Halal Travel Guide: Liaocheng - Dongguan Mosque Streets and Hui Muslim Life
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Liaocheng - Dongguan Mosque Streets and Hui Muslim Life is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Liaocheng, Mosque Streets, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I left Beijing Railway Station in the morning and arrived in Liaocheng, Shandong, at noon, visiting the Dongguan Hui Muslim community for the first time in seven years. My 2017 records are in the article "Halal Travel Review: Shandong Liaocheng in 2017."
Liaocheng became a major canal town after the Huitong River was dug in 1289 (the 26th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty). Dongguan, which connects the city to the canal, quickly became a busy commercial area where Hui Muslims kept moving in to settle. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing in 1420 (the 18th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty), he relied heavily on the Grand Canal to transport grain from the south to the north, and the Dongguan Hui Muslim community in Liaocheng was officially formed.
Liaocheng Dongguan has two mosques, one in the east and one in the west. The west mosque is commonly known as the Great Mosque (Da Libaisi) and was first built in 1385 (the 17th year of the Hongwu era). It was renovated twice during the Jiajing and Kangxi eras. The main hall of the west mosque originally had 81 rooms with beams made of golden-thread nanmu wood. It was grand and impressive, comparable to those in Jining and Linqing.
In the winter of 1946, when the People's Liberation Army attacked Liaocheng, the west mosque served as the command post for Commander Yang Yong, who was leading the Southwest Shandong Campaign. The People's Liberation Army used the mosque's minaret (bangkelou) as a lookout point to fire at the Nationalist troops inside the city. Because the city walls of Liaocheng were high and thick and the moat was wide and deep, the People's Liberation Army found it hard to attack. The Nationalist army instead came out of the city and set fires, which eventually burned down the main hall of the West Mosque. In 1956, General Yang Yong kept his promise and provided funds to rebuild the main hall of the West Mosque. The main hall was rebuilt again in 2009, and the front gate, second gate, and north and south lecture halls still keep their original designs.
The East Mosque is also called the Small Mosque (Xiao Libai Si). It was built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty under the direction of Bai Lin, the garrison commander of Dongchang Prefecture. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing, Xianfeng, and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty. The main hall underwent a major structural repair in 2002. The north and south lecture halls and the front gate were rebuilt in 2014. In 2022, the main hall was reinforced and redecorated, which created the scale it has today.
Inside the main hall of the East Mosque, there is a plaque from the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign that reads "Benefits Shared Equally" (Lize Junzhan), signed by "Disciples from Shanxi and Hebei."
The "Big and Small Mosque Street District" in the East Gate of Liaocheng is one of the first historical and cultural districts in Shandong Province. It is an important historical witness to the Hui Muslim communities along the Grand Canal during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Yellow River burst its banks many times, causing severe silting in the Liaocheng section of the Grand Canal and making grain transport increasingly difficult. In 1872, the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company was established in Shanghai, and grain transport began moving by sea. In 1901, canal grain transport was completely abolished, and the East Gate area of Liaocheng became quiet.
Today, the neighborhood around the Small Mosque (Xiao Libaisi) Street sits west of Dongchang Lake and east of Lingdang Lake, offering beautiful scenery. The homes of Hui Muslims line the stone-paved streets, still keeping the look and feel of the last century.
I bought some beef jerky inside the Hui Muslim residential area on Small Mosque (Xiao Libaisi) Lane. Liaocheng beef jerky is quite interesting. It is made from local Luxi yellow cattle and roasted until very dry, giving it a crispy, snack-like texture. Then I went to Yang's at the East Gate for a mix of clear broth meatballs (qingcuan wanzi) and wontons. I really like the clear broth meatballs in Liaocheng; I had them last time I visited and wanted them again. Their morning sweet porridge (tianmo) paired with the fried dough sticks (bapi guozi) from next door is also a classic.
There are several roasted snack shops in the East Gate area. Last time I bought peanuts at Jiang's Roasted Snacks, but this time I bought fish-skin peanuts at another shop called Chai's Roasted Snacks. Next, I bought some traditional Shandong pastries next door, including chestnut cakes (banli su), honey-filled horns (yangjiaomi), and honey-glazed squares (misandao). These pastries taste best when paired with strong tea.
A view of Dongguan Street. The last two photos show the Chongwu Post Wharf (Chongwu Yi Damatou), a government dock on the Liaocheng section of the Grand Canal from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong both disembarked here when they stopped in Liaocheng during their southern tours.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Liaocheng - Dongguan Mosque Streets and Hui Muslim Life is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Liaocheng, Mosque Streets, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I left Beijing Railway Station in the morning and arrived in Liaocheng, Shandong, at noon, visiting the Dongguan Hui Muslim community for the first time in seven years. My 2017 records are in the article "Halal Travel Review: Shandong Liaocheng in 2017."
Liaocheng became a major canal town after the Huitong River was dug in 1289 (the 26th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty). Dongguan, which connects the city to the canal, quickly became a busy commercial area where Hui Muslims kept moving in to settle. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing in 1420 (the 18th year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty), he relied heavily on the Grand Canal to transport grain from the south to the north, and the Dongguan Hui Muslim community in Liaocheng was officially formed.
Liaocheng Dongguan has two mosques, one in the east and one in the west. The west mosque is commonly known as the Great Mosque (Da Libaisi) and was first built in 1385 (the 17th year of the Hongwu era). It was renovated twice during the Jiajing and Kangxi eras. The main hall of the west mosque originally had 81 rooms with beams made of golden-thread nanmu wood. It was grand and impressive, comparable to those in Jining and Linqing.
In the winter of 1946, when the People's Liberation Army attacked Liaocheng, the west mosque served as the command post for Commander Yang Yong, who was leading the Southwest Shandong Campaign. The People's Liberation Army used the mosque's minaret (bangkelou) as a lookout point to fire at the Nationalist troops inside the city. Because the city walls of Liaocheng were high and thick and the moat was wide and deep, the People's Liberation Army found it hard to attack. The Nationalist army instead came out of the city and set fires, which eventually burned down the main hall of the West Mosque. In 1956, General Yang Yong kept his promise and provided funds to rebuild the main hall of the West Mosque. The main hall was rebuilt again in 2009, and the front gate, second gate, and north and south lecture halls still keep their original designs.
The East Mosque is also called the Small Mosque (Xiao Libai Si). It was built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty under the direction of Bai Lin, the garrison commander of Dongchang Prefecture. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing, Xianfeng, and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty. The main hall underwent a major structural repair in 2002. The north and south lecture halls and the front gate were rebuilt in 2014. In 2022, the main hall was reinforced and redecorated, which created the scale it has today.
Inside the main hall of the East Mosque, there is a plaque from the 15th year of the Jiaqing reign that reads "Benefits Shared Equally" (Lize Junzhan), signed by "Disciples from Shanxi and Hebei."
The "Big and Small Mosque Street District" in the East Gate of Liaocheng is one of the first historical and cultural districts in Shandong Province. It is an important historical witness to the Hui Muslim communities along the Grand Canal during the Ming and Qing dynasties. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Yellow River burst its banks many times, causing severe silting in the Liaocheng section of the Grand Canal and making grain transport increasingly difficult. In 1872, the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company was established in Shanghai, and grain transport began moving by sea. In 1901, canal grain transport was completely abolished, and the East Gate area of Liaocheng became quiet.
Today, the neighborhood around the Small Mosque (Xiao Libaisi) Street sits west of Dongchang Lake and east of Lingdang Lake, offering beautiful scenery. The homes of Hui Muslims line the stone-paved streets, still keeping the look and feel of the last century.
I bought some beef jerky inside the Hui Muslim residential area on Small Mosque (Xiao Libaisi) Lane. Liaocheng beef jerky is quite interesting. It is made from local Luxi yellow cattle and roasted until very dry, giving it a crispy, snack-like texture. Then I went to Yang's at the East Gate for a mix of clear broth meatballs (qingcuan wanzi) and wontons. I really like the clear broth meatballs in Liaocheng; I had them last time I visited and wanted them again. Their morning sweet porridge (tianmo) paired with the fried dough sticks (bapi guozi) from next door is also a classic.
There are several roasted snack shops in the East Gate area. Last time I bought peanuts at Jiang's Roasted Snacks, but this time I bought fish-skin peanuts at another shop called Chai's Roasted Snacks. Next, I bought some traditional Shandong pastries next door, including chestnut cakes (banli su), honey-filled horns (yangjiaomi), and honey-glazed squares (misandao). These pastries taste best when paired with strong tea.
A view of Dongguan Street. The last two photos show the Chongwu Post Wharf (Chongwu Yi Damatou), a government dock on the Liaocheng section of the Grand Canal from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Emperors Kangxi and Qianlong both disembarked here when they stopped in Liaocheng during their southern tours.
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Halal Travel Guide: Dujiangyan, Sichuan - Mosques, Food and Local History
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Dujiangyan, Sichuan - Mosques, Food and Local History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Dujiangyan, Sichuan, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On May 15, we left Chengdu for Dujiangyan and visited the Dujiangyan Mosque at noon. Imam Sha Fuquan was away on a field trip, so Imam Ma Jundong hosted us, with an introduction provided by Imam Saiwabu Ma.
Because it sits at the start of the Songmao Ancient Road, many Hui Muslims have come to do business and settle in the old town of Guanxian, where Dujiangyan is located, since the Ming Dynasty. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Hui Muslims in Dujiangyan pooled their money to buy the former site of the Summer Palace of Prince Kang of Shu and officially built the Dujiangyan Mosque. Currently, there are two crape myrtle trees at the entrance of the main hall that were planted during the Ming Jiajing period, and the six lattice doors on the front of the main hall are also relics from the Ming Dynasty.
The Dujiangyan Mosque has experienced many earthquakes throughout its history, the most recent being the Wenchuan earthquake. The Wenchuan earthquake caused serious damage to the Dujiangyan Mosque, and it took three years to complete the repairs, resulting in the current architectural style that features strong traditional characteristics of western Sichuan. Inside the main hall, there are two pairs of Arabic couplets preserved today; one pair was written by Imam Wei Zhengfang of the Qing Dynasty, and the other was written by Imam Sha Fuquan. The traditional calligraphy on the mihrab was also written by Imam Wei Zhengfang.
Above the main hall of Dujiangyan Mosque sits the Moon-Gazing Tower (Wangyuelou), added in 1934. It was the tallest building in Guan County at the time, offering a bird's-eye view of the old town streets. The upper level of the Moon-Gazing Tower holds a wooden clapper (bangzi). During Ramadan, it is used to signal the start and end of the daily fast, a very traditional practice.
Plaques at Dujiangyan Mosque.
In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, Prince Guo inscribed the 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' (Shishoulianggui) plaque and the 'Origin of Worldly Laws' (Shifayuanliu) plaque. Prince Guo was the seventeenth son of Emperor Kangxi. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, he traveled to Taining to escort the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. While inspecting provincial garrisons and Green Standard Army troops, he passed through Chengdu and inscribed a plaque for Gulou Mosque. Dujiangyan Mosque made copies of these plaques to keep inside.
In the twenty-ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Sichuan Provincial Commander Ma Weiqi hand-wrote the 'Achieve Through Non-Action' (Wuweiercheng) plaque. Ma Weiqi was a Hui Muslim from Dazhuang, Kaiyuan, Yunnan. He was skilled in calligraphy, following the style of Yan Zhenqing, with a powerful and bold brush technique. In the ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Ma Weiqi was ordered to Vietnam to fight the French. He defeated the French army many times and was promoted to the rank of vice-general for his military achievements, receiving the honorary title 'Boduo Huan Baturu'. While serving as the Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi led troops to suppress a rebellion by lamas and local chieftains in Batang, Tibet. He overcame harsh snowstorms and food shortages to restore peace to the region. For his success, he was awarded the first-rank official cap button and the title of General Jianwei. During his time as Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi greatly supported the local Muslim community. He recommended several imams for positions in Sichuan, including Imam Wang Jiapeng, who is known as one of the four great modern imams of Yunnan.
In 1946, Bai Chongxi wrote the plaque reading 'Promote Religion and Build the Nation.' He wrote it while visiting his in-law, Ma Jianqing, in Sichuan. At the time, Bai Chongxi served as the Minister of National Defense for the Republic of China. Bai Chongxi placed great importance on ethnic education. He built Northwest Middle School in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Jiansheng Middle School in Xichang.
In the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign, Chen Tianzhu, a fifth-rank battalion commander (bazong) of the Anfu Camp who held the blue feather honor, hand-wrote the plaque reading 'Original Unique Honor'.
The 'Religion Flourishes in True Unity' plaque dates back to the fourteenth year of the Qianlong reign. Unfortunately, the signature section was destroyed during the 1960s and 1970s. It is believed to have been written by a Hui Muslim military officer during the Qianlong Emperor's Jinchuan campaign. In September of the thirteenth year of the Qianlong reign, the Qing government deployed 35,000 soldiers to the Jinchuan front. These troops included the Eight Banners from the capital and various provinces, as well as the Green Standard Army from Shaanxi, Gansu, Yunnan, and Guizhou.
Besides the Dujiangyan Mosque located on South Street in the ancient city of Guanxian, there were three other mosques in Dujiangyan history: the West Mosque, Baoping Mosque, and Youxi Mosque.
The West Mosque (Xi Si) is located on Shaanxi Lane inside the ancient city of Guanxian. It was built in 1862, the first year of the Tongzhi reign, by Hui Muslims from Songpan, Sichuan. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi years, Hui Muslims from Songpan with the surnames Jia, Qi, Mi, and Yu traveled south along the Songmao Ancient Road for business. They settled in the ancient city of Guanxian and pooled their money to build the Guanxian West Mosque. In 1959, the Guanxian West Mosque was torn down to make room for the construction of the Guanxian People's Hospital. Today, a plaque reading "Ancient Mosque" (Qingzhen Gusi) from the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign hangs above the second gate of the Dujiangyan Mosque. This is the original plaque that once hung on the main gate of the West Mosque.
Baoping Mosque is also called Maogong Mosque. It was built in 1925 by Hui Muslims from Maogong, which is modern-day Xiaojin County in Sichuan. As early as the beginning of the Tongzhi reign, some Hui Muslims from Maogong had already moved to live in Guanxian. After the Sichuan Railway Protection Movement began in 1911, Hui Muslims from Maogong took an active part. They faced persecution from local feudal forces, causing many to flee, with most settling in Guanxian. In 1925, the Hui Muslims from Maogong who had moved to Guanxian pooled their money to build Baoping Mosque just 50 meters from the Baopingkou intake of the Dujiangyan irrigation system.
Maogong Mosque consists of two courtyards. The outer courtyard was a guesthouse for travelers, and the inner courtyard is the mosque. The main prayer hall has a distinct Republican-era style, blending Chinese and Western architecture. After Imam Ma Zifeng left in 1951, Baoping Mosque did not hire another imam. Since then, 45 Hui Muslim families have lived inside the mosque. In 1981, the property rights were acquired by the Xiaojin County Mosque. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Baoping Mosque was severely damaged. The Xiaojin Mosque could not afford the repairs, so they sold the property rights to the Dujiangyan municipal government. Later, Dujiangyan city renovated Baoping Mosque. The outer courtyard is rented out to a Han Chinese restaurant, but no businesses have moved into the inner courtyard.
Youxi Town is located on a key spot of the Songmao Ancient Road. Many merchants passed through, and some Hui Muslims lived there, so Youxi Mosque was built during the Kangxi reign. In the early years of the Republic of China, devoted community members Wang Yuzhi, Wang Chunyan, and Elder Ma proposed rebuilding Youxi Mosque. The construction was led by Imam Li Tianbo, who was from Changsha, Hunan. With funds raised by Hui Muslim businesses and individuals, the reconstruction was finally completed in 1917. Around 1930, Youxi Mosque had 12 member families (gaomu), including the famous martial artist Ma Guozhu.
In 1950, a fire broke out across Youxi Town and destroyed the Youxi Mosque. After the communal dining halls were introduced in 1958, Hui Muslims in Youxi Town began moving away because daily life became inconvenient. In 1967, the coffin covers (guanzhao) and scripture boxes (tabuxia) stored at the original site of the Youxi Mosque were destroyed. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the Hui Muslim cemetery on the mountain opposite the Youxi Mosque, which dated back to the Kangxi era, was completely destroyed.
Inside the Dujiangyan Mosque stands a memorial archway (paifang) built in 2018 called the Fali Archway. Its four stone pillars came from the original site of the Chengdu Seven Mosque on Donghuamen South Street in Chengdu. The Chengdu Seven Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign and rebuilt in the 5th year of the Tongzhi reign. It was occupied by a wool factory in 1956 and demolished after being requisitioned by the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Materials in 1984. After the Seven Mosque was torn down, the stone pillars were abandoned at Fenghuang Mountain. In 2017, during wall repairs at the Fenghuang Mountain Hui Muslim cemetery, the pillars were dragged to a vacant lot at the Fenghuang Mountain Air Force training base. In 2018, the Dujiangyan Mosque brought them back to build the archway.
There were originally three pairs, or six pillars in total. The Dujiangyan Mosque holds four of them, which are:
To nurture your character and serve Allah, the work of the wise must start with everyday human relationships.
To learn from the basics and reach the heights of understanding the true meaning of morality, you must find it in your daily life.
This is a place of spiritual truth and law, not just a spot for ordinary kneeling and prayer (missing second line).
The path cannot be left for even a moment; whether serving or reflecting, everything happens in the realm where Allah is present (missing second line).
There are many halal restaurants around Dujiangyan Mosque where you can eat authentic traditional Western Sichuan Hui Muslim food. Huixiangyuan, right next to Dujiangyan Mosque, is a long-established restaurant that displays a very traditional water pitcher (tangping) sign.
The current imam (gaomu) of Dujiangyan Mosque is surnamed Hai. His ancestors were from Shunyi, Beijing, and moved from Shaoyang, Hunan, to Sichuan during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. Later, more of the Hai family moved here during the Qing Dynasty migration period known as Huguang Tian Sichuan.
The Zhang family from Hebei originally came from Zhangjiawan Town in Tongzhou, Beijing. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, three Zhang brothers moved to Pixian and led the construction of the Pixian Zhang Family Mosque, then moved to Dujiangyan during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty.
The Ma family of Maogong originally came from Tianbei Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Xiaojin County, Sichuan, during the Qianlong reign. In 1912, they moved to Eshi Lane in the Huangchengba area of Chengdu because of the Railway Protection Movement. Their house was destroyed during the warlord conflicts in 1917, and they later moved to Dujiangyan.
The Li family of Wenchuan originally came from Xiaoyi Town in Weinan, Shaanxi. They later moved to Weizhou in Wenchuan before settling in Dujiangyan.
The Qi family of Shaanxi originally came from Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Songpan, Sichuan, during the Daoguang reign and then to Dujiangyan between the end of the Qing Dynasty and the start of the Republic of China. They were known as Sauce Garden Qi because they ran a soy sauce factory.
The Li family moved here from Tangyuan Town in Pixian County during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Another branch moved here from Tuanjie Town in Pixian County in 1945.
