, next to Beijing No. 159 Middle School. It has been demolished and rebuilt.



3 Dongcheng District (formerly Chongwen District)

3.1 Huashi Mosque

Address: West Huashi Street, Dongcheng District (along the road)

Transport:

Take Subway Line 2 or 5 to Chongwenmen Station (Exit C2). Walk south along Chongwenmen Outer Street to West Huashi Street. Turn left and walk straight east along West Huashi Street to arrive.

Take bus 8, 12, or 525 to Yangshikou Station. Walk east along West Huashi Street to arrive.



3.2 Shazikou Mosque

Address: Anlelin Road, Shazikou, Dongcheng District (inside the residential complex)

Transport:

Take bus 7 or 986 to Shazikou East Station, or bus 2, 17, 40, 69, 71, 72, 93, 504, 622, 821, 828, 849, 849 (Express), 943, 943 (Express), 943 (Section), 997, or BRT 1 to Shazikou Station. The mosque is inside the residential complex on the south side of Anlelin Road.



4 Dongcheng District

4.1 Dongsi Mosque

Address: Dongsi South Street, Dongcheng District (along the road)

Transport:

Take Subway Line 5 or Line 6 to Dongsi Station (Exit D) and walk south along Dongsi South Street.

Take bus 106, 110, 116, 684, or 685 to the Dongsi Lukou South stop.



4.2 Dongzhimenwai Mosque

Address: Dongwai Xiejie, Dongcheng District (along the road).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 2 or Line 13 to Dongzhimen Station (Exit B), walk east along Dongzhimenwai Street to Dongwai Xiejie, then turn left and walk north along Dongwai Xiejie.

Take bus 855, 934, 935, or 935 (Express) to the Dongzhimenwai stop, or take bus 3, 24, 106, 107, 110, 117, 120, 123, 131, 132, 401, 404, 413, 416, 418, 536, 635, 659, 675, 688, 850, 850 (Express), 866, 867, 909, 915, 915 (Express), 915 (Section), 916, 916 (Express), 918, 918 (Express), 936, 942, 942 (Express), 942 (Section), 942 (Branch), 955, 955 (Express), 966, 974, 980, or 980 (Express) to the Dongzhimen stop. Walk east along Dongzhimenwai Street to Dongwai Xiejie, then turn left and walk north along Dongwai Xiejie.



4.3 Douban Hutong Mosque

Commonly known as the Bean Sprout Mosque (Douyacai Qingzhensi).

Address: Douban Hutong, Chaoyangmen, Dongcheng District (along the road).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 2 or Line 6 to Chaoyangmen Station (Exit H) and walk north along Douban Hutong.

Take bus 58, 101, 109, 110, 112, or 420 to the Chaoyangmennei stop and walk north along Douban Hutong.



4.4 Andingmenwai Mosque

Also called the Ditan Mosque (Ditan Qingzhensi).

Address: Shanglong Xili Community, Andingmenwai, Dongcheng District (inside the residential area).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 2 to Andingmen Station (Exit A). Walk north along Andingmen Outer Street to Ande Road. Turn left and walk west along Ande Road to Shanglong Xili. Enter the residential area between buildings 31 and 33 to arrive.

Take bus 27, 119, 125, 301, 407, 426, 430, 909, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) 3, or BRT 3 (Section) to Andingmen Outer Street Station. Walk north along Andingmen Outer Street to Ande Road. Turn left and walk west along Ande Road to Shanglong Xili. Enter the residential area between buildings 31 and 33 to arrive.



5 Chaoyang District

5.1 Changying Mosque

Address: Changying Hui Muslim Township, Chaoyang North Road, Chaoyang District (next to the road).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 6 to Huangqu Station (Exit B). Walk east along Chaoyang North Road to arrive.

Take bus 364, 488, 499, 499 (Express), 506, 517, 583, 585, 586, 911, or Special 115 to Changying Station. Walk south along Guanzhuang Road to Chaoyang North Road. Turn right and walk west along Chaoyang North Road to arrive.



5.2 Nanxiapo Mosque

Also known as Yabaolu Mosque.

Address: Chaowai West Street, Yabaolu, Chaoyang District (inside the residential area).

Transport:

Take Subway Line 2 or 6 to Chaoyangmen Station (Exit A). Walk south along Chaoyangmen South Street to Yabaolu. Turn left and walk east along Yabaolu to Chaowai West Street. Turn left and walk north along Chaowai West Street to arrive.

Take bus 44 (Inner), 44 (Outer), 58, 650, Special 2, Special 12 (Inner), or Special 12 (Outer) to Yabaolu Station. Walk east along Yabaolu to Chaowai West Street. Turn left and walk north along Chaowai West Street to arrive.



5.3 Guanzhuang Mosque

One of the mosques with the smallest land area in Beijing.

Address: Guanzhuang Road, Chaoyang District (inside the residential area).

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Batong Line to Guanzhuang Station (Exit B). Walk north along Shuangqiao East Road to Yangzha Roundabout. Turn left and walk west along Chaoyang Road to Guanzhuang Road. Turn right and walk north along Guanzhuang Road. The mosque is inside the residential area on the east side of the road.