The Ma family of Shaanxi originally came from Qiaotian Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1808 to escape the White Lotus and Tianli sects. They ran the Daxing mule and horse inn from 1826 until 1949.
The Jiang family of Shandong originally came from Shandong. They later moved to Yanting, Sichuan, and then to Dujiangyan in the early years of the Republic of China.
The Cai family of Taiyuan moved to the Dajin and Xiaojin areas of Sichuan during the Qianlong reign. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1912.
I had some iced tofu pudding (bing douhua) at a snack shop in Dujiangyan. It was soft and very refreshing. His walls are covered with photos of the Dujiangyan mosque, including one of Imam Sha Fuquan when he was young.
Dujiangyan scenery
The information about the Dujiangyan faith community comes from the mosque's history book.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Dujiangyan, Sichuan - Mosques, Food and Local History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Dujiangyan, Sichuan, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On May 15, we left Chengdu for Dujiangyan and visited the Dujiangyan Mosque at noon. Imam Sha Fuquan was away on a field trip, so Imam Ma Jundong hosted us, with an introduction provided by Imam Saiwabu Ma.
Because it sits at the start of the Songmao Ancient Road, many Hui Muslims have come to do business and settle in the old town of Guanxian, where Dujiangyan is located, since the Ming Dynasty. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, Hui Muslims in Dujiangyan pooled their money to buy the former site of the Summer Palace of Prince Kang of Shu and officially built the Dujiangyan Mosque. Currently, there are two crape myrtle trees at the entrance of the main hall that were planted during the Ming Jiajing period, and the six lattice doors on the front of the main hall are also relics from the Ming Dynasty.
The Dujiangyan Mosque has experienced many earthquakes throughout its history, the most recent being the Wenchuan earthquake. The Wenchuan earthquake caused serious damage to the Dujiangyan Mosque, and it took three years to complete the repairs, resulting in the current architectural style that features strong traditional characteristics of western Sichuan. Inside the main hall, there are two pairs of Arabic couplets preserved today; one pair was written by Imam Wei Zhengfang of the Qing Dynasty, and the other was written by Imam Sha Fuquan. The traditional calligraphy on the mihrab was also written by Imam Wei Zhengfang.
Above the main hall of Dujiangyan Mosque sits the Moon-Gazing Tower (Wangyuelou), added in 1934. It was the tallest building in Guan County at the time, offering a bird's-eye view of the old town streets. The upper level of the Moon-Gazing Tower holds a wooden clapper (bangzi). During Ramadan, it is used to signal the start and end of the daily fast, a very traditional practice.
Plaques at Dujiangyan Mosque.
In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, Prince Guo inscribed the 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' (Shishoulianggui) plaque and the 'Origin of Worldly Laws' (Shifayuanliu) plaque. Prince Guo was the seventeenth son of Emperor Kangxi. In the twelfth year of the Yongzheng reign, he traveled to Taining to escort the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. While inspecting provincial garrisons and Green Standard Army troops, he passed through Chengdu and inscribed a plaque for Gulou Mosque. Dujiangyan Mosque made copies of these plaques to keep inside.
In the twenty-ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Sichuan Provincial Commander Ma Weiqi hand-wrote the 'Achieve Through Non-Action' (Wuweiercheng) plaque. Ma Weiqi was a Hui Muslim from Dazhuang, Kaiyuan, Yunnan. He was skilled in calligraphy, following the style of Yan Zhenqing, with a powerful and bold brush technique. In the ninth year of the Guangxu reign, Ma Weiqi was ordered to Vietnam to fight the French. He defeated the French army many times and was promoted to the rank of vice-general for his military achievements, receiving the honorary title 'Boduo Huan Baturu'. While serving as the Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi led troops to suppress a rebellion by lamas and local chieftains in Batang, Tibet. He overcame harsh snowstorms and food shortages to restore peace to the region. For his success, he was awarded the first-rank official cap button and the title of General Jianwei. During his time as Sichuan Provincial Commander, Ma Weiqi greatly supported the local Muslim community. He recommended several imams for positions in Sichuan, including Imam Wang Jiapeng, who is known as one of the four great modern imams of Yunnan.
In 1946, Bai Chongxi wrote the plaque reading 'Promote Religion and Build the Nation.' He wrote it while visiting his in-law, Ma Jianqing, in Sichuan. At the time, Bai Chongxi served as the Minister of National Defense for the Republic of China. Bai Chongxi placed great importance on ethnic education. He built Northwest Middle School in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Jiansheng Middle School in Xichang.
In the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign, Chen Tianzhu, a fifth-rank battalion commander (bazong) of the Anfu Camp who held the blue feather honor, hand-wrote the plaque reading 'Original Unique Honor'.
The 'Religion Flourishes in True Unity' plaque dates back to the fourteenth year of the Qianlong reign. Unfortunately, the signature section was destroyed during the 1960s and 1970s. It is believed to have been written by a Hui Muslim military officer during the Qianlong Emperor's Jinchuan campaign. In September of the thirteenth year of the Qianlong reign, the Qing government deployed 35,000 soldiers to the Jinchuan front. These troops included the Eight Banners from the capital and various provinces, as well as the Green Standard Army from Shaanxi, Gansu, Yunnan, and Guizhou.
Besides the Dujiangyan Mosque located on South Street in the ancient city of Guanxian, there were three other mosques in Dujiangyan history: the West Mosque, Baoping Mosque, and Youxi Mosque.
The West Mosque (Xi Si) is located on Shaanxi Lane inside the ancient city of Guanxian. It was built in 1862, the first year of the Tongzhi reign, by Hui Muslims from Songpan, Sichuan. During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi years, Hui Muslims from Songpan with the surnames Jia, Qi, Mi, and Yu traveled south along the Songmao Ancient Road for business. They settled in the ancient city of Guanxian and pooled their money to build the Guanxian West Mosque. In 1959, the Guanxian West Mosque was torn down to make room for the construction of the Guanxian People's Hospital. Today, a plaque reading "Ancient Mosque" (Qingzhen Gusi) from the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign hangs above the second gate of the Dujiangyan Mosque. This is the original plaque that once hung on the main gate of the West Mosque.
Baoping Mosque is also called Maogong Mosque. It was built in 1925 by Hui Muslims from Maogong, which is modern-day Xiaojin County in Sichuan. As early as the beginning of the Tongzhi reign, some Hui Muslims from Maogong had already moved to live in Guanxian. After the Sichuan Railway Protection Movement began in 1911, Hui Muslims from Maogong took an active part. They faced persecution from local feudal forces, causing many to flee, with most settling in Guanxian. In 1925, the Hui Muslims from Maogong who had moved to Guanxian pooled their money to build Baoping Mosque just 50 meters from the Baopingkou intake of the Dujiangyan irrigation system.
Maogong Mosque consists of two courtyards. The outer courtyard was a guesthouse for travelers, and the inner courtyard is the mosque. The main prayer hall has a distinct Republican-era style, blending Chinese and Western architecture. After Imam Ma Zifeng left in 1951, Baoping Mosque did not hire another imam. Since then, 45 Hui Muslim families have lived inside the mosque. In 1981, the property rights were acquired by the Xiaojin County Mosque. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Baoping Mosque was severely damaged. The Xiaojin Mosque could not afford the repairs, so they sold the property rights to the Dujiangyan municipal government. Later, Dujiangyan city renovated Baoping Mosque. The outer courtyard is rented out to a Han Chinese restaurant, but no businesses have moved into the inner courtyard.
Youxi Town is located on a key spot of the Songmao Ancient Road. Many merchants passed through, and some Hui Muslims lived there, so Youxi Mosque was built during the Kangxi reign. In the early years of the Republic of China, devoted community members Wang Yuzhi, Wang Chunyan, and Elder Ma proposed rebuilding Youxi Mosque. The construction was led by Imam Li Tianbo, who was from Changsha, Hunan. With funds raised by Hui Muslim businesses and individuals, the reconstruction was finally completed in 1917. Around 1930, Youxi Mosque had 12 member families (gaomu), including the famous martial artist Ma Guozhu.
In 1950, a fire broke out across Youxi Town and destroyed the Youxi Mosque. After the communal dining halls were introduced in 1958, Hui Muslims in Youxi Town began moving away because daily life became inconvenient. In 1967, the coffin covers (guanzhao) and scripture boxes (tabuxia) stored at the original site of the Youxi Mosque were destroyed. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the Hui Muslim cemetery on the mountain opposite the Youxi Mosque, which dated back to the Kangxi era, was completely destroyed.
Inside the Dujiangyan Mosque stands a memorial archway (paifang) built in 2018 called the Fali Archway. Its four stone pillars came from the original site of the Chengdu Seven Mosque on Donghuamen South Street in Chengdu. The Chengdu Seven Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign and rebuilt in the 5th year of the Tongzhi reign. It was occupied by a wool factory in 1956 and demolished after being requisitioned by the Sichuan Provincial Bureau of Materials in 1984. After the Seven Mosque was torn down, the stone pillars were abandoned at Fenghuang Mountain. In 2017, during wall repairs at the Fenghuang Mountain Hui Muslim cemetery, the pillars were dragged to a vacant lot at the Fenghuang Mountain Air Force training base. In 2018, the Dujiangyan Mosque brought them back to build the archway.
There were originally three pairs, or six pillars in total. The Dujiangyan Mosque holds four of them, which are:
To nurture your character and serve Allah, the work of the wise must start with everyday human relationships.
To learn from the basics and reach the heights of understanding the true meaning of morality, you must find it in your daily life.
This is a place of spiritual truth and law, not just a spot for ordinary kneeling and prayer (missing second line).
The path cannot be left for even a moment; whether serving or reflecting, everything happens in the realm where Allah is present (missing second line).
There are many halal restaurants around Dujiangyan Mosque where you can eat authentic traditional Western Sichuan Hui Muslim food. Huixiangyuan, right next to Dujiangyan Mosque, is a long-established restaurant that displays a very traditional water pitcher (tangping) sign.
The current imam (gaomu) of Dujiangyan Mosque is surnamed Hai. His ancestors were from Shunyi, Beijing, and moved from Shaoyang, Hunan, to Sichuan during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. Later, more of the Hai family moved here during the Qing Dynasty migration period known as Huguang Tian Sichuan.
The Zhang family from Hebei originally came from Zhangjiawan Town in Tongzhou, Beijing. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, three Zhang brothers moved to Pixian and led the construction of the Pixian Zhang Family Mosque, then moved to Dujiangyan during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty.
The Ma family of Maogong originally came from Tianbei Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Xiaojin County, Sichuan, during the Qianlong reign. In 1912, they moved to Eshi Lane in the Huangchengba area of Chengdu because of the Railway Protection Movement. Their house was destroyed during the warlord conflicts in 1917, and they later moved to Dujiangyan.
The Li family of Wenchuan originally came from Xiaoyi Town in Weinan, Shaanxi. They later moved to Weizhou in Wenchuan before settling in Dujiangyan.
The Qi family of Shaanxi originally came from Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Songpan, Sichuan, during the Daoguang reign and then to Dujiangyan between the end of the Qing Dynasty and the start of the Republic of China. They were known as Sauce Garden Qi because they ran a soy sauce factory.
The Li family moved here from Tangyuan Town in Pixian County during the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. Another branch moved here from Tuanjie Town in Pixian County in 1945.
The Ma family of Shaanxi originally came from Qiaotian Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1808 to escape the White Lotus and Tianli sects. They ran the Daxing mule and horse inn from 1826 until 1949.
The Jiang family of Shandong originally came from Shandong. They later moved to Yanting, Sichuan, and then to Dujiangyan in the early years of the Republic of China.
The Cai family of Taiyuan moved to the Dajin and Xiaojin areas of Sichuan during the Qianlong reign. They moved to Dujiangyan in 1912.
I had some iced tofu pudding (bing douhua) at a snack shop in Dujiangyan. It was soft and very refreshing. His walls are covered with photos of the Dujiangyan mosque, including one of Imam Sha Fuquan when he was young.
Dujiangyan scenery
The information about the Dujiangyan faith community comes from the mosque's history book.
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Halal Food Guide: Leshan and Mount Emei - Qiaojiao Beef and Sichuan Food
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Leshan and Mount Emei - Qiaojiao Beef and Sichuan Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Leshan, Mount Emei, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
We left Chengdu early on May 16 and arrived in Leshan after a two-hour drive. At noon, we went to a local restaurant called Hai's Braised Beef (Hai Shi Qiao Jiao Niu Rou). The restaurant is right across from the Leshan Giant Buddha, next to the old Leshan Port on the Min River.
There are relatively few Hui Muslims living in the Leshan city area. During the Tongzhi reign, a Hui Muslim military officer named Ma Yaolong settled here after retiring. He invited a few other Hui Muslim families to join him, and in 1881, they built the Leshan Mosque (Leshan Si). I was on a business trip and unfortunately could not visit the Leshan Mosque.
Hai's Braised Beef was started by Imam Hai Weixiong. Imam Hai is from Qingliu Town in the Rongchang District of Chongqing. His ancestors moved to Sichuan from the Hubei-Hunan region during the Kangxi reign. In October 1989, he became the first imam of the Leshan Mosque after the religious policy was restored. He served until 1998, when he retired to go into business. Today, his restaurant is the top choice for Muslim travelers (dost) visiting Leshan.
Their restaurant specializes in the four signature dishes of Leshan: foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou), sweet-skin duck (tianpi ya), Xiba tofu (xiba doufu), and pot-pot chicken (bobo ji). They also serve river catfish (jiangtuan yu), cold-spiced rabbit (lengchi tu), jar-steamed tofu pudding (guanguan douhua), and various stir-fried dishes.
Foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou) is beef simmered in a broth of Chinese herbs, then used to poach various cuts of beef and offal. The beef is very tender, and you can also poach beef spinal cord. Foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou) is not spicy at all on its own; the focus is on the savory aroma of the broth. You dip the meat in chili powder when you eat it.
Sweet-skin duck (tianpi ya) is first braised and then deep-fried. Before frying, they stir-fry sugar to make a braising liquid and finish by brushing it with maltose, which gives it a sweet flavor.
Xiba tofu (xiba doufu) is very delicate and soft. It comes in two styles: red oil and white oil. We had the red oil version, which goes perfectly with rice.
They also serve two-grain rice (ermi fan) made from rice and corn. It comes in a bucket, is charged per person, and you can eat as much as you like, which is a local Sichuan tradition.
We took a boat trip in Leshan to watch the Dadu River meet the Min River.
Besides the Hai's cross-legged beef (qiaojiaoniurou) in Leshan, there is also a Sulaimani cross-legged beef restaurant on the Maluqiao food street at the foot of Mount Emei. The owners are Hui Muslims from Rong County in Zigong. They have only been open for three months. Before this, Mount Emei only had noodle shops in the city center, and there were no halal restaurants near the scenic area.
Just like in downtown Leshan, the number of Hui Muslims in Emei County is very small. In the early years of the Guangxu reign, five Hui Muslim merchant families who moved from Qianwei County in Leshan and Shanxi to trade cattle and sheep pooled their money to build the Emei Mosque (Emei Si) at the north gate of Emei County. According to the auntie at the Sulaimani cross-legged beef shop, the Emei Mosque is currently closed because there is no imam.
The dishes at Sulaimani are basically the same as at Hai's, including cross-legged beef, sweet skin duck (tianpiya), Xiba tofu (xibadoufu), chicken in chili oil (boboji), river fish (jiangtuanyu), cold-eaten rabbit (lengchitu), jarred tofu pudding (guanguandouhua), and some stir-fried dishes. I ordered a small portion of cross-legged beef with rice, and their beef broth is truly delicious. I also ordered a local Emei Xue lychee soda, which is said to go very well with cross-legged beef. After eating, I ordered a serving of sweet skin duck (tianpiya) and cold noodles with shredded chicken (jisi liangmian) to carry up Mount Emei the next day, otherwise there would only be vegetarian meals on the mountain.
The hot springs at the foot of Mount Emei are wonderful. With the blue sky above and the breeze in the mountain forest, I had a large pool all to myself and forgot all my worries while soaking in it.
I started climbing Mount Emei early the next morning to experience the clouds and mist. The Golden Summit of Mount Emei is over 3,000 meters above sea level; it was 27 degrees at the foot of the mountain, but only 12 degrees at the top.
Mount Emei has a different kind of beauty when the clouds and mist clear, and you can see alpine rhododendrons and Tibetan macaques.
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Summary: Halal Food Guide: Leshan and Mount Emei - Qiaojiao Beef and Sichuan Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Leshan, Mount Emei, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
We left Chengdu early on May 16 and arrived in Leshan after a two-hour drive. At noon, we went to a local restaurant called Hai's Braised Beef (Hai Shi Qiao Jiao Niu Rou). The restaurant is right across from the Leshan Giant Buddha, next to the old Leshan Port on the Min River.
There are relatively few Hui Muslims living in the Leshan city area. During the Tongzhi reign, a Hui Muslim military officer named Ma Yaolong settled here after retiring. He invited a few other Hui Muslim families to join him, and in 1881, they built the Leshan Mosque (Leshan Si). I was on a business trip and unfortunately could not visit the Leshan Mosque.
Hai's Braised Beef was started by Imam Hai Weixiong. Imam Hai is from Qingliu Town in the Rongchang District of Chongqing. His ancestors moved to Sichuan from the Hubei-Hunan region during the Kangxi reign. In October 1989, he became the first imam of the Leshan Mosque after the religious policy was restored. He served until 1998, when he retired to go into business. Today, his restaurant is the top choice for Muslim travelers (dost) visiting Leshan.
Their restaurant specializes in the four signature dishes of Leshan: foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou), sweet-skin duck (tianpi ya), Xiba tofu (xiba doufu), and pot-pot chicken (bobo ji). They also serve river catfish (jiangtuan yu), cold-spiced rabbit (lengchi tu), jar-steamed tofu pudding (guanguan douhua), and various stir-fried dishes.
Foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou) is beef simmered in a broth of Chinese herbs, then used to poach various cuts of beef and offal. The beef is very tender, and you can also poach beef spinal cord. Foot-steeped beef (qiaojiao niurou) is not spicy at all on its own; the focus is on the savory aroma of the broth. You dip the meat in chili powder when you eat it.
Sweet-skin duck (tianpi ya) is first braised and then deep-fried. Before frying, they stir-fry sugar to make a braising liquid and finish by brushing it with maltose, which gives it a sweet flavor.
Xiba tofu (xiba doufu) is very delicate and soft. It comes in two styles: red oil and white oil. We had the red oil version, which goes perfectly with rice.
They also serve two-grain rice (ermi fan) made from rice and corn. It comes in a bucket, is charged per person, and you can eat as much as you like, which is a local Sichuan tradition.
We took a boat trip in Leshan to watch the Dadu River meet the Min River.
Besides the Hai's cross-legged beef (qiaojiaoniurou) in Leshan, there is also a Sulaimani cross-legged beef restaurant on the Maluqiao food street at the foot of Mount Emei. The owners are Hui Muslims from Rong County in Zigong. They have only been open for three months. Before this, Mount Emei only had noodle shops in the city center, and there were no halal restaurants near the scenic area.