(2) Take bus 364, 488, 506, 583, 639, or Zhuan 115 to Guanzhuang Lukou North Station. Walk south along Guanzhuang Road. The mosque is inside the residential area on the east side of the road.



5.4 Yangzha Mosque

Address: Inside Yangzha Village, Shuangqiao East Road, Chaoyang District.

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Batong Line to Guanzhuang Station (Exit B). Walk north along Shuangqiao East Road to reach it.

(2) Take bus 442, 583, 648 to Yangzha Roundabout East Station, or bus 532, BRT 2, BRT 2 (Section), or Zhuan 115 to Yangzha Station. Walk south along Shuangqiao East Road to the entrance of Yangzha Village. Turn left into the village to reach it.



5.5 Xihui Mosque

Address: Inside Xihui Village, west side, Chaoyang District.

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Batong Line to Guanzhuang Station (Exit D). Walk west along Jianguo Road to the entrance of Xihui Village. Turn left and walk south into the village to reach it.

(2) Take bus 312 or 666 to Yangzha Lukou West Station. Walk west along Jianguo Road to the entrance of Xihui Village. Turn left and walk south into the village to reach it.



5.6 Dongbalizhuang Mosque

Address: Inside the residential area at the southeast corner of Honglingjin Bridge, East Fourth Ring Road, Chaoyang District.

Transport:

(1) Take bus 450, 496, 657, 690, 740 (Inner), 740 (Outer), or Te 9 (Outer) to Honglingjin Bridge South Station. Walk east along the road on the north side of the canal to enter the residential area.



5.7 Xiaohongmen Mosque

Address: Inside the residential area on Hongfang Road, Xiaohongmen, Chaoyang District.

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Yizhuang Line to Xiaohongmen Station (Exit D). Walk west along Xiaohongmen East Road to Xiaohongmen Road. Turn left and walk south along the main road of Xiaohongmen Road to Hongfang Road. Turn left and walk east along Hongfang Road to the Xiaohongmen Stainless Steel City. Turn right into the residential area and take the left fork at the three-way intersection to arrive. [Note: The side road of Xiaohongmen Road is closed due to demolition.]

(2) Take Bus 985 to Hongfang Road West Entrance Station. Walk west along Hongfang Road to the Xiaohongmen Stainless Steel City. Turn left into the residential area and take the left fork at the three-way intersection to arrive.



5.8 Wanziying Mosque

Address: Inside Wanziying Village, Heizhuanghu Township, Chaoyang District

Transport:

(1) Take Bus 397 to Wanziying Station. Walk west into the village and go straight to arrive.



5.9 Kangying Mosque

Address: Inside Kangying Village, Sunhe Township, Chaoyang District

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 15 to Sunhe Station (Exit D). Walk south along Jingshen Road (G101), pass the Jingping Expressway intersection, and continue south to Kangying Avenue. Turn left and walk east along Kangying Avenue to Lanhua Yuan East Road. Turn right and walk south along Lanhua Yuan East Road to Kangying South Road. Turn right and walk west along Kangying South Road to arrive.

(2) Take Bus 405, 415, 538, 586, 847, 854, 923, or 991 to Sunhe Bus Terminal, or Bus 696, 850, 857, 867, 915, 915 (branch), 916, 918, 934, 936, 942, 942 (branch), 942 (sub-branch), or 980 to Sunhe Station. Walk east along Kangying Avenue to Lanhua Yuan East Road. Turn right and walk south along Lanhua Yuan East Road to Kangying South Road. Turn right and walk west along Kangying South Road to arrive.



6 Haidian District

6.1 Haidian Mosque

Address: Suzhou Street, Haidian District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 10 to Suzhou Street Station (Exit A). Walk north along Suzhou Street to arrive.

(2) Take Bus 26, 302, 374, 528, Yuntong 110, Yuntong 114, Yuntong 118, or Yuntong 124 to Beijing Seismological Bureau Station. Walk south along Suzhou Street to arrive.



6.2 Madian Mosque

Address: Northwest corner of Madian Bridge, North Third Ring Road, Haidian District (along the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 123, 344 (Express), 345, 361, 367, 671, 695, 847, 848, 881, 883, 889, Yuntong 101, Yuntong 104, or Yuntong 201 to Madianqiao West Station. Head east along the North Third Ring Road to Madian East Road, then turn left and head north along Madian East Road to arrive.



6.3 Anheqiao Mosque

Address: Xiangshan Road, Haidian District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 331, 563, 563 (Section), Te 5, or Yuntong 112 to Qinglongqiao Station. Head west along Xiangshan Road to arrive.



6.4 Shucun Mosque

Address: Shucun Road, Haidian District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 393, 636, Te 4, Yuntong 118, or Yuntong 123 to Shucun Dongkou Station. Head west along Nongda South Road to Shucun Road, then turn left and head south along Shucun Road to arrive.



6.5 Qinghe Mosque

Address: Xiaoqinghe Road, Haidian District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 305, 307, 315, 328, 333 (Inner), 345, 355, 379, 392, 398, 407, 478, 490, 518, 577, 606, 607, 609, 618, 625, 632, 670, 693, 753, 909, Yuntong 103, or Yuntong 109 to Qinghe North Station. Follow the Beijing-Tibet Expressway (G6) frontage road to Xiaoqinghe Road on the north side of Qinghe, then turn right and head west along Xiaoqinghe Road to arrive.



6.6 Landianchang Mosque

Address: Century City Cultural Plaza, Landianchang Middle Road, Haidian District (inside the Cultural Plaza)

Transport:

(1) Take Subway Line 10 to Huoqiying Station (Exit A). Walk west along Landianchang Road to Landianchang Middle Road. Turn left and walk south along Landianchang Middle Road to the Century City Cultural Plaza. The destination is on your left.

(2) Take bus 360, 365, 425, or 539 to Landianchang Middle Road Station. Walk north along Landianchang Middle Road to the Century City Cultural Plaza. The destination is on your right.



6.7 Siwangfu Mosque

Address: Inside Pingxi Siwangfu Village, Haidian District.

Transport:

(1) Take bus 331, 505, 563, 563 (branch), 696, Special 5, or Yuntong 112 to Xiangquan Roundabout Station. Walk west along Xiangshan Road to the gas station. Turn right and head north into Pingxi Siwangfu Village. Go straight to the fork and take the right path. Follow the village road to the T-junction, then turn left. The destination is inside the alley.



7 Fengtai District

7.1 Fengtai Mosque

Address: Along Wenti Road, Beidadi, Fengtai District.

Transport:

(1) Take bus 77, 83, 310, 313, 340, 349, 351, 354, 480, 602, 658, 694, 736, 740 (inner), 740 (outer), 840, 845, 959, 967, 969, Special 7, Special 9 (inner), Special 9 (outer), or Yuntong 115 to Beidadi Station. Walk south along the West Fourth Ring Road to the Postal Savings Bank. Turn left and head east to Wenti Road. Turn right and walk south along Wenti Road to reach the destination.



7.2 Nanyuan Mosque

Address: Inside Nanyuan Xinhua Road, Fengtai District.

Transport:

(1) Take bus 343, 353, 353 (branch), 556, 610, 954, or Yuntong 115 to Xinhua Road South Entrance Station. Walk east along Jingbei West Road to Xinhua Road. Turn left and follow Xinhua Road into the village to West First Alley (Xi Toudao Jie). Turn left and walk west along West First Alley to reach the destination.



7.3 Changxindian Mosque

Address: Inside Changxindian Town, Fengtai District.

Transport:

(1) Take bus 329, 339, 391, 459, 662, 837, 896, 897, 952, or 983 to Changxindian Nankou Station. Walk north along Zhoukoudian Road to Jiaotang Hutong. Turn left into the village and walk west along Jiaotang Hutong until you reach Changxindian Main Street.



8 Shijingshan District

8.1 Moshikou Mosque

Address: Moshikou Nanli, Shijingshan District (inside the residential compound)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 489, 597, 961, or 972 to Moshikou Nanli Station. Walk west along Jinding North Road to the Moshikou Nanli residential compound. Enter the compound, walk straight to Building 21, and turn right to arrive.



9 Daxing District

9.1 Huangcun Mosque

Address: Sanzhong Lane, Xingfeng Street, Daxing District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take the Daxing Line subway to Huangcun Xidajie Station (Exit B). Walk east along Huangcun West Street to Xingfeng Street. Turn left and walk north along Xingfeng Street to arrive.

(2) Take bus 842, 848, 937, Daxing 12, Daxing 26, Daxing 36, or Daxing 59 to Sanzhong Lane Station to arrive.



9.2 Xihongmen Mosque

Address: Xihongmen Town, Daxing District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take the Daxing Line subway to Xihongmen Station (Exit B1). Walk north along Xinning Street to Hongfu Road. Turn right and walk east along Hongfu Road, passing Xinwang Street to arrive.

(2) Take bus 474, 631, 646, 829, or Zhuan 169 to Hongfu Road East Entrance Station to arrive.



9.3 Langgezhuang Mosque

Address: Langgezhuang West Village, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 827, 844, 844 (short route), Daxing 23, Daxing 24, or Daxing 45 to Langgezhuang Station, then head north into the village and go straight to reach it.



9.4 Xueying Mosque

Address: Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 842, 937, Daxing 28, or Daxing 46 to Xueying Station, then follow Qingzheng Road into the village and go straight west to reach it.



9.5 Liushizhuang Mosque

Address: Liushizhuang Village, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 842 to Likecun Station, head east to Liushizhuang Village, and go straight into the village to reach it.



9.6 Yufa Mosque

Address: Yufa Old Village, Yufa Town, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 842 or 937 to Jinrong Street Station, head north along Jinrong Street, cross Yuxiang Road, and continue straight to reach it. [Note: Yufa Old Village has been demolished]



9.7 Xin'anzhuang Mosque

Address: Xin'anzhuang Village, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

Take bus Daxing 28 to Xinzhuang Village station, then head east along the village road to arrive.