Just like in downtown Leshan, the number of Hui Muslims in Emei County is very small. In the early years of the Guangxu reign, five Hui Muslim merchant families who moved from Qianwei County in Leshan and Shanxi to trade cattle and sheep pooled their money to build the Emei Mosque (Emei Si) at the north gate of Emei County. According to the auntie at the Sulaimani cross-legged beef shop, the Emei Mosque is currently closed because there is no imam.
The dishes at Sulaimani are basically the same as at Hai's, including cross-legged beef, sweet skin duck (tianpiya), Xiba tofu (xibadoufu), chicken in chili oil (boboji), river fish (jiangtuanyu), cold-eaten rabbit (lengchitu), jarred tofu pudding (guanguandouhua), and some stir-fried dishes. I ordered a small portion of cross-legged beef with rice, and their beef broth is truly delicious. I also ordered a local Emei Xue lychee soda, which is said to go very well with cross-legged beef. After eating, I ordered a serving of sweet skin duck (tianpiya) and cold noodles with shredded chicken (jisi liangmian) to carry up Mount Emei the next day, otherwise there would only be vegetarian meals on the mountain.
The hot springs at the foot of Mount Emei are wonderful. With the blue sky above and the breeze in the mountain forest, I had a large pool all to myself and forgot all my worries while soaking in it.
I started climbing Mount Emei early the next morning to experience the clouds and mist. The Golden Summit of Mount Emei is over 3,000 meters above sea level; it was 27 degrees at the foot of the mountain, but only 12 degrees at the top.
Mount Emei has a different kind of beauty when the clouds and mist clear, and you can see alpine rhododendrons and Tibetan macaques.
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Halal Travel Guide: Lishui, Zhejiang - Mosque Visit and Hui Muslim History
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Lishui, Zhejiang - Mosque Visit and Hui Muslim History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Lishui, Zhejiang, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the afternoon of May 2, I took the high-speed train from Yiwu to Lishui to visit the Lishui Mosque. When we arrived, the person on duty was away for the May Day holiday, and the imam was eating at a nearby noodle shop. We called the shop, and a fellow believer (dosti) from there brought us the key to the mosque. The dosti from the noodle shop is from Zhangjiachuan in Tianshui, Gansu. He told us that the local Hui Muslims in Lishui no longer practice the faith, and the Lishui Mosque is now mainly maintained by over 200 dosti from Northwest China who run noodle shops.
After the mid-Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from places like Shaanxi and Sichuan came to Lishui to do business. In 1886 (the 12th year of the Guangxu reign), the religious leader Ma Huanzhang built a mosque in Gaojing Lane within Lishui city. The Lishui Mosque has two courtyards, featuring two gate towers, a front hall, connecting corridors, and a main prayer hall, all in a style very typical of Lishui. The gate towers are the most unique part and have been named a Lishui City Cultural Relic Protection Unit.
Both gate towers at the Lishui Mosque are brick archways. They are inscribed with the words 'Libaisi' (Mosque) and 'Qingzhensi' (Mosque). They feature traditional roof tiles, upturned eaves, bracket sets on the pillars, and carvings of Arabic script, fish patterns, and peonies.
After passing through the second gate, you find the front hall and main hall connected by corridors, a design well-suited for the rainy weather in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. The mosque in Wuhu, Anhui, also has this covered corridor structure, though it is smaller than the one at Lishui Mosque. The joints between the beams and pillars feature beautifully carved brackets (que-ti), which show a distinct local style.
The moon-shaped beams (yue-liang) on the porch in front of the main hall are carved with various traditional patterns that are very unique.
On both sides of the main hall entrance is a couplet commissioned by the imam Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign: 'Sincere and respectful, the Way is rooted in the One that encompasses all things; silent and scentless, the ritual originates from the two energies that connect the three realms.'
Above the couplet are two plaques about Hui Muslims, also commissioned by Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, featuring the Imperial Edict of the Yongzheng Emperor.
The first one reads:
On the seventh day of the fourth lunar month in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign, the following Imperial Edict was received:
Hui Muslims live in all parts of Zhili, and they have resided there for a long time. Since these people are registered citizens of the state, they are all children of the state and should not be treated differently. People have often sent secret memorials claiming that Hui Muslims have their own religion, different language, and different clothing, and that they act illegally, asking for them to be strictly punished. I believe that the religion of the Hui Muslims was left behind by their ancestors. Their family customs and local habits are also those of the people of China. When people come from different places, their tastes and dialects naturally differ. That is why Hui Muslims have the name of mosque (libaisi), and differences in clothing and writing. As long as they follow local customs and live in peace, they are not like those who commit crimes or deceive the public, so there is no need to criticize the Hui Muslims for having their religion.
Since their religion generally does not go beyond the principles of human relations and righteousness, Hui Muslims should work hard to be good and encourage each other to be honest and kind. The imperial court treats everyone equally, and many Hui Muslims have earned civil or military degrees and served as government officials. As they gradually learn the rules of etiquette and study the classics, Hui Muslims are no different from the rest of the people. Cultivating one's character, doing good deeds, following the law, and serving the public to be a good citizen is the true heart of the Hui Muslims.
People vary in wisdom, and while there are certainly some unruly or dishonest individuals among Hui Muslims, can we say there are none among the Han people? The key is for local officials not to treat Hui Muslims as outsiders, and for Hui Muslims not to see themselves as different. If those who practice Islam are treated as followers of a good faith, then rewards for good and punishments for evil will be effective, and the customs of the people will naturally improve. I believe in the unity of all things and cannot bear to see Hui Muslims treated as separate from the rest of the people, so I offer this detailed guidance. You Hui Muslims must follow the path of righteousness and promote a culture of humility, kindness, filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and honesty. What other religions enjoy and allow is also what the Hui Muslims admire.
From now on, I hope you Hui Muslim fathers will warn your sons, brothers will encourage their brothers, and relatives and clans will advise each other to focus on their work, follow the law, and discipline themselves. Do good to repay the grace of heaven and earth and the care of the state. Governors and officials in every province where Hui Muslims live must announce my will so that everyone hears this special decree.
The second part is:
On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, I received an imperial decree.
The acting Anhui judicial commissioner Lu Guohua reported that Hui Muslims live everywhere in the interior. They do not distinguish between large and small months, nor do they care about leap months, but decide on a day to start their year and celebrate together. They also pray toward the west every morning and evening, wear white caps, and set up places called mosques. Since they are people of this sacred era, they should follow the unified calendar. How can they privately set their own new year, wear white caps, and engage in such non-compliant and strange clothing? I request that you ban and reform their practices of arranging marriages and gathering crowds.
Hui Muslims have lived in China for a long time. Since I took the throne, I have treated everyone equally, and I cannot bear to see the Islamic faith left out of my moral guidance. I have issued decrees to encourage them to be filial, loyal, and to follow their faith and seek righteousness, so that everyone can be a good person. In recent years, I have not seen any Hui Muslims commit crimes or act lawlessly. Many of them are ambitious. They take exams and serve as officials just like other scholars and commoners. There is never a shortage of those who earn fame in civil or military service, reach high positions, and serve the country with loyalty. People like Ma Jinliang, Ma Xiong, and recently Ha Yuansheng are just a few examples. They all have famous names and clear records of service.
As for Hui Muslims practicing their own faith, it is a tradition passed down from their ancestors, just like other local customs. China is vast, and customs vary from place to place. Past dynasties never enforced a total ban or forced everyone to be the same. Lu Guohua's proposal is harsh and absurd. Hui Muslims have always followed the calendar and the dress code. As for the names of mosques, they are just like the temples and shrines people worship in villages across every province. Why should we single out Hui Muslims and treat these names as crimes? Many people have reported Hui Muslims to me in the past, and I have already issued an imperial decree to instruct and guide them. Now Lu Guohua has made a reckless report over such a trivial matter. He is either acting out of personal spite or trying to disrupt the government. I hereby order the ministry to strictly punish Lu Guohua.
Inside the main hall, there is a wooden plaque listing donors for the 1911 renovation. It starts with Mu Tongchun from the Jinhua Garrison, and Lu Guirong and Imam (ahong) Yang Mingyou from the Chuzhen Central Battalion. The first half lists local Hui Muslims with the surnames Li, Yuan, Ma, He, Jin, Xia, Xu, Qin, Wu, and Hu, with the Ma and Yuan families being the most numerous. The second half lists Hui Muslims from other places, mostly from Nanjing, along with others from Hubei and Yangzhou. There is also a Liu Shengrong from Annam, though I am not sure if that refers to Vietnam.
The main hall is decorated with plenty of Arabic calligraphy. The most impressive pieces are inside the prayer niche (mihrab), which are fine examples of traditional late Qing dynasty Arabic calligraphy.
After leaving Lishui Mosque, I walked around the old town of Lishui. Lishui was once called Chuzhou. The existing city wall dates back to the Zhizheng period of the Yuan Dynasty, and it was changed from brick to stone during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. The Nanming Gate was built along the Ou River, offering a beautiful setting that perfectly captures the style of an ancient southern city.
There is a fitness trail along the north bank of the Ou River in Lishui, which is perfect for a walk.
Also, the area in front of Nice Square in Lishui is a street known for local citrus. You should buy and try the Ou mandarin oranges (ougan), a specialty from the lower reaches of the Ou River.
After exploring the ancient city of Lishui, we went to a Xinjiang restaurant called Alina Zha Lamb Pilaf Restaurant. The owner is from Yili. She met her husband while attending university in Sydney, and later they opened a Xinjiang restaurant in her husband's hometown of Lishui, Zhejiang.
We ordered lamb leg pilaf (zhuafan), rack meat (jiazirou), and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The food was amazing! The lamb leg was fragrant and tender. The pilaf was made with authentic Xinjiang yellow carrots, and every grain of rice was distinct and shiny with oil. The rack meat was made with lamb, and it arrived quickly and was roasted very tenderly. The spicy onion salad (pilahong) uses Xinjiang onions (piyanzi), which are so sweet they taste like fruit. I have almost never found these in other parts of China. I can honestly say this place is more authentic than most Uyghur restaurants in Beijing.
The owner's father runs the front desk, and he is very talkative. He explained that their rice pilaf (zhuafan) chef is from Kashgar, so they make the dish using the traditional yellow carrot style from southern Xinjiang. The barbecue chef is from Turpan, and they even shipped the soil from Turpan to build their clay oven (nangkeng). He even showed us the yellow carrots and onions they ship in from Xinjiang. We could actually tell they were from Xinjiang the moment we tasted them. They also bring their tea set (sanpaotai) from Xinjiang. To see if a Xinjiang restaurant is authentic, besides chatting with the owner when you walk in, you should look at the tea they serve after you sit down. The taste of the tea is an essential part of a Xinjiang meal.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Lishui, Zhejiang - Mosque Visit and Hui Muslim History is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Lishui, Zhejiang, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the afternoon of May 2, I took the high-speed train from Yiwu to Lishui to visit the Lishui Mosque. When we arrived, the person on duty was away for the May Day holiday, and the imam was eating at a nearby noodle shop. We called the shop, and a fellow believer (dosti) from there brought us the key to the mosque. The dosti from the noodle shop is from Zhangjiachuan in Tianshui, Gansu. He told us that the local Hui Muslims in Lishui no longer practice the faith, and the Lishui Mosque is now mainly maintained by over 200 dosti from Northwest China who run noodle shops.
After the mid-Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from places like Shaanxi and Sichuan came to Lishui to do business. In 1886 (the 12th year of the Guangxu reign), the religious leader Ma Huanzhang built a mosque in Gaojing Lane within Lishui city. The Lishui Mosque has two courtyards, featuring two gate towers, a front hall, connecting corridors, and a main prayer hall, all in a style very typical of Lishui. The gate towers are the most unique part and have been named a Lishui City Cultural Relic Protection Unit.
Both gate towers at the Lishui Mosque are brick archways. They are inscribed with the words 'Libaisi' (Mosque) and 'Qingzhensi' (Mosque). They feature traditional roof tiles, upturned eaves, bracket sets on the pillars, and carvings of Arabic script, fish patterns, and peonies.
After passing through the second gate, you find the front hall and main hall connected by corridors, a design well-suited for the rainy weather in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions. The mosque in Wuhu, Anhui, also has this covered corridor structure, though it is smaller than the one at Lishui Mosque. The joints between the beams and pillars feature beautifully carved brackets (que-ti), which show a distinct local style.
The moon-shaped beams (yue-liang) on the porch in front of the main hall are carved with various traditional patterns that are very unique.
On both sides of the main hall entrance is a couplet commissioned by the imam Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign: 'Sincere and respectful, the Way is rooted in the One that encompasses all things; silent and scentless, the ritual originates from the two energies that connect the three realms.'
Above the couplet are two plaques about Hui Muslims, also commissioned by Ma Huanzhang in the 12th year of the Guangxu reign, featuring the Imperial Edict of the Yongzheng Emperor.
The first one reads:
On the seventh day of the fourth lunar month in the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign, the following Imperial Edict was received:
Hui Muslims live in all parts of Zhili, and they have resided there for a long time. Since these people are registered citizens of the state, they are all children of the state and should not be treated differently. People have often sent secret memorials claiming that Hui Muslims have their own religion, different language, and different clothing, and that they act illegally, asking for them to be strictly punished. I believe that the religion of the Hui Muslims was left behind by their ancestors. Their family customs and local habits are also those of the people of China. When people come from different places, their tastes and dialects naturally differ. That is why Hui Muslims have the name of mosque (libaisi), and differences in clothing and writing. As long as they follow local customs and live in peace, they are not like those who commit crimes or deceive the public, so there is no need to criticize the Hui Muslims for having their religion.
Since their religion generally does not go beyond the principles of human relations and righteousness, Hui Muslims should work hard to be good and encourage each other to be honest and kind. The imperial court treats everyone equally, and many Hui Muslims have earned civil or military degrees and served as government officials. As they gradually learn the rules of etiquette and study the classics, Hui Muslims are no different from the rest of the people. Cultivating one's character, doing good deeds, following the law, and serving the public to be a good citizen is the true heart of the Hui Muslims.
People vary in wisdom, and while there are certainly some unruly or dishonest individuals among Hui Muslims, can we say there are none among the Han people? The key is for local officials not to treat Hui Muslims as outsiders, and for Hui Muslims not to see themselves as different. If those who practice Islam are treated as followers of a good faith, then rewards for good and punishments for evil will be effective, and the customs of the people will naturally improve. I believe in the unity of all things and cannot bear to see Hui Muslims treated as separate from the rest of the people, so I offer this detailed guidance. You Hui Muslims must follow the path of righteousness and promote a culture of humility, kindness, filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, and honesty. What other religions enjoy and allow is also what the Hui Muslims admire.
From now on, I hope you Hui Muslim fathers will warn your sons, brothers will encourage their brothers, and relatives and clans will advise each other to focus on their work, follow the law, and discipline themselves. Do good to repay the grace of heaven and earth and the care of the state. Governors and officials in every province where Hui Muslims live must announce my will so that everyone hears this special decree.
The second part is:
On the tenth day of the fifth lunar month in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, I received an imperial decree.
The acting Anhui judicial commissioner Lu Guohua reported that Hui Muslims live everywhere in the interior. They do not distinguish between large and small months, nor do they care about leap months, but decide on a day to start their year and celebrate together. They also pray toward the west every morning and evening, wear white caps, and set up places called mosques. Since they are people of this sacred era, they should follow the unified calendar. How can they privately set their own new year, wear white caps, and engage in such non-compliant and strange clothing? I request that you ban and reform their practices of arranging marriages and gathering crowds.
Hui Muslims have lived in China for a long time. Since I took the throne, I have treated everyone equally, and I cannot bear to see the Islamic faith left out of my moral guidance. I have issued decrees to encourage them to be filial, loyal, and to follow their faith and seek righteousness, so that everyone can be a good person. In recent years, I have not seen any Hui Muslims commit crimes or act lawlessly. Many of them are ambitious. They take exams and serve as officials just like other scholars and commoners. There is never a shortage of those who earn fame in civil or military service, reach high positions, and serve the country with loyalty. People like Ma Jinliang, Ma Xiong, and recently Ha Yuansheng are just a few examples. They all have famous names and clear records of service.
As for Hui Muslims practicing their own faith, it is a tradition passed down from their ancestors, just like other local customs. China is vast, and customs vary from place to place. Past dynasties never enforced a total ban or forced everyone to be the same. Lu Guohua's proposal is harsh and absurd. Hui Muslims have always followed the calendar and the dress code. As for the names of mosques, they are just like the temples and shrines people worship in villages across every province. Why should we single out Hui Muslims and treat these names as crimes? Many people have reported Hui Muslims to me in the past, and I have already issued an imperial decree to instruct and guide them. Now Lu Guohua has made a reckless report over such a trivial matter. He is either acting out of personal spite or trying to disrupt the government. I hereby order the ministry to strictly punish Lu Guohua.
Inside the main hall, there is a wooden plaque listing donors for the 1911 renovation. It starts with Mu Tongchun from the Jinhua Garrison, and Lu Guirong and Imam (ahong) Yang Mingyou from the Chuzhen Central Battalion. The first half lists local Hui Muslims with the surnames Li, Yuan, Ma, He, Jin, Xia, Xu, Qin, Wu, and Hu, with the Ma and Yuan families being the most numerous. The second half lists Hui Muslims from other places, mostly from Nanjing, along with others from Hubei and Yangzhou. There is also a Liu Shengrong from Annam, though I am not sure if that refers to Vietnam.
The main hall is decorated with plenty of Arabic calligraphy. The most impressive pieces are inside the prayer niche (mihrab), which are fine examples of traditional late Qing dynasty Arabic calligraphy.
After leaving Lishui Mosque, I walked around the old town of Lishui. Lishui was once called Chuzhou. The existing city wall dates back to the Zhizheng period of the Yuan Dynasty, and it was changed from brick to stone during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. The Nanming Gate was built along the Ou River, offering a beautiful setting that perfectly captures the style of an ancient southern city.
There is a fitness trail along the north bank of the Ou River in Lishui, which is perfect for a walk.
Also, the area in front of Nice Square in Lishui is a street known for local citrus. You should buy and try the Ou mandarin oranges (ougan), a specialty from the lower reaches of the Ou River.
After exploring the ancient city of Lishui, we went to a Xinjiang restaurant called Alina Zha Lamb Pilaf Restaurant. The owner is from Yili. She met her husband while attending university in Sydney, and later they opened a Xinjiang restaurant in her husband's hometown of Lishui, Zhejiang.
We ordered lamb leg pilaf (zhuafan), rack meat (jiazirou), and a salad of onions, peppers, and tomatoes (pilahong). The food was amazing! The lamb leg was fragrant and tender. The pilaf was made with authentic Xinjiang yellow carrots, and every grain of rice was distinct and shiny with oil. The rack meat was made with lamb, and it arrived quickly and was roasted very tenderly. The spicy onion salad (pilahong) uses Xinjiang onions (piyanzi), which are so sweet they taste like fruit. I have almost never found these in other parts of China. I can honestly say this place is more authentic than most Uyghur restaurants in Beijing.