9.8 Cuizhihuiying Mosque

Address: Cuizhihuiying Village, Daxing District (inside the village).

Transport:

Take bus Daxing 27 to Cuizhihuiying station to arrive.



9.9 Lixian Mosque

Address: Lixian Town, Daxing District (next to the road).

Transport:

Take bus Daxing 24 to Lixian West Gate station to arrive.



9.10 Tianying Mosque

Address: Tianjiaying Village, Daxing District (inside the village).

Transport:

Take bus Daxing 24 to Tianjiaying station, head south into the village to the fork, take the left path, then turn right at the T-junction to arrive.



9.11 Tongying Mosque

Address: Tongying Hui Muslim Township, Anding Town, Daxing District (inside the village).

Transport:

Take bus Daxing 24 to Tongying station, head east into the village to the fork, take the left path and go straight to arrive.



9.12 Dongbaita Mosque

Address: Dongbaita Village, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus Daxing 23 to Xichang Station, head east along Xidong Road, pass Baida Road, and keep going straight to arrive.



9.13 Qingyundian Mosque

Address: Sici Village, Qingyundian Town, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 940 to Qingyundian Wucun Station, or bus Daxing 17 or Daxing 20 to Qingyundian Hospital Station. Head north into the village to the fork, take the left path, and go straight west to arrive.



9.14 Caiyu Mosque

Address: Xiyi Village, Caiyu Town, Daxing District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 940 or Daxing 20 to Caiyu Xiyi Village Station. Head west along Caixin Road to the entrance of Caiyu Xiyi Village, turn left, and head south into the village to arrive.



10 Tongzhou District

10.1 Tongxian Mosque

Address: Huimin Hutong, Tongzhou District (inside the alley)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 322, 342, 435, 626, 648, 666, 667, 804, 806, 808, Tongzhou 6, Tongzhou 12, Tongzhou 19, or Tongzhou 46 to Xinhua Street Station. Head east along Xinhua East Street to South Street, turn right and head south along South Street to Huimin Hutong, then turn left and head east along Huimin Hutong to arrive.



10.2 Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque

The original site was on Yudaihe West Street in Beiyuan, Tongzhou, but it has been demolished and rebuilt.



10.3 Beiguan Mosque in Tongzhou

The original site was on Xinhua North Road in Beiguan, Tongzhou, but it has been demolished and rebuilt.



10.4 Zhangjiawan Mosque

Address: Inside the village in Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District.

Transport:

Take bus 801, 801 (short route), 802, 806, or Tongzhou bus 14 to Zhangjiawan Town Station. Go east into the village and walk straight to reach it.



10.5 Zaolinzhuang Mosque

Address: Inside the village in Zaolinzhuang Village, Tongzhou District.

Transport:

Take Tongzhou bus 14 to Zaolinzhuang South Entrance Station. Go east into the village to the T-junction, then turn left and head north to reach it.



10.6 Fatou Mosque

Address: Inside the village in Fatou Village, Tongzhou District.

Transport:

Take Tongzhou bus 14 to Zhangjiawan Town Fatou Station. Go west into the village to the Hualian Supermarket intersection, then turn right and head north to reach it.



10.7 Yujiawu Mosque

Address: Inside the village in Yujiawu Hui Ethnic Township, Tongzhou District.

Transport:

Take bus 801 or 801 (short route) to Yujiawu Dongkou station. Walk west along Tongfang Road to the intersection, then turn right and head north into the village.



10.8 Yongledian Mosque

Address: Yongledian Town, Tongzhou District (by the road)

Transport:

Take bus 801 or 801 (short route) to Yongledian Cun Xikou station. Walk west along Tongfang Road to reach it.



10.9 Majuqiao Mosque

Address: Majuqiao, Tongzhou District (inside the residential area)

Transport:

Take bus 927 to Majuqiao Beimen station. Walk south along the old Huoma Road line to the T-junction, turn left into the residential area, and head east to reach it.



11 Shunyi District

11.1 Huiminying Mosque

Address: West of Kuliushu Roundabout, Shunping Road, Shunyi District (by the road)

Transport:

Take bus 855 to Qinglan Xiaozhen station and walk north along Yuan Road to reach it.



11.2 Gaoliying Mosque

Address: Qicun, Gaoliying Town, Shunyi District (inside the village)

Transport:

Take bus 942, 942 (express), 945, Shunyi 13, Changping 27, or Konggang 6 to Gaoliying station. Head north into the village, go straight past Gaoliying Town Bacun, head northeast past Gaoliying Town Qicun, pass the Qicun health clinic in a northeasterly direction, and continue north to reach it.



11.3 Niulanshan Mosque

Address: Niulanshan Town, Shunyi District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 856, Shunyi 14, or Shunyi 34 to Niulanshan Dongkou Station.



11.4 Yangzhen Mosque

Address: Yangzhen Third Street, Shunyi District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 918, 918 (Express), Shunyi 18, 19, 20, 23, 33, 39, 40, 45, or Konggang 7 to Yangzhen Third Street Station. Walk north along Mubei Road into the village to the T-junction, then turn left and head west to reach it.



12 Miyun County

12.1 Miyun Mosque

Address: Nanggeng Street, Miyun County (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus Miyun 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 8 (Branch), 9, 11, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, or 36 to Miyun County Government Station. Walk west along Gulou West Street to Nanggeng Street, then turn left and head south to reach it.



12.2 Mujiayu Mosque

Address: North Mujiayu Hui Muslim Village, Miyun County (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus Miyun 2 to Nan Mujiayu Station, then head north along Mujiu Road to reach it.



13 Changping District

13.1 Heying Mosque

Also known as Changping Mosque.

Address: Inside the residential area on Mosque Alley (Qingzhensi Hutong), Gulou South Street, Changping District.

Transport:

Take bus 326, 345, 376, 376 (short route), 559, 884, Changping 13, Changping 21, Changping 55, Changping 57, Changping 57 (branch), Special 105, or Special 106 to Changping Central Park Station. Walk north along Gulou South Street to Sanguanmiao Alley, then turn left and walk west along Sanguanmiao Alley to reach Mosque Alley.



13.2 Shahe Mosque

Also known as Nanyicun Mosque.

Address: Nanyi Village, Shahe, Changping District (next to the road).

Transport:

Take bus 922, Changping 19, Changping 21, Changping 22, Changping 58, Special 49, Special 53, or Special 66 to Shahe South Bridge Station.



13.3 Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque

Address: Inside Xiaoxinzhuang Village, Changping District.

Transport:

Take bus 478 to Xiaoxinzhuang Village Station, or bus 428 or Special 21 to Xiaoxinzhuang Station, then walk straight north along the village road.



13.4 Xiguanshi Mosque

Address: Inside Xiguan Village, Yangfang Town, Changping District.

Transport:

Take bus Changping 20 to Xiguan Village Station, walk north along Yangdong Road into the village, cross the open canal, and turn left along the village road.



14 Mentougou District

14.1 Chengzi Mosque

Address: Chengzi Main Street, Mentougou District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take bus 336, 383, 890, 892, 941, 959, 961, 964, 972, 977, Yuntong 101, Yuntong 112, Yuntong 116, or Mentougou 19 to Chengzi Vocational High School station, then head south along Chengzi Main Street to arrive.



15 Fangshan District

15.1 Changzhuang Mosque

Address: Changzhuang, Liangxiang, Fangshan District (by the road)

Transport:

(1) Take the Fangshan Subway Line to Liangxiang University Town West station (Exit B), head west along Huangliang Road to Liangguan Highway, then turn left and go straight south along Liangguan Highway to arrive.

(2) Take bus Fangshan 33 to Changzhuang Intersection station, then head south along Liangguan Highway to arrive.



15.2 Xinjie Mosque

Address: Xinjie Village, Fangshan District (inside the village)

Transport:

(1) Take bus Fangshan 12, 16, 18, 19, 31, or 31 (branch line) to Xinjie station, then head east into the village and go straight to arrive.



15.3 Doudian Mosque

One of the largest mosques by area in Beijing.

Address: Doudian Town, Fangshan District (by the road)

Transport:

Take bus 993 to Doudian Bus Station, Fangshan 27, or Fangshan 39 to Doudian East Station, or Fangshan 28 to Doudian Central Primary School Station.



Author's Afterword

I offer endless praise to Allah. With His help, this Beijing Mosque Transportation Guide (referred to as the Guide) is now complete.

This Guide details the addresses and transportation for 70 mosques in Beijing, aiming to make it easier for Hui Muslims living and working in the city to reach a mosque for namaz.

I spent over two years visiting every mosque in person to record and organize the geographical information for this Guide. The transportation section covers subway and bus routes. The maps show the nearest subway station (including the exit) or bus stop, along with directions to the mosque. For mosques not directly accessible by subway, the maps show the bus stops and routes to take. I tried to ensure readers can follow these recommendations to reach every mosque smoothly.

The level of detail for the geographical information varies, and the map scales are different. For mosques that are easy to spot because they are on main roads, such as Fayuan Mosque at Deshengmenwai, Dongsi Mosque, and Changying Mosque, the transportation details are brief. For mosques that are harder to find, such as those inside residential areas or villages like the Qianmen Saozhou Hutong Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Xiaohongmen Mosque, the transportation details are thorough.

Of course, this Guide still has some shortcomings, as the transportation information is not fully complete. Take the famous Niujie Mosque as an example. For subway travel, it is near both Guang'anmennei Station and Caishikou Station. To keep things simple, I only included the more convenient Guang'anmennei Station and left out Caishikou Station. For bus travel, you can take bus 10, 48, 88, or 717 to the Niujie Mosque stop. To keep it brief, I did not list the full routes for these buses, so you will need to find that information elsewhere.

Finally, I praise Allah again for His help and thank all the Hui Muslim brothers and sisters who supported me in completing this work over the past two years. Amin!