The owner's father runs the front desk, and he is very talkative. He explained that their rice pilaf (zhuafan) chef is from Kashgar, so they make the dish using the traditional yellow carrot style from southern Xinjiang. The barbecue chef is from Turpan, and they even shipped the soil from Turpan to build their clay oven (nangkeng). He even showed us the yellow carrots and onions they ship in from Xinjiang. We could actually tell they were from Xinjiang the moment we tasted them. They also bring their tea set (sanpaotai) from Xinjiang. To see if a Xinjiang restaurant is authentic, besides chatting with the owner when you walk in, you should look at the tea they serve after you sit down. The taste of the tea is an essential part of a Xinjiang meal.
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Halal Travel Guide: Fuzhou - Jumu'ah, Fuzhou Mosque and Song-Yuan Stone Inscriptions
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Fuzhou - Jumu'ah, Fuzhou Mosque and Song-Yuan Stone Inscriptions is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Fuzhou, Fuzhou Mosque, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On May 3, I started my morning by visiting the Fuzhou Mosque located at Nanmendou.
During the Five Dynasties period, the site of the Fuzhou Mosque was originally the Taiping Palace of Min King Wang Jipeng. After Wang Jipeng took the throne in 936 (the first year of the Tianfu era of the Later Jin dynasty), it was renamed Wanshou Mosque, and later it became a mosque. In the early years of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan dynasty, the Censor Zhang Xiaosi donated funds for its renovation. It was destroyed by fire in 1541 (the 20th year of the Jiajing era). Ge Wenming, a descendant of the envoy Ge Buman from the Guli Kingdom (the Calicut Kingdom on the southwest corner of the Indian peninsula), led the reconstruction, which was completed in 1549 (the 28th year of the Jiajing era). The main hall of the mosque was originally shaped like the Chinese character 'Hui'. After part of it collapsed in 1955, it could not be repaired, so it was reduced to a 'Gong' shape in 1956. During the 2013 renovation, it was restored to its original 'Hui' shape.
The north and south side halls flanking the main hall feature typical traditional Fuzhou architecture, with saddle-shaped firewalls and clay sculptures of various traditional patterns on the upturned eaves.
The Fuzhou Mosque houses many cultural relics. The oldest ones are likely the stone railings from the Song dynasty Wanshou Mosque, which feature various traditional stone carvings. some stone railing components are scattered around the courtyard, some of which are carved with stone lions.
The collection includes a plaque with scripture that originally hung above the mihrab, a plaque with the Shahada that originally hung above the main gate, and a 'Xianyang Shengjiao' (Promoting the Holy Religion) plaque erected in 1921 by Tang Kesan, the supervisor of the Xiamen Customs. After Tang Kesan became the director of the Xiamen Customs in 1919, he worked hard to revive the faith in Fujian. He donated significant funds to the Fuzhou Mosque, Xiamen Mosque, and Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque, and he encouraged the descendants of local scripture readers to return to the faith and serve in the mosques.
The Fuzhou Mosque still houses seven stone tablets dating from the Ming Dynasty to the Republican era. Among them, the Record of Rebuilding the Mosque (Chongjian Qingzhensi Ji) from the 28th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty documents the process of rebuilding the Fuzhou Mosque during that time. One of the donors mentioned in the inscription, Sa Qi, came from the famous Yanmen Sa family of Fuzhou. Sa Qi's ancestor, Sa Dula, was a famous Semu poet in the Yuan Dynasty who was granted the surname Sa by the Yuan emperor due to his favor.
The author of the text, Mi Rong, was a Hui Muslim from the Mi family of Shaowu, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination during the Jiajing reign and later served as the Left Counselor of the Huguang Administration Commission. He was very knowledgeable and skilled in writing. The Mi family of Shaowu originally came from Datong, Shanxi. They were frontier generals at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, later surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang, and were stationed in Fujian in the seventh year of the Hongwu reign, where they settled in Shaowu.
The Imperial Edict Tablet of the Yongle Emperor (Yongle Huangdi Chiyu Bei) is an order issued by Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di in the fifth year of the Yongle reign to protect the Muslim Mili Haji, and it speaks very highly of him. Besides the Fuzhou Mosque, copies are also preserved at the Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque, the Suzhou Mosque, and the Great Mosque of Huajue Lane in Xi'an. Some scholars believe the Yongle Imperial Edict was a key measure to protect Muslims in China during Zheng He's voyages, so many mosques carved copies of it to keep as a treasure.
The 1690 Stele Record of Mosque Renovation (Xiu Si Bei Ji) describes the repairs made at that time, but the writing is too faded to read clearly.
The 1757 Stele for Mosque Renovation and Property Purchase (Xiu Si Zhi Chan Bei) records that leftover funds were used to buy two storefronts on Dongya Lane, with the rent money used to support the mosque. The list of donors starts with Ma Dayong, the Admiral of Xiamen. Ma Dayong was a famous Hui Muslim general during the Qing Dynasty who earned the title of third-place military scholar in 1727. His residence, the Scholar's Mansion (Tanhua Di), still stands next to the Nanguan Mosque in Anqing. Ma Dayong became the Brigade General of Taiwan in 1753 and later served as the Admiral of the Fujian Navy. During his time there, he fought hard against pirates to keep the coastal residents safe, earning him the nickname Lucky Star of the Southeast.
The text also mentions relatives from Shaowu, which was another important area for Hui Muslims in Fujian after Quanzhou.
Ding Juxin from Fengshan County, Taiwan, mentioned in the text, was likely a member of the Ding family of Hui Muslims from Chendai. The old city of Fengshan County is in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung. It was the first Chinese-style county seat in Taiwan. Construction began in the 61st year of the Kangxi reign, and it survived many wars through the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong eras. The Ding family of Chendai is a prominent family of Hui Muslims in Quanzhou. During the Qianlong reign, the Qing government opened shipping routes between Jinjiang and Lukang in Taiwan, and the Ding family began moving to Taiwan.
The 1812 stone tablet record, 'Public Property Purchase Record,' notes that people donated money to buy a shop at Xima Bridge outside the south gate of Fuzhou and another shop at the south gate of the Fuzhou mosque. They used the rent from these shops to support the mosque. The first donor listed is Xu Wenmo, the Fujian Land Forces Commander and Baron Zhuanglie. He was a Hui Muslim from Sichuan and the son of the famous Qing general Xu Shixiang. He passed the military examinations in 1786 and later earned many military honors. The Draft History of Qing records that he was later transferred to be the Fujian Naval Commander. When the pirate Cai Qian caused trouble, Wenmo crossed the sea to fight him and burned down pirate hideouts at Zhuyuanwei and Taishigongzhuang.
The 1842 stone tablet, 'Imperial Decree and Notice,' records that in 1841, two shops to the left and right of the Fuzhou mosque were burned down by residents. Everyone donated money to rebuild them, and they remained mosque property to collect rent.
The 1922 stone tablet, 'Record of Mosque Repairs,' notes that after Tang Kesan became the Xiamen Customs Superintendent, he and Wang Shaohe, a military supply officer, led a fundraising effort. Together with Hui Muslim officials from Fujian and local elders, they donated money to renovate the Fujian mosque.
After leaving the Fuzhou Mosque, I went to visit the tomb of the Sheikh (shaihai) inside the Hui Muslims cemetery on Meifeng Road.
The Fuzhou Sheikh tomb sits in the middle of a vegetable field and the scenery is very beautiful. The person buried there was named Ibn Marjad Amir Alaeddin, who returned to Allah in 1306 (the tenth year of the Dade era of the Yuan Dynasty). The tomb pavilion features stone carvings from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, showing a clear history. It is an important religious site in the southeast region.
Each of the four walls of the tomb pavilion has an arched stone door. Inside the south arch is a tablet from 1498 (the eleventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty) marking a renovation. It is carved with a four-line poem in Arabic. According to the article 'Newly Discovered Islamic Historical Sites of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties in Fuzhou,' it translates to: 'Life in this world is very short, and we must all enter the grave.' 'A prince calls out every day, go to death, go to destruction.' The north arch is carved with the name of the person buried there and his date of returning to Allah. The south lintel is carved with Arabic text that reads, 'The judgment of the Lord is coming, and this world is not a permanent home.' The east and west lintels also have Arabic stone carvings, but they are badly weathered and only four lines of poetry are visible.
The roof of the tomb pavilion collapsed in the early Qing Dynasty. In 1737, Ma Ji, a Hui Muslim from Ningxia who served as the commander-in-chief of the Fujian, Taiwan, and Penghu regions, donated money to rebuild the roof into a single-eave hanging mountain style. A stone tablet commemorating this renovation is now embedded in the south gate.
The tombstone inside the pavilion was originally a typical Song and Yuan Dynasty coastal Sumeru-pedestal style tomb cover, just like those unearthed in Quanzhou. Sadly, it was destroyed in the 1970s and the cover was pried away. The site was renovated and a surrounding wall was built in 1985.
The Fuzhou Hui Muslim Cemetery once held hundreds of ancient graves from the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, but they were severely damaged in the 1970s. Today, dozens of graves from the Qing and Republican periods remain, offering a glimpse into the surnames and origins of the Hui Muslims in Fuzhou.
The tombstones in the Fuzhou Hui Muslim Cemetery fall into two types: one is carved with the words 'Qingzhen' (pure and true), and the other is carved with the person's ancestral home, such as Xiliang, Gansu, or Jiangnan.
In the cemetery, you can see some graves belonging to the Lan family of Hui Muslims, who are descendants of the Yuan Dynasty official Andula. According to the History of Yuan, Andula, whose courtesy name was Ruizhi, was of the Kereit clan. His grandfather Asilan once followed the general Ashu to attack the Song Dynasty and served as the darughachi of Jining Road. Because his name contained the character Lan, his descendants took Lan as their surname.
After leaving the gongbei, I went to the Fuzhou Museum. The two places are not far apart, and the scenery along the way is beautiful.
The Fuzhou Museum displays three Song and Yuan dynasty gravestones from Quanzhou.
The first gravestone was found in 1935 when the Tongtian Gate (North Gate) in Quanzhou was dismantled. The person buried there was named Hussein, who passed away in the year 707 of the Islamic calendar (1307). His father was a haji from the ancient city of Qazvin in north-central Iran.
The second gravestone was found in 1963 at Jintoupu Village outside the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. The gravestone is inscribed with the Chinese characters for Grave of Mr. Huang and the Bai family, likely a joint burial for Mr. Huang and his wife, surnamed Bai. Huang remains one of the surnames used by Hui Muslims in Quanzhou today. The Arabic name of the person buried below is difficult to read, but it is clear they passed away in the year 715 of the Islamic calendar (1315). The back is carved with a verse from the Quran (3:185).
The third tombstone was found in 1965 during road construction southeast of the Li Gong Shrine on Dongyue Mountain outside the East Gate of Quanzhou. It was left by the side of the road until Mr. Wang Zhaoxiao from the Quanzhou Maritime Museum moved it for safekeeping, and it was soon sent to the Fujian Museum for display. The tombstone is carved with the Chinese characters for 'Foreign Merchant's Tomb' (fanke mu). Fanke was the term used for foreign merchants during the Tang and Song dynasties. The Arabic inscription shows the name of the deceased, Abdullah Ali Muhammad bin Hasan, and also includes an excerpt from a verse (30:4).
After finishing at the museum, I rode my bike to Aladdin, a famous Turkish restaurant in Fuzhou, for lunch. I ordered a three-topping Turkish flatbread (pide), chicken salad, grilled lamb skewers, rose syrup, and salty yogurt drink (ayran), all of which were delicious. The pide was very fragrant, the lamb skewers were very tender, and the chicken salad was a large, healthy portion. It would have been even better if the ayran had been the kind with lots of foam, just like you find on the streets of Turkey.
The owner is a foreign son-in-law from Fuzhou who has loved Chinese martial arts since he was a kid. He spent six years in Istanbul learning Southern Fist (nanquan) from a Turkish teacher. Later, he learned that Southern Fist originated in Fujian, so he applied to Fuzhou University. He met his true love during college, and they got married after graduation. Aladdin settled in Fuzhou to work in import and export trade, and he officially opened Aladdin Turkish Restaurant in 2015.
After lunch, I returned to the Fuzhou mosque for Jumu'ah prayers. Most of the people there for Jumu'ah were brothers from the noodle shops, along with some foreign friends, and the main hall was completely full. After leaving the hall, you can buy plenty of Northwest snacks at the entrance, such as cold skin noodles (liangpi) and fermented oat porridge (tianbeizi).
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Fuzhou - Jumu'ah, Fuzhou Mosque and Song-Yuan Stone Inscriptions is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Fuzhou, Fuzhou Mosque, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On May 3, I started my morning by visiting the Fuzhou Mosque located at Nanmendou.
During the Five Dynasties period, the site of the Fuzhou Mosque was originally the Taiping Palace of Min King Wang Jipeng. After Wang Jipeng took the throne in 936 (the first year of the Tianfu era of the Later Jin dynasty), it was renamed Wanshou Mosque, and later it became a mosque. In the early years of the Zhizheng era of the Yuan dynasty, the Censor Zhang Xiaosi donated funds for its renovation. It was destroyed by fire in 1541 (the 20th year of the Jiajing era). Ge Wenming, a descendant of the envoy Ge Buman from the Guli Kingdom (the Calicut Kingdom on the southwest corner of the Indian peninsula), led the reconstruction, which was completed in 1549 (the 28th year of the Jiajing era). The main hall of the mosque was originally shaped like the Chinese character 'Hui'. After part of it collapsed in 1955, it could not be repaired, so it was reduced to a 'Gong' shape in 1956. During the 2013 renovation, it was restored to its original 'Hui' shape.
The north and south side halls flanking the main hall feature typical traditional Fuzhou architecture, with saddle-shaped firewalls and clay sculptures of various traditional patterns on the upturned eaves.
The Fuzhou Mosque houses many cultural relics. The oldest ones are likely the stone railings from the Song dynasty Wanshou Mosque, which feature various traditional stone carvings. some stone railing components are scattered around the courtyard, some of which are carved with stone lions.
The collection includes a plaque with scripture that originally hung above the mihrab, a plaque with the Shahada that originally hung above the main gate, and a 'Xianyang Shengjiao' (Promoting the Holy Religion) plaque erected in 1921 by Tang Kesan, the supervisor of the Xiamen Customs. After Tang Kesan became the director of the Xiamen Customs in 1919, he worked hard to revive the faith in Fujian. He donated significant funds to the Fuzhou Mosque, Xiamen Mosque, and Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque, and he encouraged the descendants of local scripture readers to return to the faith and serve in the mosques.
The Fuzhou Mosque still houses seven stone tablets dating from the Ming Dynasty to the Republican era. Among them, the Record of Rebuilding the Mosque (Chongjian Qingzhensi Ji) from the 28th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty documents the process of rebuilding the Fuzhou Mosque during that time. One of the donors mentioned in the inscription, Sa Qi, came from the famous Yanmen Sa family of Fuzhou. Sa Qi's ancestor, Sa Dula, was a famous Semu poet in the Yuan Dynasty who was granted the surname Sa by the Yuan emperor due to his favor.
The author of the text, Mi Rong, was a Hui Muslim from the Mi family of Shaowu, Fujian. He passed the imperial examination during the Jiajing reign and later served as the Left Counselor of the Huguang Administration Commission. He was very knowledgeable and skilled in writing. The Mi family of Shaowu originally came from Datong, Shanxi. They were frontier generals at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, later surrendered to Zhu Yuanzhang, and were stationed in Fujian in the seventh year of the Hongwu reign, where they settled in Shaowu.
The Imperial Edict Tablet of the Yongle Emperor (Yongle Huangdi Chiyu Bei) is an order issued by Emperor Chengzu Zhu Di in the fifth year of the Yongle reign to protect the Muslim Mili Haji, and it speaks very highly of him. Besides the Fuzhou Mosque, copies are also preserved at the Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque, the Suzhou Mosque, and the Great Mosque of Huajue Lane in Xi'an. Some scholars believe the Yongle Imperial Edict was a key measure to protect Muslims in China during Zheng He's voyages, so many mosques carved copies of it to keep as a treasure.
The 1690 Stele Record of Mosque Renovation (Xiu Si Bei Ji) describes the repairs made at that time, but the writing is too faded to read clearly.
The 1757 Stele for Mosque Renovation and Property Purchase (Xiu Si Zhi Chan Bei) records that leftover funds were used to buy two storefronts on Dongya Lane, with the rent money used to support the mosque. The list of donors starts with Ma Dayong, the Admiral of Xiamen. Ma Dayong was a famous Hui Muslim general during the Qing Dynasty who earned the title of third-place military scholar in 1727. His residence, the Scholar's Mansion (Tanhua Di), still stands next to the Nanguan Mosque in Anqing. Ma Dayong became the Brigade General of Taiwan in 1753 and later served as the Admiral of the Fujian Navy. During his time there, he fought hard against pirates to keep the coastal residents safe, earning him the nickname Lucky Star of the Southeast.
The text also mentions relatives from Shaowu, which was another important area for Hui Muslims in Fujian after Quanzhou.
Ding Juxin from Fengshan County, Taiwan, mentioned in the text, was likely a member of the Ding family of Hui Muslims from Chendai. The old city of Fengshan County is in the Zuoying District of Kaohsiung. It was the first Chinese-style county seat in Taiwan. Construction began in the 61st year of the Kangxi reign, and it survived many wars through the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong eras. The Ding family of Chendai is a prominent family of Hui Muslims in Quanzhou. During the Qianlong reign, the Qing government opened shipping routes between Jinjiang and Lukang in Taiwan, and the Ding family began moving to Taiwan.
The 1812 stone tablet record, 'Public Property Purchase Record,' notes that people donated money to buy a shop at Xima Bridge outside the south gate of Fuzhou and another shop at the south gate of the Fuzhou mosque. They used the rent from these shops to support the mosque. The first donor listed is Xu Wenmo, the Fujian Land Forces Commander and Baron Zhuanglie. He was a Hui Muslim from Sichuan and the son of the famous Qing general Xu Shixiang. He passed the military examinations in 1786 and later earned many military honors. The Draft History of Qing records that he was later transferred to be the Fujian Naval Commander. When the pirate Cai Qian caused trouble, Wenmo crossed the sea to fight him and burned down pirate hideouts at Zhuyuanwei and Taishigongzhuang.
The 1842 stone tablet, 'Imperial Decree and Notice,' records that in 1841, two shops to the left and right of the Fuzhou mosque were burned down by residents. Everyone donated money to rebuild them, and they remained mosque property to collect rent.
The 1922 stone tablet, 'Record of Mosque Repairs,' notes that after Tang Kesan became the Xiamen Customs Superintendent, he and Wang Shaohe, a military supply officer, led a fundraising effort. Together with Hui Muslim officials from Fujian and local elders, they donated money to renovate the Fujian mosque.