Amin

February 2015 Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This reflection discusses Muslim faith, halal daily life, public speech, useful professional skills, and the need to build positive community influence while staying practical and responsible.

Some of my old articles on my public account were recently deleted. This might be because they touched on new internet media regulations coming in March. Are we not allowed to preach in public without a permit? I have been using the internet for over twenty years, and this is the first time my posts have been deleted. I have been active on several other social media platforms for years and have never had a post deleted or an account banned for posting extreme comments. I have always been a law-abiding internet user.





Since the articles are gone, I cannot remember exactly what I said that was considered inappropriate. I want to reassure the authorities that I have no interest in preaching. From the day I started learning about the faith (din), I never thought about making a living as a religious professional. My interest in religious knowledge is purely personal. I learned from Al-Ghazali's The Revival of the Religious Sciences (Ihya Ulum al-Din) that in his medieval times, local jurists were as common as hair on an ox. We lacked experts and scientists like doctors and architects, and we often had to rely on non-believers for professional skills. This embarrassing situation has not changed to this day.

Even in the time of the Prophet, expanding influence required strong external help and the support of powerful people, including but not limited to manpower, material resources, and financial backing. Many famous medieval scholars held multiple jobs. They were doctors and merchants, and being a religious scholar was just one of many labels they carried. Ibn Sina seemed to study religious philosophy in his spare time, and many of us know him because he wrote The Canon of Medicine, a textbook used by the Western medical community for hundreds of years.

According to the Prophet's prophecy, knowledge will gradually disappear as scholars pass away, and then ignorant people will pose as scholars and mislead the public. The knowledge here refers mainly to religious knowledge, not scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge can be continuously discovered and accumulated, but religious knowledge cannot. Religious knowledge only comes from revelation. After the Messenger received the revelation, he passed the knowledge to the companions and their followers. During this transmission, some information is inevitably lost. When scholars who hold religious knowledge pass away, if the younger generation has not fully mastered it, that knowledge disappears. It is like electricity; there is energy loss during transmission. In the religious field, there is nothing new. Everything we know today does not go beyond the scope of the Quran and Sunnah. In our era and beyond, it is impossible to produce great scholars who surpass those of the past. So, stop rushing to become local internet-famous religious experts. Making a living by spreading religious knowledge for profit is shameful; you would be better off working in a factory.

If we are not allowed to talk about the faith in public, we can find many flexible ways to do it, because our faith is already integrated into many details of our lives. 'For people who think, there are indeed many signs in this.' Isn't it better to show the excellence of a Muslim without preaching? Dry lectures probably only attract people who are already believers and do nothing to reach a wider audience. In my article 'An Indonesian Halal Journey: An Indonesian Trip Through the Eyes of a Chinese Hui Muslim,' I mentioned the history of how the faith spread in Southeast Asia. It relied on Sufi preaching. Sufis loved their non-believer neighbors from the heart and treated their illnesses, touching them deeply. Once the upper classes of the Malay Peninsula accepted the Islam taught by the Sufis, the peaceful transformation of all of Southeast Asia was just a matter of time.

My articles about halal food have never been deleted, and the comments on these articles are generally very friendly. This shows that writing about food and travel is safe. These articles attract many ethnic minorities who follow the faith, as well as those who do not. Of course, they also attract many people from the majority ethnic group. I often include my own personal views in these articles, and rational people can certainly sense the message I want to convey. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide highlights new Muslim-friendly restaurants across the city, from Henan huimian and Pakistani masala dishes to Ningxia cuisine, hotpot, and other authentic Hui Muslim food spots.



— Hello, Travel —

This article is a bit late. First, my son is about to be born, so I have been staying by my wife's side almost every moment and going out less. Second, I have been waiting for news that the famous Chengdu halal hotpot brand Niububi is opening in Beijing. Now that Niububi is here, Beijing truly lives up to its reputation as a world capital of halal food.

1

Henan-style: Old Yao's Secret Braised Noodles (huimian).



Old Yao runs two Henan braised noodle shops in Daxing. The one in the photo is not far from the Xihongmen Joy Breeze (Huiju) mall. For breakfast, they serve spicy pepper soup (hulatang) and pan-fried buns (shuijianbao). Note that these two Henan specialties are only sold as breakfast in the morning; after noon, you can only order braised noodles.



The cold dishes at this Henan braised noodle shop are a highlight. There is a wide variety, and they give you a plate to help yourself. Whether it is a good deal depends on how much food you can pile onto that one plate.



If you come in the afternoon or evening, the shop only serves beef bone and nourishing lamb braised noodles. Of course, both taste very authentic.



There are more halal Henan restaurants in Beijing now. For higher-end stir-fry, there is Yufu Shenchu; for snack stalls, there is Guhuaijie Mawu; in Huilongguan, there is Liangji Braised Noodles; and near Caoqiao, there is Xuyiwani Braised Noodles.

2

Indian-Pakistani Cuisine: Sultan Pakistan Restaurant.



A new Indian-Pakistani halal courtyard restaurant has opened in Huatai Village, Sanduhe, Huairou. The courtyard is very spacious with easy parking. I like the style of this place; it is bright, airy, clean, and tidy.



The chef is from Pakistan, and the owner is a local from Huairou. I asked her why she decided to open an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in an area crowded with farmhouse-style eateries. She said she has spent years with Pakistani friends and has long followed a halal lifestyle. She also has another chain store in Huairou county called Masala Pakistan Restaurant.



Many people ask me what masala actually tastes like. Masala is just a general term for Indian spices; a mixture of many Indian spices is called masala.



Because there are not many halal restaurants in the Huairou area, and even fewer with unique features, friends visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall, Hongluo Mosque, or Yanqi Lake scenic areas can stop by this Indian-Pakistani restaurant for a meal.



When I eat Indian-Pakistani food, I must have butter naan and chicken curry. One piece of naan is never enough. The most I have ever eaten was four pieces at an Indian-Pakistani restaurant in Nha Trang, Vietnam. I really love the smell of toasted wheat.



In my heart, Khan Baba ranks first for Indian-Pakistani food in Beijing, followed by Shalimar Indian-Pakistani Restaurant in Shunyi. While some other Indian restaurants are labeled halal, I have doubts about the owners' faith, and the decor has obvious Hindu features, so they do not feel as reliable to eat at as these two.



Curry puffs (gali jiao).

3

Tunisian Cuisine at La Medina



This Tunisian-style restaurant is actually the Mesa Restaurant that opened last year. The location last year was not ideal and the space was small, so this year they moved near the Armenian Embassy.



The white man in profile in the photo is the head chef, a Tunisian Arab. We met him last year, and I even asked him to confirm that the restaurant is halal because they did not have a halal sign hanging up.



In Beijing now, if a restaurant wants to hang a halal sign with Chinese characters, it must be approved by the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee. Otherwise, you have to rely on word of mouth to confirm, which feels like going back to the time of the Prophet.



I took a photo of the restaurant's restroom and posted it on WeChat Moments. Many Han Chinese friends asked me why I posted a picture of a toilet. Actually, those who know will understand that the sprayer in this restroom is a facility specifically for Muslims.



Tunisia is in North Africa and has always been a popular vacation spot for Europeans. Tunisian food is also very unique.



Vegetable salad



Tunisian couscous (couscous)

This Tunisian couscous looks like millet and tastes like millet, but it is actually made from ground wheat grains. To us, it looks just like millet. On top of the couscous is Tunisian sausage made of beef. It is a bit salty and goes well with roasted peppers.



Moroccan bean soup

4

Inner Mongolian flavor at Qingcheng Restaurant (Changping Xihuan Road Branch)



Qingcheng Restaurant started in 1994 and is located in Changping District. I think it is the most authentic Inner Mongolian restaurant in Beijing. I have introduced the old shop before, and today I am introducing this branch. You can eat pot-wrapped beef (guobao niurou) at the main store, and at this branch, you can eat beef tripe hot pot and steamed dumplings (shaomai).



Beef tripe hot pot

A full pot of beef tripe costs only a little over 100 yuan, and the average cost per person is no more than 70 yuan. Prices in Changping are much lower than in the city center.



The steamed dumplings are also the most authentic Inner Mongolian flavor I have found in Beijing.



Sheep head meat

5

Qiqihar Flavor: Three Brothers Barbecue



Located on the first floor of Xingmei Building on Qinghe Heiquan Road, this is a Qiqihar-style barbecue restaurant.



We bought a set meal for two on Dazhong Dianping for 198 yuan.



The set meal had a good variety, but the taste was just average. It was cheap, though. There is a Northwest-style restaurant next door, and the two businesses operate together.



This iron plate barbecue is typical of the Qiqihar style. Since a new Qiqihar barbecue place just opened near Changying, there are now three halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurants in Beijing.



Cold noodles (lengmian), which every Qiqihar barbecue restaurant serves.

6

Qiqihar Flavor: Toupiqi



This shop is in Guanzhuang and opened recently. It is the third halal Qiqihar barbecue restaurant in Beijing.



The quality here is much better than at Three Brothers. Since it is located in the Changying area, it would be hard to survive if the meat quality were not good.



The shop has two floors, plenty of space, and convenient parking at the entrance, making it great for small gatherings with friends.



If I had to rank the three big Qiqihar barbecue spots in Beijing, I would put this one in second place and Dajinggai Barbecue Company in first. Dajinggai’s environment is designed to look like a street-side barbecue tent in Qiqihar, which feels more authentic, and their cold noodles and fried rice are delicious.









Three of us could not even finish this big table of food. The group-buy price was 191 yuan, which is very affordable.

7

Heilongjiang Flavor: Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew



A newly opened Northeast iron pot stew (tieguo dun) restaurant near Jiande Bridge, located in the basement of Qingxiangge Dalian Seafood.



Ever since the halal Erjie Earth Pot Stew (diguo dun) in Xueying, Daxing closed, I have not had authentic Northeast earth pot stew.



So, I invited three or four friends from the group to come and try it. We had to order the iron pot stewed goose, as you need a group to eat it.