After leaving the Fuzhou Mosque, I went to visit the tomb of the Sheikh (shaihai) inside the Hui Muslims cemetery on Meifeng Road.
The Fuzhou Sheikh tomb sits in the middle of a vegetable field and the scenery is very beautiful. The person buried there was named Ibn Marjad Amir Alaeddin, who returned to Allah in 1306 (the tenth year of the Dade era of the Yuan Dynasty). The tomb pavilion features stone carvings from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, showing a clear history. It is an important religious site in the southeast region.
Each of the four walls of the tomb pavilion has an arched stone door. Inside the south arch is a tablet from 1498 (the eleventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty) marking a renovation. It is carved with a four-line poem in Arabic. According to the article 'Newly Discovered Islamic Historical Sites of the Yuan and Ming Dynasties in Fuzhou,' it translates to: 'Life in this world is very short, and we must all enter the grave.' 'A prince calls out every day, go to death, go to destruction.' The north arch is carved with the name of the person buried there and his date of returning to Allah. The south lintel is carved with Arabic text that reads, 'The judgment of the Lord is coming, and this world is not a permanent home.' The east and west lintels also have Arabic stone carvings, but they are badly weathered and only four lines of poetry are visible.
The roof of the tomb pavilion collapsed in the early Qing Dynasty. In 1737, Ma Ji, a Hui Muslim from Ningxia who served as the commander-in-chief of the Fujian, Taiwan, and Penghu regions, donated money to rebuild the roof into a single-eave hanging mountain style. A stone tablet commemorating this renovation is now embedded in the south gate.
The tombstone inside the pavilion was originally a typical Song and Yuan Dynasty coastal Sumeru-pedestal style tomb cover, just like those unearthed in Quanzhou. Sadly, it was destroyed in the 1970s and the cover was pried away. The site was renovated and a surrounding wall was built in 1985.
The Fuzhou Hui Muslim Cemetery once held hundreds of ancient graves from the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods, but they were severely damaged in the 1970s. Today, dozens of graves from the Qing and Republican periods remain, offering a glimpse into the surnames and origins of the Hui Muslims in Fuzhou.
The tombstones in the Fuzhou Hui Muslim Cemetery fall into two types: one is carved with the words 'Qingzhen' (pure and true), and the other is carved with the person's ancestral home, such as Xiliang, Gansu, or Jiangnan.
In the cemetery, you can see some graves belonging to the Lan family of Hui Muslims, who are descendants of the Yuan Dynasty official Andula. According to the History of Yuan, Andula, whose courtesy name was Ruizhi, was of the Kereit clan. His grandfather Asilan once followed the general Ashu to attack the Song Dynasty and served as the darughachi of Jining Road. Because his name contained the character Lan, his descendants took Lan as their surname.
After leaving the gongbei, I went to the Fuzhou Museum. The two places are not far apart, and the scenery along the way is beautiful.
The Fuzhou Museum displays three Song and Yuan dynasty gravestones from Quanzhou.
The first gravestone was found in 1935 when the Tongtian Gate (North Gate) in Quanzhou was dismantled. The person buried there was named Hussein, who passed away in the year 707 of the Islamic calendar (1307). His father was a haji from the ancient city of Qazvin in north-central Iran.
The second gravestone was found in 1963 at Jintoupu Village outside the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. The gravestone is inscribed with the Chinese characters for Grave of Mr. Huang and the Bai family, likely a joint burial for Mr. Huang and his wife, surnamed Bai. Huang remains one of the surnames used by Hui Muslims in Quanzhou today. The Arabic name of the person buried below is difficult to read, but it is clear they passed away in the year 715 of the Islamic calendar (1315). The back is carved with a verse from the Quran (3:185).
The third tombstone was found in 1965 during road construction southeast of the Li Gong Shrine on Dongyue Mountain outside the East Gate of Quanzhou. It was left by the side of the road until Mr. Wang Zhaoxiao from the Quanzhou Maritime Museum moved it for safekeeping, and it was soon sent to the Fujian Museum for display. The tombstone is carved with the Chinese characters for 'Foreign Merchant's Tomb' (fanke mu). Fanke was the term used for foreign merchants during the Tang and Song dynasties. The Arabic inscription shows the name of the deceased, Abdullah Ali Muhammad bin Hasan, and also includes an excerpt from a verse (30:4).
After finishing at the museum, I rode my bike to Aladdin, a famous Turkish restaurant in Fuzhou, for lunch. I ordered a three-topping Turkish flatbread (pide), chicken salad, grilled lamb skewers, rose syrup, and salty yogurt drink (ayran), all of which were delicious. The pide was very fragrant, the lamb skewers were very tender, and the chicken salad was a large, healthy portion. It would have been even better if the ayran had been the kind with lots of foam, just like you find on the streets of Turkey.
The owner is a foreign son-in-law from Fuzhou who has loved Chinese martial arts since he was a kid. He spent six years in Istanbul learning Southern Fist (nanquan) from a Turkish teacher. Later, he learned that Southern Fist originated in Fujian, so he applied to Fuzhou University. He met his true love during college, and they got married after graduation. Aladdin settled in Fuzhou to work in import and export trade, and he officially opened Aladdin Turkish Restaurant in 2015.
After lunch, I returned to the Fuzhou mosque for Jumu'ah prayers. Most of the people there for Jumu'ah were brothers from the noodle shops, along with some foreign friends, and the main hall was completely full. After leaving the hall, you can buy plenty of Northwest snacks at the entrance, such as cold skin noodles (liangpi) and fermented oat porridge (tianbeizi).
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Islamic Art Guide: Song-Yuan Islamic Stone Inscriptions at Xiamen University
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Song-Yuan Islamic Stone Inscriptions at Xiamen University is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xiamen University, Islamic Art, Stone Inscriptions while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The Anthropology Museum of Xiamen University is the first university museum in the People's Republic of China. The founder, Professor Lin Huixiang, was a famous Chinese anthropologist, archaeologist, and folklorist. He was a member of the first graduating class of Xiamen University and later served as a professor in the Department of History and Sociology there. In 1934, he established the preparatory office for the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum, which became the first specialized anthropology museum in China. After the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum was officially founded in 1953, Professor Lin Huixiang served as its first director.
Xiamen University now requires visitors to book their entry three days in advance. I forgot about the time and only managed to book an afternoon slot, but I had a flight back to Beijing that afternoon, so I definitely wouldn't make it. I searched carefully online and finally found someone who said they were able to scan in early. We arrived at Xiamen University in the morning to give it a try, and sure enough, we were able to scan in.
We went straight to the Anthropology Museum after entering, but the stone tablet gallery housing the Islamic (jiaomen) stone carvings was closed because the rain made the path slippery, which was a real shame. We had already left the museum, but with Zainab's encouragement, we went back to explain the situation to the staff. They understood, opened the stele gallery for us, and allowed us to see these incredibly precious stone carvings. We felt very grateful to Allah.
Besides many tombstone inscriptions from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the gallery also displays several stone tablets related to the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, which are of high historical value.
The tablet recording the construction of the Qingjing Mosque by the Yemeni Naina Umar originally had Arabic inscriptions on both sides, but unfortunately, only one side is on display now. In 1940, when the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou was being dismantled, workers dug up this tablet and took it home. People say many rectangular and pointed-arch Arabic stone tablets were dug up at the same time and sold as building materials. After this tablet was taken home, it was used as a laundry board for a while and later turned into a stone step for the floor. The front of the tablet is carved with scripture (72:18) in Kufic script, and the back records the story of the Yemeni Naina Umar building the Qingjing Mosque.
The tablet recording the construction of the mosque by Muhammad was unearthed in the foundation of the South Gate of Quanzhou in 1948. It also had Arabic inscriptions on both sides, but only one side is displayed now. The inscription contains verses (72:18, 18:30) and records that the Qingjing Mosque was built by Muhammad, whose nickname was Jamal al-Din.
A stone lintel from a mosque was found in the foundation of the South Gate of Quanzhou in 1948 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. Both sides of the stone carving feature Arabic script, including a verse from the Quran (72:18) and a record of the gate's renovation in 1328 by Nakhid Asmar al-Mushai al-Din.
The tombstone of Ahmad was found in 1956 by a pond in Jintoupu outside the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The front of the tombstone has Arabic text recording the name of the deceased as Ahmad b. Khwaja Hakyim Alad. Khwaja refers to a descendant of the Prophet and is also an honorific title for a respected person in Persian. The book Quanzhou Religious Stone Carvings states he died in the Islamic year 672 (1273), while the display board at the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum says he died in the Islamic year 690 (1291).
The back of the tombstone is not on display at the site, but it contains a Chinese inscription: My late father was born on the 23rd day of the sixth lunar month in the Renchen year at the hour of the monkey and lived to be 30 years old. He passed away on the 25th day of the ninth lunar month in the Xinyou year of the Zhizhi era and was buried here. This was recorded on a day in the seventh lunar month of the Renxu year, the second year of the Zhizhi era. Nan Ahan Mojin Zhi. The year of Xinyou in the Zhizhi era is 1321, which is several decades different from the date recorded in the Arabic text on the front.
The tombstone of Fatima Khatun was found in 1956 in Secuomei Village outside Renfeng Gate in Quanzhou, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription says the person buried is Fatima Khatun, her father is Ali Takin al-Kuhatis, and she passed away in the year 729 of the Islamic calendar (1329). Khatun means queen or lady, and Takin is a Persian word for prince or noble. This shows that Fatima's family was a Persian noble family.
This tombstone was found in 1955 by Wu Wenliang, the author of the book Religious Stone Carvings of Quanzhou, in a pile of rubble near Tumen Gate in Quanzhou. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year, and the inscription contains scripture (55:26, 55:27).
The tombstone of Miss Husayo Ismail Khali was found in 1956 on a street outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The person buried here, Ms. Husna Isma'il, passed away in the year 764 of the Hijri calendar (1362).
The tombstone of Ibrahim from Siraf was discovered by Professor Lin Huixiang on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955, and was later moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The person buried here was a servant from the ancient city of Siraf, located on the Persian Gulf in southern Iran. Siraf is also known in historical records as Shiluowei, Shilaafu, Sanawei, Shiluofu, or Siluofu. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, it was the largest trading port on the Persian Gulf, and many Persian merchants traveled through it to Quanzhou for trade during the Song and Yuan dynasties. According to the Record of the Muslim Cemetery on Dongban in Quanzhou written by Lin Zhiqi, the Superintendent of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office during the Southern Song Dynasty, a merchant named Shinawi donated money to buy land and build a Muslim cemetery on Dongban in Quanzhou between 1162 and 1163. The name Shinawi here refers to Siraf.
The upper half of the tombstone of Abu Bakr was found in a farmer's courtyard at Jintoupu outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1953. The lower half was found in a pond not far from the first site in 1956, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The person buried here passed away in the year 717 of the Hijri calendar (1317), and his father's name was Husayn.
This tombstone was obtained by the shore of Donghu Lake outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. Unfortunately, the lower part containing the name and hometown of the deceased is damaged and missing. Only the Basmala, the Hadith 'whoever dies in a foreign land dies as a martyr,' and the Shahada remain.
The tombstone of XXX Bakr was found in a private courtyard in Dongtangtou, outside the East Gate of Quanzhou, in 1950 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. Because the inscription is damaged, we can only see that the deceased was named XXX Bakr XXX, along with the words 'May Allah forgive him and his parents.'
This tombstone was found on Leyuan Road outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, '...the incomparably majestic and merciful XX, may Allah bless the Prophet and his entire family.'
The tombstone of Fatimah was found in the city wall of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1927 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. The father of the deceased was named Haji Nasa, and he had traveled to the Hejaz.
This tombstone was found in the Third Lane of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year; the inscription contains scripture (112).
This tombstone was found in a farmer's courtyard at the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'To die in ardent love is to die a martyr,' with 'ardent love' referring to love for Allah and the faith.
This tombstone was unearthed from the city foundation at Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'O Allah, please accept his good deeds, and please forgive and pardon his sins.'
This tombstone was found on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. This is the top stone of a Sumeru pedestal (xumizuo) altar-style stone tomb, carved with a full moon and inward-spiraling patterns.
This is a tomb pile stone from a Sumeru pedestal altar-style stone tomb. It was found in Dongtou Village outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955. Residents said it was moved there to serve as a stone step when the city wall was dismantled over 20 years earlier. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription features a verse (16:32) carved in Kufic script.
This is a tomb pile stone from a Sumeru pedestal altar-style stone tomb. It was found at Jintoupu outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'He is eternal and never dies.'
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in 1955 in the wall of a house on Xinmen Street in Quanzhou. Professor Lin Huixiang discovered it that same year and moved it to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The inscription contains verses from the Quran (55:27).
The right end of the tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was found in 1940 in a pile of waste stones at the South Drill Ground (Nanjiaochang) in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that year. The left end was found in 1957 in a pond 6 kilometers outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and was immediately moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The missing middle section was built into the wall of Shijia Mosque near the South Drill Ground in Quanzhou. It contains verses from the Quran (52:17-19). The tombstone block from the Islamic tomb built into the wall of Shijia Mosque was added after 1945, when the mosque monks bought foundation stones from the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou to build houses and walls.
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was originally built into the stone wall of a farmer's house in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. It was unearthed from the city foundation near the South Drill Ground after 1945 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (29:57), 'Every soul shall taste death.'
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was found in 1952 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27): 'Everyone on earth will perish, and the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor, will remain forever.'
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was originally built into a stone wall at a farmer's house in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. It was reportedly found while digging to build the house, and Professor Lin Huixiang moved it to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27).
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was unearthed in 1955 by the East Lake outside the Xiaodong Gate in Quanzhou. When found, it was stacked together with a Hindu lintel stone featuring a beast face and bird wings. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27).
This component of a stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was found in 1955 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. It is inscribed with '...this worldly life and the hereafter.'
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was found in 1947 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The inscription is not in Arabic. In his book Quanzhou Religious Stone Carvings, Wu Wenliang suggests it is the 'Ishtifi' script mentioned in the History of Yuan, which was the Persian language used at that time.
This component of a Sumeru-style stone tomb was found near the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (2:255). 'He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not encompass...'
The third layer of overlapping lotus petals and the fourth layer of Arabic stone carvings from a Sumeru-style stone tomb were found on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (2:156).
This component of a Sumeru-style stone tomb was dug up from the foundation of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (3:185).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found outside the East Gate of Quanzhou at Leyuan in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The inscription reads, "Everyone on earth will perish, but the Face of your Lord will remain, full of majesty and honor." Leyuan, also known as Deer Garden (Luyuan), was a Muslim cemetery during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the Ding family of Chendai was originally buried here. Leyuan refers to the Paradise mentioned in scripture and is the only place name in Quanzhou named using Islamic religious terminology.
This tombstone was discovered in Quanzhou by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955 and is now kept at the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The content is from the Quran (55:26-27).
This tomb roof for a stone tomb with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was unearthed on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (3:185).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1949 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. This is a rare Quanzhou Song-Yuan dynasty religious stone carving featuring two lines of Arabic script, suggesting the original tomb was quite large. The content consists of Quranic verses (55:26-27, 74:41-43, 21:35, 44:51, 44:53).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in Quanzhou in 1955 by Wu Wenliang, author of Religious Stone Carvings in Quanzhou. It features the Quranic verse (3:185): 'Every soul shall taste death.'
This tombstone block from a pedestal-style altar tomb (xumizuo) was found in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955. The inscription reads, "Everyone on earth will perish, but the Face of your Lord will remain, full of majesty and honor."
This pedestal-style stone tomb (xumizuo) was found at Xiacu Mountain outside the East Gate of Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. The content consists of Quranic verses (28:88, 2:255).
There are also some stone tomb parts without any inscriptions.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Song-Yuan Islamic Stone Inscriptions at Xiamen University is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xiamen University, Islamic Art, Stone Inscriptions while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The Anthropology Museum of Xiamen University is the first university museum in the People's Republic of China. The founder, Professor Lin Huixiang, was a famous Chinese anthropologist, archaeologist, and folklorist. He was a member of the first graduating class of Xiamen University and later served as a professor in the Department of History and Sociology there. In 1934, he established the preparatory office for the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum, which became the first specialized anthropology museum in China. After the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum was officially founded in 1953, Professor Lin Huixiang served as its first director.
Xiamen University now requires visitors to book their entry three days in advance. I forgot about the time and only managed to book an afternoon slot, but I had a flight back to Beijing that afternoon, so I definitely wouldn't make it. I searched carefully online and finally found someone who said they were able to scan in early. We arrived at Xiamen University in the morning to give it a try, and sure enough, we were able to scan in.
We went straight to the Anthropology Museum after entering, but the stone tablet gallery housing the Islamic (jiaomen) stone carvings was closed because the rain made the path slippery, which was a real shame. We had already left the museum, but with Zainab's encouragement, we went back to explain the situation to the staff. They understood, opened the stele gallery for us, and allowed us to see these incredibly precious stone carvings. We felt very grateful to Allah.
Besides many tombstone inscriptions from the Song and Yuan dynasties, the gallery also displays several stone tablets related to the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, which are of high historical value.
The tablet recording the construction of the Qingjing Mosque by the Yemeni Naina Umar originally had Arabic inscriptions on both sides, but unfortunately, only one side is on display now. In 1940, when the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou was being dismantled, workers dug up this tablet and took it home. People say many rectangular and pointed-arch Arabic stone tablets were dug up at the same time and sold as building materials. After this tablet was taken home, it was used as a laundry board for a while and later turned into a stone step for the floor. The front of the tablet is carved with scripture (72:18) in Kufic script, and the back records the story of the Yemeni Naina Umar building the Qingjing Mosque.
The tablet recording the construction of the mosque by Muhammad was unearthed in the foundation of the South Gate of Quanzhou in 1948. It also had Arabic inscriptions on both sides, but only one side is displayed now. The inscription contains verses (72:18, 18:30) and records that the Qingjing Mosque was built by Muhammad, whose nickname was Jamal al-Din.
A stone lintel from a mosque was found in the foundation of the South Gate of Quanzhou in 1948 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. Both sides of the stone carving feature Arabic script, including a verse from the Quran (72:18) and a record of the gate's renovation in 1328 by Nakhid Asmar al-Mushai al-Din.
The tombstone of Ahmad was found in 1956 by a pond in Jintoupu outside the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The front of the tombstone has Arabic text recording the name of the deceased as Ahmad b. Khwaja Hakyim Alad. Khwaja refers to a descendant of the Prophet and is also an honorific title for a respected person in Persian. The book Quanzhou Religious Stone Carvings states he died in the Islamic year 672 (1273), while the display board at the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum says he died in the Islamic year 690 (1291).
The back of the tombstone is not on display at the site, but it contains a Chinese inscription: My late father was born on the 23rd day of the sixth lunar month in the Renchen year at the hour of the monkey and lived to be 30 years old. He passed away on the 25th day of the ninth lunar month in the Xinyou year of the Zhizhi era and was buried here. This was recorded on a day in the seventh lunar month of the Renxu year, the second year of the Zhizhi era. Nan Ahan Mojin Zhi. The year of Xinyou in the Zhizhi era is 1321, which is several decades different from the date recorded in the Arabic text on the front.
The tombstone of Fatima Khatun was found in 1956 in Secuomei Village outside Renfeng Gate in Quanzhou, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription says the person buried is Fatima Khatun, her father is Ali Takin al-Kuhatis, and she passed away in the year 729 of the Islamic calendar (1329). Khatun means queen or lady, and Takin is a Persian word for prince or noble. This shows that Fatima's family was a Persian noble family.
This tombstone was found in 1955 by Wu Wenliang, the author of the book Religious Stone Carvings of Quanzhou, in a pile of rubble near Tumen Gate in Quanzhou. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year, and the inscription contains scripture (55:26, 55:27).
The tombstone of Miss Husayo Ismail Khali was found in 1956 on a street outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The person buried here, Ms. Husna Isma'il, passed away in the year 764 of the Hijri calendar (1362).
The tombstone of Ibrahim from Siraf was discovered by Professor Lin Huixiang on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955, and was later moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The person buried here was a servant from the ancient city of Siraf, located on the Persian Gulf in southern Iran. Siraf is also known in historical records as Shiluowei, Shilaafu, Sanawei, Shiluofu, or Siluofu. Between the 9th and 13th centuries, it was the largest trading port on the Persian Gulf, and many Persian merchants traveled through it to Quanzhou for trade during the Song and Yuan dynasties. According to the Record of the Muslim Cemetery on Dongban in Quanzhou written by Lin Zhiqi, the Superintendent of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office during the Southern Song Dynasty, a merchant named Shinawi donated money to buy land and build a Muslim cemetery on Dongban in Quanzhou between 1162 and 1163. The name Shinawi here refers to Siraf.
The upper half of the tombstone of Abu Bakr was found in a farmer's courtyard at Jintoupu outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1953. The lower half was found in a pond not far from the first site in 1956, and it was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The person buried here passed away in the year 717 of the Hijri calendar (1317), and his father's name was Husayn.
This tombstone was obtained by the shore of Donghu Lake outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. Unfortunately, the lower part containing the name and hometown of the deceased is damaged and missing. Only the Basmala, the Hadith 'whoever dies in a foreign land dies as a martyr,' and the Shahada remain.
The tombstone of XXX Bakr was found in a private courtyard in Dongtangtou, outside the East Gate of Quanzhou, in 1950 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. Because the inscription is damaged, we can only see that the deceased was named XXX Bakr XXX, along with the words 'May Allah forgive him and his parents.'
This tombstone was found on Leyuan Road outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, '...the incomparably majestic and merciful XX, may Allah bless the Prophet and his entire family.'
The tombstone of Fatimah was found in the city wall of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1927 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. The father of the deceased was named Haji Nasa, and he had traveled to the Hejaz.
This tombstone was found in the Third Lane of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year; the inscription contains scripture (112).
This tombstone was found in a farmer's courtyard at the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'To die in ardent love is to die a martyr,' with 'ardent love' referring to love for Allah and the faith.
This tombstone was unearthed from the city foundation at Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'O Allah, please accept his good deeds, and please forgive and pardon his sins.'
This tombstone was found on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. This is the top stone of a Sumeru pedestal (xumizuo) altar-style stone tomb, carved with a full moon and inward-spiraling patterns.
This is a tomb pile stone from a Sumeru pedestal altar-style stone tomb. It was found in Dongtou Village outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955. Residents said it was moved there to serve as a stone step when the city wall was dismantled over 20 years earlier. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription features a verse (16:32) carved in Kufic script.
This is a tomb pile stone from a Sumeru pedestal altar-style stone tomb. It was found at Jintoupu outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1956 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that same year. The inscription reads, 'He is eternal and never dies.'
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in 1955 in the wall of a house on Xinmen Street in Quanzhou. Professor Lin Huixiang discovered it that same year and moved it to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The inscription contains verses from the Quran (55:27).
The right end of the tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was found in 1940 in a pile of waste stones at the South Drill Ground (Nanjiaochang) in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum that year. The left end was found in 1957 in a pond 6 kilometers outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and was immediately moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The missing middle section was built into the wall of Shijia Mosque near the South Drill Ground in Quanzhou. It contains verses from the Quran (52:17-19). The tombstone block from the Islamic tomb built into the wall of Shijia Mosque was added after 1945, when the mosque monks bought foundation stones from the Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou to build houses and walls.
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was originally built into the stone wall of a farmer's house in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. It was unearthed from the city foundation near the South Drill Ground after 1945 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (29:57), 'Every soul shall taste death.'
The tombstone block from the altar-style tomb with a pedestal base was found in 1952 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27): 'Everyone on earth will perish, and the Face of your Lord, full of majesty and honor, will remain forever.'
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was originally built into a stone wall at a farmer's house in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou. It was reportedly found while digging to build the house, and Professor Lin Huixiang moved it to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27).
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was unearthed in 1955 by the East Lake outside the Xiaodong Gate in Quanzhou. When found, it was stacked together with a Hindu lintel stone featuring a beast face and bird wings. It was moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is the Quranic verse (55:26-27).
This component of a stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was found in 1955 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. It is inscribed with '...this worldly life and the hereafter.'
The tombstone from the altar-style stone tomb with a Sumeru pedestal was found in 1947 in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation in 1955. The inscription is not in Arabic. In his book Quanzhou Religious Stone Carvings, Wu Wenliang suggests it is the 'Ishtifi' script mentioned in the History of Yuan, which was the Persian language used at that time.
This component of a Sumeru-style stone tomb was found near the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (2:255). 'He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not encompass...'
The third layer of overlapping lotus petals and the fourth layer of Arabic stone carvings from a Sumeru-style stone tomb were found on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (2:156).
This component of a Sumeru-style stone tomb was dug up from the foundation of the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (3:185).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found outside the East Gate of Quanzhou at Leyuan in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The inscription reads, "Everyone on earth will perish, but the Face of your Lord will remain, full of majesty and honor." Leyuan, also known as Deer Garden (Luyuan), was a Muslim cemetery during the Song and Yuan dynasties, and the Ding family of Chendai was originally buried here. Leyuan refers to the Paradise mentioned in scripture and is the only place name in Quanzhou named using Islamic religious terminology.
This tombstone was discovered in Quanzhou by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955 and is now kept at the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum. The content is from the Quran (55:26-27).
This tomb roof for a stone tomb with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was unearthed on Renfeng Street outside the East Gate of Quanzhou in 1955 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum for preservation that same year. The content is a verse from the Quran (3:185).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou in 1949 and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. This is a rare Quanzhou Song-Yuan dynasty religious stone carving featuring two lines of Arabic script, suggesting the original tomb was quite large. The content consists of Quranic verses (55:26-27, 74:41-43, 21:35, 44:51, 44:53).
This stone tomb component with a pedestal base (xumizuo) was found in Quanzhou in 1955 by Wu Wenliang, author of Religious Stone Carvings in Quanzhou. It features the Quranic verse (3:185): 'Every soul shall taste death.'
This tombstone block from a pedestal-style altar tomb (xumizuo) was found in Jintoupu Village outside Tonghuai Gate in Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum by Professor Lin Huixiang in 1955. The inscription reads, "Everyone on earth will perish, but the Face of your Lord will remain, full of majesty and honor."
This pedestal-style stone tomb (xumizuo) was found at Xiacu Mountain outside the East Gate of Quanzhou and moved to the Xiamen University Anthropology Museum in 1955. The content consists of Quranic verses (28:88, 2:255).
There are also some stone tomb parts without any inscriptions.
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Halal Travel Guide: Xiamen - Xiamen Mosque and Malong Xinjiang Cuisine
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xiamen - Xiamen Mosque and Malong Xinjiang Cuisine is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xiamen, Xiamen Mosque, Xinjiang Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
At noon, I visited the Xiamen Mosque and felt very grateful to have some braised noodles (huimian) made by Imam Liu. Imam Liu is from Zhengzhou, Henan, and has been in Xiamen for over ten years. When we arrived, Imam Liu was hosting another friend (dost) from Henan who also lives in Xiamen. According to this friend, Imam Liu's braised noodles are unique and the best you can find in Xiamen. After tasting them, I have to agree, haha.
Xiamen Mosque was first built in 1823 (the third year of the Daoguang reign). The front building was expanded during the Tongzhi reign, rebuilt in 1924, moved and rebuilt in 1993 due to urban renewal, and finished as the current six-story building in 2002. The Xiamen Mosque currently houses two stone tablets from 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign) and 1924 (the 13th year of the Republic of China).
The Guangxu tablet records that Xiamen Mosque was built with donations initiated by the Zhejiang Provincial Commander Yang during the Daoguang reign, expanded with donations from the Xiamen Defense Commander Ma during the Tongzhi reign, and in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign, Commander Yang again initiated donations to purchase four houses as mosque property. Yang Qizhen (1836–1903) was a Hui Muslim from Laishanji, Huainan, Anhui. He was a famous coastal defense general in the late Qing Dynasty and once heavily damaged the French fleet during the Sino-French naval war. In 1892 (the 18th year of the Guangxu reign), Yang Qizhen became the Admiral of the Fujian Navy. He built the Huli Mountain Fortress on Xiamen Island and donated money to buy property for the Xiamen mosque.
A Republic of China era stone tablet records that Tang Kesan came to Xiamen to supervise the customs and encouraged fundraising to revitalize the faith. Later, Ma Lixian, Chang Fumian, and Ma Liangji traveled to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Southeast Asia to raise funds. They repaired the Xiamen mosque and the Qingjing mosque in Quanzhou, and bought two houses in Xiamen city as mosque property. Tang Kesan was a famous Hui Muslim social activist and educator during the Republic of China. He founded the Chengda Teachers College in 1925 and served as its president. In 1938, he founded the China Islamic National Salvation Association and led the Hui Muslim movement to resist Japan and save the country. Tang Kesan served as the Xiamen Customs Superintendent in 1919. During his time in office, he made great contributions to the restoration of the faith in Xiamen and Quanzhou.
The seaside boardwalk and the arcade-style old streets of Xiamen.
Have dinner at the main branch of Ma'erlong in the evening. I was surprised to find pearl meatballs (zhenzhu wanzi) and mung bean jelly (menzi) here. This is my first time seeing these in a Xinjiang restaurant in mainland China. Both are classic banquet dishes for Hui Muslims in Xinjiang, and Uyghur chefs usually do not make them.
We ordered stir-fried lamb head meat and thin-skinned steamed buns (baopi baozi), and we also got some baked flatbread (naan) to go. These dishes were very authentic. The stir-fried lamb head meat tasted exactly like what you get in Hui Muslim restaurants in Urumqi. The filling in the thin-skinned steamed buns was perfect, and the bottom skin was very thin. It must have been made by a Uyghur chef, though the skin on the pleats was a bit thick and had a hard center. The freshly baked flatbread from the Uyghur chef was full of wheat flavor. We ordered one to take away, but we couldn't help eating it all, so we ordered another one to go.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xiamen - Xiamen Mosque and Malong Xinjiang Cuisine is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xiamen, Xiamen Mosque, Xinjiang Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
At noon, I visited the Xiamen Mosque and felt very grateful to have some braised noodles (huimian) made by Imam Liu. Imam Liu is from Zhengzhou, Henan, and has been in Xiamen for over ten years. When we arrived, Imam Liu was hosting another friend (dost) from Henan who also lives in Xiamen. According to this friend, Imam Liu's braised noodles are unique and the best you can find in Xiamen. After tasting them, I have to agree, haha.
Xiamen Mosque was first built in 1823 (the third year of the Daoguang reign). The front building was expanded during the Tongzhi reign, rebuilt in 1924, moved and rebuilt in 1993 due to urban renewal, and finished as the current six-story building in 2002. The Xiamen Mosque currently houses two stone tablets from 1902 (the 28th year of the Guangxu reign) and 1924 (the 13th year of the Republic of China).
The Guangxu tablet records that Xiamen Mosque was built with donations initiated by the Zhejiang Provincial Commander Yang during the Daoguang reign, expanded with donations from the Xiamen Defense Commander Ma during the Tongzhi reign, and in the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign, Commander Yang again initiated donations to purchase four houses as mosque property. Yang Qizhen (1836–1903) was a Hui Muslim from Laishanji, Huainan, Anhui. He was a famous coastal defense general in the late Qing Dynasty and once heavily damaged the French fleet during the Sino-French naval war. In 1892 (the 18th year of the Guangxu reign), Yang Qizhen became the Admiral of the Fujian Navy. He built the Huli Mountain Fortress on Xiamen Island and donated money to buy property for the Xiamen mosque.
A Republic of China era stone tablet records that Tang Kesan came to Xiamen to supervise the customs and encouraged fundraising to revitalize the faith. Later, Ma Lixian, Chang Fumian, and Ma Liangji traveled to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Southeast Asia to raise funds. They repaired the Xiamen mosque and the Qingjing mosque in Quanzhou, and bought two houses in Xiamen city as mosque property. Tang Kesan was a famous Hui Muslim social activist and educator during the Republic of China. He founded the Chengda Teachers College in 1925 and served as its president. In 1938, he founded the China Islamic National Salvation Association and led the Hui Muslim movement to resist Japan and save the country. Tang Kesan served as the Xiamen Customs Superintendent in 1919. During his time in office, he made great contributions to the restoration of the faith in Xiamen and Quanzhou.
The seaside boardwalk and the arcade-style old streets of Xiamen.
Have dinner at the main branch of Ma'erlong in the evening. I was surprised to find pearl meatballs (zhenzhu wanzi) and mung bean jelly (menzi) here. This is my first time seeing these in a Xinjiang restaurant in mainland China. Both are classic banquet dishes for Hui Muslims in Xinjiang, and Uyghur chefs usually do not make them.
We ordered stir-fried lamb head meat and thin-skinned steamed buns (baopi baozi), and we also got some baked flatbread (naan) to go. These dishes were very authentic. The stir-fried lamb head meat tasted exactly like what you get in Hui Muslim restaurants in Urumqi. The filling in the thin-skinned steamed buns was perfect, and the bottom skin was very thin. It must have been made by a Uyghur chef, though the skin on the pleats was a bit thick and had a hard center. The freshly baked flatbread from the Uyghur chef was full of wheat flavor. We ordered one to take away, but we couldn't help eating it all, so we ordered another one to go.
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Halal Travel Guide: Ipoh, Malaysia - Indian and Malay Mosques
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Ipoh, Malaysia - Indian and Malay Mosques is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Ipoh, Malaysia, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Ipoh is north of Kuala Lumpur and serves as the capital of Perak state, a city famous for its history and culture. Ipoh is known as the Tin Capital. After 1880, the Kinta Valley where Ipoh sits attracted many workers to mine its rich tin deposits, and Ipoh quickly grew into a mining town.
In the late 19th century, many South Indian Tamils came to Ipoh to make a living. The wealthy businessman Shaik Adam Mohammad Ghaus was the most influential among them, and he started Ipoh's first ice factory and soda factory. Under his leadership, his Indian laborers built the Ipoh Indian Mosque between 1905 and 1908.
The main hall of the Ipoh Indian Mosque was modeled after the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas) at the Red Fort in Delhi, featuring the same rectangular layout and scalloped arches. The defensive-style railings on the roof of the main hall were also influenced by Mughal architecture.
Besides South Indian Tamils, some North Indian Pathans (Pashtun descent) and Punjabis also came to Ipoh under British Malaya rule to work as police. They were responsible for keeping order during peacetime, and they fought bravely against the invaders during the Japanese occupation in 1941. In 1930, the British gave them a piece of land to build a mosque, which became their main gathering place on their day off. Today, this mosque is still used by Punjabi Pakistani Muslims and is known as the Pakistan Mosque.
The Ipoh Pakistan Mosque is mostly pink, which makes it look very cute. The imam was very kind and showed us where we could get water.
Right next to the Pakistan Mosque is Ipoh's Little India. Maybe it was because we went in the morning, but Ipoh's Little India didn't feel as busy as the one in Klang, though it still had all the flower shops, food stalls, and clothing stores.
In the old town of Ipoh, we ate at a place with over 50 years of history called Gerai Makanan dan Minuman Rahamath. It is known as the best Tamil mamak stall for rice with curry (nasi kandar) in Ipoh, famous for its spicy tomato chicken, spiced fried chicken, and lamb curry, which is thick and fragrant.
Rice with curry (nasi kandar) is a dish invented by Tamil Muslims in Malaysia. It is simply rice served with various beef, lamb, chicken, fish, or shrimp curries and side dishes. When Tamils first arrived on the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, most carried food on shoulder poles to sell along the streets, which is why their food became known as shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar). By the 20th century, Tamil Muslims opened various restaurants and stalls, but the name shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar) is still used today.
We also had durian shaved ice (cendol) at Concubine Lane in Ipoh's old town, and they gave us a huge piece of durian; eating durian in Malaysia is really a great deal.
Panglima Kinta Mosque is located by the Kinta River in Ipoh. It was built in 1898 by the Malay chief who ruled Ipoh at the time, Panglima Kinta Muhamad Yusuff, to honor his wife. After it was finished, it became the center of the faith for the Malay people in Ipoh.
Panglima Kinta was one of the eight chiefs of Perak and the lord of the Kinta region. Under his rule, large numbers of laborers came to the Kinta Valley where Ipoh is located to mine tin, and Ipoh quickly grew from an unknown Malay village (kampung) into a city of shophouses. By the time Panglima Kinta passed away in 1903, he was likely one of the wealthiest lords on the Malay Peninsula.
Panglima Kinta Mosque blends Indian-based Mughal style with Roman-Greek neoclassical style. The main hall has a semi-circular Mughal dome on top, while the octagonal minarets on both sides were influenced by Chinese brick towers. The minbar pulpit inside the main hall was built by a master Malay craftsman from Penang named Tuan Haji Mohamed Sopian, and its design is exquisite.
There are several other buildings surrounding the main hall of the Panglima Kinta Mosque. To the southeast of the main hall is the Balai Lintang, which was used for gatherings during Ramadan. It is now open as an exhibition hall, showcasing the history of the faith in Ipoh and the Kinta region, as well as the life of the Panglima Kinta lord.
The exhibition hall houses a traditional drum (beduk) found in Malay mosques. This single-sided drum is made by hollowing out jackfruit wood and covering one side with cowhide. Slow beats on the beduk drum signal the start of the call to prayer (bang), while rapid beats indicate that someone has passed away.
The exhibition hall also displays the traditional ceremonial headgear (tengkolok) of Perak state. The Sultan of Perak and the eight major chiefs wear the tengkolok when attending various ceremonies.
Further east stands a religious school built in the style of a traditional Malay wooden house. People say Shaik Tholji, a teacher from Egypt, once taught here and made a great contribution to the development of the local faith.
The mosque grounds also contain the graves of the Panglima Kinta lords from past generations.