This dish is called mashed garlic egg (suandaodan). It is a home-style specialty from Northeast China made with eggs and has a salty, savory flavor.



For raw vegetables with dipping sauce (zhanjiangcai), I love the cucumbers and green onions. I have loved eating green onions with soybean paste (dajiang) since I was a kid, especially with a hot, freshly steamed white bun (mantou).



To eat iron pot stewed goose (tieguo dun da'e), first put the chopped goose into the bottom of the pot, then add your choice of side dishes. We chose golden beans, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, and potatoes. Cover the pot and stew for 15 minutes. Place steamed flower rolls (huajuan) and griddle cakes (tiebingzi) on top. When the time is up, the meat below is stewed and the staples on top are steamed. Everything is fresh and delicious.



This pot of stewed goose was enough for 6 of us. We finished every bit, and it cost 60 yuan per person.



8

Pingliang Flavor: Longxiang Hui Lamb Pita Bread Soup (yangrou paomo)



A lamb pita bread soup shop opened on Dongsi Street. People usually think of Xi'an style when they hear about pita bread soup, but this shop has the character 'Long' in its name, so I guessed it was Pingliang style.



I have many friends from Pingliang, and they often talk about the difference between Pingliang and Xi'an pita bread soup. Pingliang pita bread soup is its own thing; it has more broth, and the bread is fully cooked. Unlike the Xi'an version where the bread is only 70% cooked, you don't need to break the Pingliang bread into tiny pieces. Keep them in larger chunks. It is best to serve the broth and bread separately and soak the bread as you eat.



The owner told me the chef comes from the famous Chunhua Restaurant in Pingliang, which all the local elders know. The master chef has spent most of his life cooking and knows his craft well. Besides pita bread soup, you can also get Gansu-style hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuayangrou) and cold-tossed beef.



I heard they recently added cat-ear noodles (mashi) and cold noodles (liangpi). These are Gansu specialties that are tasty and affordable.



9

Lanzhou Flavor: Silk Road Yilan Spicy Hot Pot (malatang)



Silk Road Yilan, the only place on Niujie Street that doesn't sell alcohol, recently added spicy hot pot inside their noodle shop. The flavor is great, and it is served in individual pots, making it clean and hygienic.



If you don't want noodles and want to eat more vegetables, you should come and try it.





10

Inner Mongolia Flavor: Mengdameng Specialty Roasted Lamb Leg



A small Mongolian-style barbecue shop near the Xihongmen Mosque.



I didn't come here for their roasted lamb leg. I eat too much meat usually, so I wanted something light.





My favorite dish here is the Mongolian big bowl noodles (menggu dawan mian). The noodles are wide and the soup is a bit spicy, but the noodles are chewy. Many friends say it tastes great.



You can order the roasted lamb ribs (kao yangpai) by the jin. These are small lamb ribs.



Roasted sweet potato slices (kao digua pian)

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Sichuan-style Niububi clear oil tripe hot pot



I first ate at Niububi in Chengdu in 2016. That was my first time having authentic halal Chengdu hot pot. I waited in line for over two hours, but it was worth it. I later ate at their Xining branch, but it is a pity that Beijing has never had a truly authentic halal Sichuan hot pot restaurant, only a few cold pot skewer shops.



The restaurant is on the second floor of Quanpin Jinsha in Mudanyuan. The space is large, and the interior design was reportedly done by a Hui Muslim designer.



Niububi gets its ingredients from the Tangjiasi Hui Muslim community under Chengdu's jurisdiction, which is the largest livestock trading area in the southwest. The owner of Niububi is a local Sichuan Hui Muslim, and the head chef is also a Sichuan Hui Muslim who is skilled at making Sichuan cuisine.



Iced jelly (bingfen)

Iced jelly is a must-have dessert for Sichuan hot pot. It is mainly used to cool down the spice, and it is cold, sour, and sweet.



Duck intestines (ya chang)

Duck intestines and tripe are essential dishes for Chengdu hot pot. Duck intestines cook as soon as you dip them in the water.



Shabu-shabu tripe (mao du) is their signature specialty. Fresh beef tripe only needs a few seconds in the pot, commonly known as 'seven up, eight down,' otherwise the texture will get tough.



Freshly fried crispy beef (xiao su rou) is also a standard snack for Sichuan hot pot. The beef is tender, fresh, and crispy.



Brown sugar sticky rice cake (hongtang ciba)

Unlike some shops that buy pre-made brown sugar sticky rice cakes to heat up, Niububi makes theirs on the spot to ensure the best texture.



The shop is called Niububi, which means their beef quality is so good it does not need to be compared to anyone else's. The name also sounds like a slang term for awesome. Niububi really is awesome among my friends, and it is the most authentic Sichuan hot pot I have ever had. I am so happy to find the same taste in Beijing as in Chengdu; it gives us one less reason to travel to Chengdu.



From this Sunday the 19th through the 30th, Niububi is holding a soft opening promotion with 32% off everything. Usually, there are no discounts and the average cost is about 150 to 200 yuan per person, so you can save quite a bit with this deal. Don't miss out on these dates.

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