I found a rattan and bamboo shop on the streets of Ipoh. These beaters used for cleaning blankets and quilts are quite interesting.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Ipoh, Malaysia - Indian and Malay Mosques is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Ipoh, Malaysia, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Ipoh is north of Kuala Lumpur and serves as the capital of Perak state, a city famous for its history and culture. Ipoh is known as the Tin Capital. After 1880, the Kinta Valley where Ipoh sits attracted many workers to mine its rich tin deposits, and Ipoh quickly grew into a mining town.
In the late 19th century, many South Indian Tamils came to Ipoh to make a living. The wealthy businessman Shaik Adam Mohammad Ghaus was the most influential among them, and he started Ipoh's first ice factory and soda factory. Under his leadership, his Indian laborers built the Ipoh Indian Mosque between 1905 and 1908.
The main hall of the Ipoh Indian Mosque was modeled after the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas) at the Red Fort in Delhi, featuring the same rectangular layout and scalloped arches. The defensive-style railings on the roof of the main hall were also influenced by Mughal architecture.
Besides South Indian Tamils, some North Indian Pathans (Pashtun descent) and Punjabis also came to Ipoh under British Malaya rule to work as police. They were responsible for keeping order during peacetime, and they fought bravely against the invaders during the Japanese occupation in 1941. In 1930, the British gave them a piece of land to build a mosque, which became their main gathering place on their day off. Today, this mosque is still used by Punjabi Pakistani Muslims and is known as the Pakistan Mosque.
The Ipoh Pakistan Mosque is mostly pink, which makes it look very cute. The imam was very kind and showed us where we could get water.
Right next to the Pakistan Mosque is Ipoh's Little India. Maybe it was because we went in the morning, but Ipoh's Little India didn't feel as busy as the one in Klang, though it still had all the flower shops, food stalls, and clothing stores.
In the old town of Ipoh, we ate at a place with over 50 years of history called Gerai Makanan dan Minuman Rahamath. It is known as the best Tamil mamak stall for rice with curry (nasi kandar) in Ipoh, famous for its spicy tomato chicken, spiced fried chicken, and lamb curry, which is thick and fragrant.
Rice with curry (nasi kandar) is a dish invented by Tamil Muslims in Malaysia. It is simply rice served with various beef, lamb, chicken, fish, or shrimp curries and side dishes. When Tamils first arrived on the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, most carried food on shoulder poles to sell along the streets, which is why their food became known as shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar). By the 20th century, Tamil Muslims opened various restaurants and stalls, but the name shoulder-pole rice (nasi kandar) is still used today.
We also had durian shaved ice (cendol) at Concubine Lane in Ipoh's old town, and they gave us a huge piece of durian; eating durian in Malaysia is really a great deal.
Panglima Kinta Mosque is located by the Kinta River in Ipoh. It was built in 1898 by the Malay chief who ruled Ipoh at the time, Panglima Kinta Muhamad Yusuff, to honor his wife. After it was finished, it became the center of the faith for the Malay people in Ipoh.
Panglima Kinta was one of the eight chiefs of Perak and the lord of the Kinta region. Under his rule, large numbers of laborers came to the Kinta Valley where Ipoh is located to mine tin, and Ipoh quickly grew from an unknown Malay village (kampung) into a city of shophouses. By the time Panglima Kinta passed away in 1903, he was likely one of the wealthiest lords on the Malay Peninsula.
Panglima Kinta Mosque blends Indian-based Mughal style with Roman-Greek neoclassical style. The main hall has a semi-circular Mughal dome on top, while the octagonal minarets on both sides were influenced by Chinese brick towers. The minbar pulpit inside the main hall was built by a master Malay craftsman from Penang named Tuan Haji Mohamed Sopian, and its design is exquisite.
There are several other buildings surrounding the main hall of the Panglima Kinta Mosque. To the southeast of the main hall is the Balai Lintang, which was used for gatherings during Ramadan. It is now open as an exhibition hall, showcasing the history of the faith in Ipoh and the Kinta region, as well as the life of the Panglima Kinta lord.
The exhibition hall houses a traditional drum (beduk) found in Malay mosques. This single-sided drum is made by hollowing out jackfruit wood and covering one side with cowhide. Slow beats on the beduk drum signal the start of the call to prayer (bang), while rapid beats indicate that someone has passed away.
The exhibition hall also displays the traditional ceremonial headgear (tengkolok) of Perak state. The Sultan of Perak and the eight major chiefs wear the tengkolok when attending various ceremonies.
Further east stands a religious school built in the style of a traditional Malay wooden house. People say Shaik Tholji, a teacher from Egypt, once taught here and made a great contribution to the development of the local faith.
The mosque grounds also contain the graves of the Panglima Kinta lords from past generations.
I found a rattan and bamboo shop on the streets of Ipoh. These beaters used for cleaning blankets and quilts are quite interesting.
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Halal Travel Guide: 2023 Mankai Journey - Mosques, Food and Muslim Communities
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: 2023 Mankai Journey - Mosques, Food and Muslim Communities is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Mankai Journey, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In August 2023, Saudi Arabian Airlines launched direct flights from Beijing to Jeddah. Their website offers a four-day stopover option that includes a transit visa and one night at a hotel. I immediately canceled my planned trip to Malaysia and changed my plans to a Hejaz trip for the end of October.
I took off from Beijing Daxing Airport at midnight for an 11-hour flight to Jeddah. This was the longest flight I have ever taken. Most people on the plane were transferring to Europe, with only a few traveling for Umrah. About 30 minutes before reaching the Miqat, there is an announcement on the plane reminding everyone to change into their ihram. I changed into my ihram and performed wudu in the restroom at the back of the plane. When I opened the door, there was a space for namaz with a curtain I could pull shut. This was my first time performing namaz on a plane.
The plane arrived at Jeddah Airport at 7:00 a.m. The exit was full of drivers trying to get passengers for Makkah, but we needed to drop our bags at the hotel provided by Saudi Arabian Airlines, so we took an Uber to the hotel first. My Uber was linked directly to my credit card, so I did not need to pay with cash. I want to remind my fellow Muslim friends (dostani) that the Uber pickup point is not in the parking lot directly in front of the exit. You need to go down to the first floor, head out, and turn left to find the designated Uber area.
The hotel check-in was supposed to be in the afternoon, but they let us check in as soon as we arrived in the morning. After getting settled, we grabbed our small shoe bag, travel prayer rug, prayer booklet, and prayer counter, then caught an Uber right outside the hotel to head to the Kaaba. There is actually a high-speed train between Jeddah and Makkah, but since there were three of us, we would have had to pay for taxis to and from the train station, so it was easier to just take a taxi the whole way. A quick tip for my fellow brothers and sisters (dostani): you cannot take an Uber around the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram). If you take a taxi, always agree on the price first and clarify if the rate is per person or the total price to avoid any arguments when you arrive.
We set our destination to the Clock Tower. After an hour-long drive, the driver dropped us off at the underground passage of the Clock Tower. We took the escalator up and came out right at the King Fahd Gate of the Sacred Mosque, which is Gate 79. The Sacred Mosque has many gates. Some only lead to prayer areas, while others only lead to the upper floors. If you are performing Umrah, the King Fahd Gate (Gate 79) is the best one to use.
Right outside the King Fahd Gate, there are separate washrooms for men and women. Since we had already performed wudu at the hotel, we went straight inside, walked through a prayer area, and headed directly to the courtyard where the Kaaba is located. You do not need to book Umrah on the Nusuk app, but men must be wearing their ihram (pilgrim garments) to enter the Kaaba courtyard through the King Fahd Gate. Those not wearing ihram must enter the Sacred Mosque through other gates.
Once you enter the courtyard, your first step is to find the Black Stone. Even though it is less crowded in the morning than at night because of the hot sun, it is still hard to get close to the Kaaba. The easiest way to find the Black Stone is to look for the Golden Door on the Kaaba; the Black Stone is at the bottom left corner of that door. Start at the Black Stone, uncover your right shoulder, and circle the Kaaba seven times. The crowd is thickest near the Station of Ibrahim, so dear friends (dostani), please stay safe. After you finish the circuits, cover your right shoulder again. There is a fenced-off area outside the Station of Ibrahim where you can pray two rak'ahs of namaz.
After finishing the circuits of the Kaaba, look for the signs for Masaa (the ritual running) and head east to the place where you walk between the two hills. The nearest entrance was under construction and closed, so we walked further south until we found the path to the area for the walk between the two hills. The entrances to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) often open and close based on how many people are there, so you may have to walk around if it gets too crowded.
Once you enter the area for the running, go to Mount Safa at the far south end to officially start your seven trips. The men start running when they see the green light strip on the ceiling, then go back to walking normally once the light strip ends. Since the walk takes a long time, you might lose track of how many laps you have done, so I recommend that fellow believers (dostani) bring a counter. We happened to catch the prayer time (peshin) while walking, and it was powerful to see everyone in the hallway doing namaz together before continuing the walk.
After finishing the walk, you need to shave your head to end the state of ihram. The barbers are in the underground passage on the west side of the Clock Tower, and you can choose between using clippers or a clean shave.
You do not need to buy water in advance for Umrah because Zamzam water is everywhere inside the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) for you to drink. They have both room temperature and ice water, and they even thoughtfully posted the etiquette for drinking Zamzam water in several languages, including Chinese.
After finishing the Umrah rituals, we had lunch in the Clock Tower across from the Sacred Mosque. There are two food courts inside the Clock Tower. We went to the one on the 4th floor of the west building first, which is a bit smaller than the one in the center of the Clock Tower. The food court mainly serves popular Middle Eastern fast food. There are not many tables and chairs, so most people buy their food to go. We ate lamb rice (mandi) and grilled fish. Both tasted good, but the portions were huge! One order was enough for the three of us. Mandi rice comes from Yemen and is the most popular staple food across the Arabian Peninsula. Mandi is mainly seasoned with a spice blend called Hawaij, which is made from cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and other spices.
This place is the former home of the first Rashidun Caliph, Abu Bakr, and the starting point of the Prophet's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina. In 622 AD, when the Prophet decided to migrate following Allah's command, he arrived at Abu Bakr's house at noon to tell him he would be joining the journey. Abu Bakr shed tears of joy and wanted to give the Prophet a camel. The Prophet insisted on paying for it, so Abu Bakr had to accept the money. That evening, the Prophet Muhammad came to Abu Bakr's house again. He led Abu Bakr to leave Makkah in a hurry and start their migration journey.
We entered the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) around 5:00 PM. Because the temperature had dropped, there were many more people than in the morning. The entrances to the central courtyard of the Kaaba were already closed, so we had to walk a long way around the outer corridor to circle it. We performed the sunset prayer (Maghrib) on the upper floor of the corridor. The side of the corridor near the courtyard was blocked off, making it hard to see the Kaaba directly.
After Maghrib, it took us a long time to find an exit from the mosque. We went back to our hotel in the Clock Tower to rest for a bit, then went to the prayer hall on the P9 floor of the Clock Tower to perform the night prayer (Isha). We followed the congregation (jama'ah) from the Sacred Mosque here, and the reward for performing the prayer (namaz) is the same as doing it inside the mosque. From the windows of the prayer hall, you can see the Sacred Mosque packed with people at night.
The Saudi authorities built the Clock Tower itself in 2002 after they demolished the Ajyad Fortress, which was built by the Ottoman Empire in 1780, and leveled the Bulbul mountain where the fortress stood. The demolition of the Ajyad Fortress caused a huge protest. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism compared this act to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. King Fahd of Saudi Arabia ordered the castle to be torn down and promised to rebuild it, but more than 20 years have passed and there is still no news.
After passing Hufu Beach, we had dinner at the food court on the fourth floor of the Clock Tower building. It mainly serves Arab fast food like shawarma (kaoroujuan) and rice dishes (menfan), as well as South Asian curry and various fried chicken and burger spots. There are international chains like Burger King and McDonald's, along with some local brands. We drank a mango milkshake and ate a beef burger. The milkshake was quite sweet, which is very typical of South Asian style, and the burger felt a bit inferior compared to Burger King.
The supermarket inside the Clock Tower building is where pilgrims (Hajis) do their daily shopping. You can buy traditional Arab yogurt drink (Leben) inside, which is a beverage made by fermenting milk for a whole day and then stirring it to remove the butter. You can also buy freshly squeezed guava juice.
At dawn, the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) was brightly lit and packed with people; it was impossible to squeeze into the core area. We followed the crowd and were directed to the rooftop. The spots with prayer rugs were already full, so we sat right on the marble floor. I reminded my fellow believers (dostani) that it is best to bring a travel prayer rug when visiting the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram).
I truly felt the power of faith (imani) here, where believers (dostani) from all over the world gather because of their faith (imani). I used to always make the intention (niyyah) to face the Kaaba, but this time I was finally there in person facing it. The emotion is hard to put into words.
After the dawn prayer (fajr), we went back to the hotel for breakfast. We stayed at the Movenpick Hotel in the Clock Tower, where many Hajj groups stay. Although it is very close to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), the elevators are a hassle because you have to switch them halfway. Also, the hotel entrance is a no-go zone for UBER, so you have to hail a taxi yourself.
The hotel breakfast is quite rich, with highlights like the Egyptian fava bean stew (ful medames) and deep-fried chickpea balls (falafel). Ful medames is a fava bean stew that dates back to ancient Egypt. It is seasoned with olive oil and cumin, and you can add your own toppings like parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and chili. Egyptian falafel is made from fried fava beans, while in the Levant region, it is mostly made from chickpeas. Sometimes the inside of a falafel is green because parsley and green onions were added during the grinding process.
After breakfast, we took a taxi to climb the Mountain of Light (Jabal al-Nour). Before receiving revelation, the Prophet would retreat to the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light for one month of meditation every year. In 610 AD, the Archangel Jibril appeared in the Cave of Hira and revealed the first five verses of the Chapter of the Clot to the 40-year-old Prophet, marking the beginning of his mission.
The trail up the Mountain of Light is quite steep. We started climbing at 7:43 AM and reached the summit at 8:31 AM. Although the morning sun was softer than in the afternoon, I was still sweating heavily and drank several bottles of water. Because there were too many people inside the Cave of Hira, we performed our two-rak'ah namaz on the platform at the summit for safety.
There are several lemonade stalls along the mountain road of Mount Guangming where you can take a break. Drinking lemonade with masala spices added is a great way to rehydrate.
At noon, I prepared to leave by high-speed rail for Medina. I bought an appetizer platter and grilled meat with rice (pilaf) at the Clock Tower to pack and eat on the train. The high-speed rail connecting Makkah, Jeddah, and Medina opened in 2018. It takes about two hours to get from Makkah to Medina, which is currently the most convenient way to travel between the two holy cities. The boarding gate closes 10 minutes early. There were not many people on the high-speed train, and the air conditioning was very strong. I felt a bit uncomfortable after a while and had to stand in the area between the carriages for a bit to feel better.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: 2023 Mankai Journey - Mosques, Food and Muslim Communities is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Mankai Journey, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In August 2023, Saudi Arabian Airlines launched direct flights from Beijing to Jeddah. Their website offers a four-day stopover option that includes a transit visa and one night at a hotel. I immediately canceled my planned trip to Malaysia and changed my plans to a Hejaz trip for the end of October.
I took off from Beijing Daxing Airport at midnight for an 11-hour flight to Jeddah. This was the longest flight I have ever taken. Most people on the plane were transferring to Europe, with only a few traveling for Umrah. About 30 minutes before reaching the Miqat, there is an announcement on the plane reminding everyone to change into their ihram. I changed into my ihram and performed wudu in the restroom at the back of the plane. When I opened the door, there was a space for namaz with a curtain I could pull shut. This was my first time performing namaz on a plane.
The plane arrived at Jeddah Airport at 7:00 a.m. The exit was full of drivers trying to get passengers for Makkah, but we needed to drop our bags at the hotel provided by Saudi Arabian Airlines, so we took an Uber to the hotel first. My Uber was linked directly to my credit card, so I did not need to pay with cash. I want to remind my fellow Muslim friends (dostani) that the Uber pickup point is not in the parking lot directly in front of the exit. You need to go down to the first floor, head out, and turn left to find the designated Uber area.
The hotel check-in was supposed to be in the afternoon, but they let us check in as soon as we arrived in the morning. After getting settled, we grabbed our small shoe bag, travel prayer rug, prayer booklet, and prayer counter, then caught an Uber right outside the hotel to head to the Kaaba. There is actually a high-speed train between Jeddah and Makkah, but since there were three of us, we would have had to pay for taxis to and from the train station, so it was easier to just take a taxi the whole way. A quick tip for my fellow brothers and sisters (dostani): you cannot take an Uber around the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram). If you take a taxi, always agree on the price first and clarify if the rate is per person or the total price to avoid any arguments when you arrive.
We set our destination to the Clock Tower. After an hour-long drive, the driver dropped us off at the underground passage of the Clock Tower. We took the escalator up and came out right at the King Fahd Gate of the Sacred Mosque, which is Gate 79. The Sacred Mosque has many gates. Some only lead to prayer areas, while others only lead to the upper floors. If you are performing Umrah, the King Fahd Gate (Gate 79) is the best one to use.
Right outside the King Fahd Gate, there are separate washrooms for men and women. Since we had already performed wudu at the hotel, we went straight inside, walked through a prayer area, and headed directly to the courtyard where the Kaaba is located. You do not need to book Umrah on the Nusuk app, but men must be wearing their ihram (pilgrim garments) to enter the Kaaba courtyard through the King Fahd Gate. Those not wearing ihram must enter the Sacred Mosque through other gates.
Once you enter the courtyard, your first step is to find the Black Stone. Even though it is less crowded in the morning than at night because of the hot sun, it is still hard to get close to the Kaaba. The easiest way to find the Black Stone is to look for the Golden Door on the Kaaba; the Black Stone is at the bottom left corner of that door. Start at the Black Stone, uncover your right shoulder, and circle the Kaaba seven times. The crowd is thickest near the Station of Ibrahim, so dear friends (dostani), please stay safe. After you finish the circuits, cover your right shoulder again. There is a fenced-off area outside the Station of Ibrahim where you can pray two rak'ahs of namaz.
After finishing the circuits of the Kaaba, look for the signs for Masaa (the ritual running) and head east to the place where you walk between the two hills. The nearest entrance was under construction and closed, so we walked further south until we found the path to the area for the walk between the two hills. The entrances to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) often open and close based on how many people are there, so you may have to walk around if it gets too crowded.
Once you enter the area for the running, go to Mount Safa at the far south end to officially start your seven trips. The men start running when they see the green light strip on the ceiling, then go back to walking normally once the light strip ends. Since the walk takes a long time, you might lose track of how many laps you have done, so I recommend that fellow believers (dostani) bring a counter. We happened to catch the prayer time (peshin) while walking, and it was powerful to see everyone in the hallway doing namaz together before continuing the walk.
After finishing the walk, you need to shave your head to end the state of ihram. The barbers are in the underground passage on the west side of the Clock Tower, and you can choose between using clippers or a clean shave.
You do not need to buy water in advance for Umrah because Zamzam water is everywhere inside the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) for you to drink. They have both room temperature and ice water, and they even thoughtfully posted the etiquette for drinking Zamzam water in several languages, including Chinese.
After finishing the Umrah rituals, we had lunch in the Clock Tower across from the Sacred Mosque. There are two food courts inside the Clock Tower. We went to the one on the 4th floor of the west building first, which is a bit smaller than the one in the center of the Clock Tower. The food court mainly serves popular Middle Eastern fast food. There are not many tables and chairs, so most people buy their food to go. We ate lamb rice (mandi) and grilled fish. Both tasted good, but the portions were huge! One order was enough for the three of us. Mandi rice comes from Yemen and is the most popular staple food across the Arabian Peninsula. Mandi is mainly seasoned with a spice blend called Hawaij, which is made from cumin, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, and other spices.
This place is the former home of the first Rashidun Caliph, Abu Bakr, and the starting point of the Prophet's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina. In 622 AD, when the Prophet decided to migrate following Allah's command, he arrived at Abu Bakr's house at noon to tell him he would be joining the journey. Abu Bakr shed tears of joy and wanted to give the Prophet a camel. The Prophet insisted on paying for it, so Abu Bakr had to accept the money. That evening, the Prophet Muhammad came to Abu Bakr's house again. He led Abu Bakr to leave Makkah in a hurry and start their migration journey.
We entered the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) around 5:00 PM. Because the temperature had dropped, there were many more people than in the morning. The entrances to the central courtyard of the Kaaba were already closed, so we had to walk a long way around the outer corridor to circle it. We performed the sunset prayer (Maghrib) on the upper floor of the corridor. The side of the corridor near the courtyard was blocked off, making it hard to see the Kaaba directly.
After Maghrib, it took us a long time to find an exit from the mosque. We went back to our hotel in the Clock Tower to rest for a bit, then went to the prayer hall on the P9 floor of the Clock Tower to perform the night prayer (Isha). We followed the congregation (jama'ah) from the Sacred Mosque here, and the reward for performing the prayer (namaz) is the same as doing it inside the mosque. From the windows of the prayer hall, you can see the Sacred Mosque packed with people at night.
The Saudi authorities built the Clock Tower itself in 2002 after they demolished the Ajyad Fortress, which was built by the Ottoman Empire in 1780, and leveled the Bulbul mountain where the fortress stood. The demolition of the Ajyad Fortress caused a huge protest. The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism compared this act to the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas. King Fahd of Saudi Arabia ordered the castle to be torn down and promised to rebuild it, but more than 20 years have passed and there is still no news.
After passing Hufu Beach, we had dinner at the food court on the fourth floor of the Clock Tower building. It mainly serves Arab fast food like shawarma (kaoroujuan) and rice dishes (menfan), as well as South Asian curry and various fried chicken and burger spots. There are international chains like Burger King and McDonald's, along with some local brands. We drank a mango milkshake and ate a beef burger. The milkshake was quite sweet, which is very typical of South Asian style, and the burger felt a bit inferior compared to Burger King.
The supermarket inside the Clock Tower building is where pilgrims (Hajis) do their daily shopping. You can buy traditional Arab yogurt drink (Leben) inside, which is a beverage made by fermenting milk for a whole day and then stirring it to remove the butter. You can also buy freshly squeezed guava juice.
At dawn, the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) was brightly lit and packed with people; it was impossible to squeeze into the core area. We followed the crowd and were directed to the rooftop. The spots with prayer rugs were already full, so we sat right on the marble floor. I reminded my fellow believers (dostani) that it is best to bring a travel prayer rug when visiting the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram).
I truly felt the power of faith (imani) here, where believers (dostani) from all over the world gather because of their faith (imani). I used to always make the intention (niyyah) to face the Kaaba, but this time I was finally there in person facing it. The emotion is hard to put into words.
After the dawn prayer (fajr), we went back to the hotel for breakfast. We stayed at the Movenpick Hotel in the Clock Tower, where many Hajj groups stay. Although it is very close to the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram), the elevators are a hassle because you have to switch them halfway. Also, the hotel entrance is a no-go zone for UBER, so you have to hail a taxi yourself.
The hotel breakfast is quite rich, with highlights like the Egyptian fava bean stew (ful medames) and deep-fried chickpea balls (falafel). Ful medames is a fava bean stew that dates back to ancient Egypt. It is seasoned with olive oil and cumin, and you can add your own toppings like parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, and chili. Egyptian falafel is made from fried fava beans, while in the Levant region, it is mostly made from chickpeas. Sometimes the inside of a falafel is green because parsley and green onions were added during the grinding process.
After breakfast, we took a taxi to climb the Mountain of Light (Jabal al-Nour). Before receiving revelation, the Prophet would retreat to the Cave of Hira on the Mountain of Light for one month of meditation every year. In 610 AD, the Archangel Jibril appeared in the Cave of Hira and revealed the first five verses of the Chapter of the Clot to the 40-year-old Prophet, marking the beginning of his mission.
The trail up the Mountain of Light is quite steep. We started climbing at 7:43 AM and reached the summit at 8:31 AM. Although the morning sun was softer than in the afternoon, I was still sweating heavily and drank several bottles of water. Because there were too many people inside the Cave of Hira, we performed our two-rak'ah namaz on the platform at the summit for safety.
There are several lemonade stalls along the mountain road of Mount Guangming where you can take a break. Drinking lemonade with masala spices added is a great way to rehydrate.
At noon, I prepared to leave by high-speed rail for Medina. I bought an appetizer platter and grilled meat with rice (pilaf) at the Clock Tower to pack and eat on the train. The high-speed rail connecting Makkah, Jeddah, and Medina opened in 2018. It takes about two hours to get from Makkah to Medina, which is currently the most convenient way to travel between the two holy cities. The boarding gate closes 10 minutes early. There were not many people on the high-speed train, and the air conditioning was very strong. I felt a bit uncomfortable after a while and had to stand in the area between the carriages for a bit to feel better.
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Halal Travel Guide: Selangor - Jugra, Klang and Royal Muslim Heritage
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Selangor - Jugra, Klang and Royal Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Selangor, Klang, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Selangor is on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula and surrounds Kuala Lumpur. After the Dutch took over Malacca in 1641, they brought Bugis people from Sulawesi to Selangor to work as mercenaries, and these Bugis later grew very powerful. In 1743, the Bugis warrior Raja Lumu was named Raja of Selangor for helping the Sultan of Perak take the throne. In 1766, Raja Lumu married the niece of the Sultan of Perak and was officially named the Sultan of Selangor.
The royal capital of the Selangor Sultanate was first at Kuala Selangor, near the mouth of the Selangor River, but it was destroyed during the Klang War between 1867 and 1874. In 1875, Sultan Abdul Samad moved the royal capital to the foot of Jugra Hill, inside the mouth of the Selangor River, where the historical Alaeddin Palace and Alaeddin Mosque still stand today.
Alaeddin Palace, also called the Old Jugra Palace, was built between 1899 and 1905 by order of Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor. Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah of Selangor was born here in 1926, and he later became the eleventh King of Malaysia. The palace stopped being used after Sultan Alaeddin died in 1938, and it was emptied after Malaysia became a country in 1957. It was later used as a craft center and a state religious department until it was handed over to a cultural heritage company in 2008, and it is now open as a tourist attraction.
The Alaeddin Palace was built in two stages, with the main building finished in 1899 and the southern courtyard and veranda added in 1914. The main structure is made of brick and lime mortar, while the doors and windows use high-quality Cengal wood. The inside of the palace has over forty rooms, including bathrooms, a throne room, a banquet hall, bedrooms, parlors, balconies, and a kitchen. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens, and there is a pool in front of the building.
The main part of the Alaeddin Palace is Western-style, but it keeps the traditional Malay pyramid-shaped roof (Limas), features Indian Moorish-style decorations, and shows the work of Chinese craftsmen on the doors, windows, and pillars. Because you can see Malay, Indian, Chinese, and European architectural elements all at once, it stands as a witness to Malaysia being a meeting point for different cultures at that time.
The veranda at Aladdin Palace was built in 1914 and connects living areas like the kitchen and bathroom to the main hall.
Aladdin Mosque is not far north of Aladdin Palace and was also built in 1905 by order of Sultan Aladdin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor. The mosque's dome and arches feature a classic Mughal Revival style, while other design elements come from the Sultanate of Deli on Sumatra island. The pulpit (minbar) inside the mosque is very beautiful, especially the unique Arabic calligraphy wood carvings at the top.
During the reign of Sultan Aladdin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor, the Sultan built Alam Shah Palace in Klang to Aladdin Palace in Jugra. After that, Klang became the royal city of Selangor, and various Selangor royal ceremonies were held there.
Although Alam Shah Palace is not open to the public, the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque right next to it is definitely worth a visit. The Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque was a gift from the British to Sultan Sulaiman at the time to replace the Pengkalan Batu Mosque, which was demolished to build the Klang train station. The mosque was built between 1932 and 1933. Once finished, it was the largest mosque in the Federated Malay States at the time, and it has remained the royal mosque for the Sultan of Selangor ever since.
Unlike the Moorish Revival style common in Malaysia during the early 20th century, the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque uses the Art Deco style. The mosque was designed by Leofric Kesteven from the UK, who served as the president of the Institute of Architects Malaya from 1931 to 1933. Reinforced concrete expert John Thomas Chester and Singapore-based Italian sculptor Rodolfo Nolli also helped with the construction. The Art Deco style was popular in Europe and America during the 1920s and 1930s. This style is known for using reinforced concrete and features clean, simple lines that make it unique.
Behind the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque is the Selangor Royal Mausoleum. It holds the graves of Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah (reigned 1896-1938), Sultan Hisamuddin Shah (reigned 1938-42, 1945-60), Sultan Musa (reigned 1942-45), and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (reigned 1960-2001), covering the entire history of the Sultans of Selangor in the 20th century.
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery is in the center of old Klang. It was originally the Sultan Sulaiman Building, which Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah ordered to be built in 1909. It was designed by the famous architect Arthur Benison Hubback, who also designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Jamek Mosque, and the National Textile Museum. The building was once used as a land and administration office by the British, and it served as a Japanese military headquarters during World War II. In 2001, it became a royal gallery to honor Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah reigned from 1960 to 2001. In 1974, he signed an agreement with the Malaysian federal government to separate Kuala Lumpur from Selangor and establish the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. In 1978, the Sultan officially ordered the capital of Selangor to move to Shah Alam. The name Shah Alam honors his father, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah.
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery has detailed information about the Sultans of Selangor and many items from the Sultan's collection.
The incense burner passed down through generations of the Selangor Sultan's family is used for various important occasions.
The ceremonial robe worn by Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah at his 1939 coronation.
The hat worn by Sultan Hisamuddin in the 1950s.
The chair used by Sultan Musa around 1940.
Crown Prince Abdul Aziz wearing traditional Malay clothing while studying in the United Kingdom in 1951.
The songkok caps worn by Sultan Abdul Aziz during different periods.
In the 19th century, the demand for tin from the West grew, causing the tin mining industry in Selangor to expand rapidly. This led to the quick rise of Klang's status. The railway connecting Kuala Lumpur and Klang officially opened in 1890. Port Klang was completed in 1901. Many Chinese and Indian people came to Klang to make a living, and the old town of Klang began to take shape.
Today, the shophouse area of Klang's old town has a lively Little India district. The street is lined with shops selling Indian clothing, jewelry, and flowers. Most owners have been in business for three generations. Their ancestors were mostly Tamils from South India, along with some Telugus and Punjabis.
A night view of Little India in Klang.
South Indian Tamil Muslims established a place of worship in Klang as early as 1890. In 1904, Tamil Muslim merchants raised funds to build the Klang Indian Mosque (Klang Indian Mosque). The mosque was rebuilt twice, in 1974 and 2007, and it has now become a landmark in Klang's Little India.
I caught the Tamil Pongal festival celebration in Klang's Little India, where a stage was set up behind the mosque for various dance performances. Pongal is the harvest festival for Tamil people. It falls on the first day of the tenth month of the Tamil solar calendar, marking the end of the winter solstice as the sun begins its move north.
After walking through Little India in Klang, I had a late-night snack at a Tamil mamak stall. Dipping flatbread into curry is simple and comforting. Walking through old towns in Malaysia, you often see 24-hour Tamil mamak stalls. They are very convenient for travelers.
Starting in the 18th century, Tamil people from southeastern India and northern Sri Lanka migrated along the Indian Ocean to the Malay Peninsula. In Malaysia, Tamil people are called Mamak, which comes from the Tamil word for uncle (maa-ma). That is why Tamil restaurant stalls are also known as mamak stalls.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Selangor - Jugra, Klang and Royal Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Selangor, Klang, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Selangor is on the west coast of the Malay Peninsula and surrounds Kuala Lumpur. After the Dutch took over Malacca in 1641, they brought Bugis people from Sulawesi to Selangor to work as mercenaries, and these Bugis later grew very powerful. In 1743, the Bugis warrior Raja Lumu was named Raja of Selangor for helping the Sultan of Perak take the throne. In 1766, Raja Lumu married the niece of the Sultan of Perak and was officially named the Sultan of Selangor.
The royal capital of the Selangor Sultanate was first at Kuala Selangor, near the mouth of the Selangor River, but it was destroyed during the Klang War between 1867 and 1874. In 1875, Sultan Abdul Samad moved the royal capital to the foot of Jugra Hill, inside the mouth of the Selangor River, where the historical Alaeddin Palace and Alaeddin Mosque still stand today.
Alaeddin Palace, also called the Old Jugra Palace, was built between 1899 and 1905 by order of Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor. Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah of Selangor was born here in 1926, and he later became the eleventh King of Malaysia. The palace stopped being used after Sultan Alaeddin died in 1938, and it was emptied after Malaysia became a country in 1957. It was later used as a craft center and a state religious department until it was handed over to a cultural heritage company in 2008, and it is now open as a tourist attraction.
The Alaeddin Palace was built in two stages, with the main building finished in 1899 and the southern courtyard and veranda added in 1914. The main structure is made of brick and lime mortar, while the doors and windows use high-quality Cengal wood. The inside of the palace has over forty rooms, including bathrooms, a throne room, a banquet hall, bedrooms, parlors, balconies, and a kitchen. The palace is surrounded by beautiful gardens, and there is a pool in front of the building.
The main part of the Alaeddin Palace is Western-style, but it keeps the traditional Malay pyramid-shaped roof (Limas), features Indian Moorish-style decorations, and shows the work of Chinese craftsmen on the doors, windows, and pillars. Because you can see Malay, Indian, Chinese, and European architectural elements all at once, it stands as a witness to Malaysia being a meeting point for different cultures at that time.
The veranda at Aladdin Palace was built in 1914 and connects living areas like the kitchen and bathroom to the main hall.
Aladdin Mosque is not far north of Aladdin Palace and was also built in 1905 by order of Sultan Aladdin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor. The mosque's dome and arches feature a classic Mughal Revival style, while other design elements come from the Sultanate of Deli on Sumatra island. The pulpit (minbar) inside the mosque is very beautiful, especially the unique Arabic calligraphy wood carvings at the top.
During the reign of Sultan Aladdin Sulaiman Shah of Selangor, the Sultan built Alam Shah Palace in Klang to Aladdin Palace in Jugra. After that, Klang became the royal city of Selangor, and various Selangor royal ceremonies were held there.
Although Alam Shah Palace is not open to the public, the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque right next to it is definitely worth a visit. The Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque was a gift from the British to Sultan Sulaiman at the time to replace the Pengkalan Batu Mosque, which was demolished to build the Klang train station. The mosque was built between 1932 and 1933. Once finished, it was the largest mosque in the Federated Malay States at the time, and it has remained the royal mosque for the Sultan of Selangor ever since.
Unlike the Moorish Revival style common in Malaysia during the early 20th century, the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque uses the Art Deco style. The mosque was designed by Leofric Kesteven from the UK, who served as the president of the Institute of Architects Malaya from 1931 to 1933. Reinforced concrete expert John Thomas Chester and Singapore-based Italian sculptor Rodolfo Nolli also helped with the construction. The Art Deco style was popular in Europe and America during the 1920s and 1930s. This style is known for using reinforced concrete and features clean, simple lines that make it unique.
Behind the Sultan Sulaiman Royal Mosque is the Selangor Royal Mausoleum. It holds the graves of Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah (reigned 1896-1938), Sultan Hisamuddin Shah (reigned 1938-42, 1945-60), Sultan Musa (reigned 1942-45), and Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (reigned 1960-2001), covering the entire history of the Sultans of Selangor in the 20th century.
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery is in the center of old Klang. It was originally the Sultan Sulaiman Building, which Sultan Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah ordered to be built in 1909. It was designed by the famous architect Arthur Benison Hubback, who also designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Jamek Mosque, and the National Textile Museum. The building was once used as a land and administration office by the British, and it served as a Japanese military headquarters during World War II. In 2001, it became a royal gallery to honor Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah.
Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah reigned from 1960 to 2001. In 1974, he signed an agreement with the Malaysian federal government to separate Kuala Lumpur from Selangor and establish the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. In 1978, the Sultan officially ordered the capital of Selangor to move to Shah Alam. The name Shah Alam honors his father, Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah.
The Sultan Abdul Aziz Royal Gallery has detailed information about the Sultans of Selangor and many items from the Sultan's collection.
The incense burner passed down through generations of the Selangor Sultan's family is used for various important occasions.
The ceremonial robe worn by Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah at his 1939 coronation.
The hat worn by Sultan Hisamuddin in the 1950s.
The chair used by Sultan Musa around 1940.
Crown Prince Abdul Aziz wearing traditional Malay clothing while studying in the United Kingdom in 1951.
The songkok caps worn by Sultan Abdul Aziz during different periods.
In the 19th century, the demand for tin from the West grew, causing the tin mining industry in Selangor to expand rapidly. This led to the quick rise of Klang's status. The railway connecting Kuala Lumpur and Klang officially opened in 1890. Port Klang was completed in 1901. Many Chinese and Indian people came to Klang to make a living, and the old town of Klang began to take shape.
Today, the shophouse area of Klang's old town has a lively Little India district. The street is lined with shops selling Indian clothing, jewelry, and flowers. Most owners have been in business for three generations. Their ancestors were mostly Tamils from South India, along with some Telugus and Punjabis.
A night view of Little India in Klang.
South Indian Tamil Muslims established a place of worship in Klang as early as 1890. In 1904, Tamil Muslim merchants raised funds to build the Klang Indian Mosque (Klang Indian Mosque). The mosque was rebuilt twice, in 1974 and 2007, and it has now become a landmark in Klang's Little India.
I caught the Tamil Pongal festival celebration in Klang's Little India, where a stage was set up behind the mosque for various dance performances. Pongal is the harvest festival for Tamil people. It falls on the first day of the tenth month of the Tamil solar calendar, marking the end of the winter solstice as the sun begins its move north.
After walking through Little India in Klang, I had a late-night snack at a Tamil mamak stall. Dipping flatbread into curry is simple and comforting. Walking through old towns in Malaysia, you often see 24-hour Tamil mamak stalls. They are very convenient for travelers.
Starting in the 18th century, Tamil people from southeastern India and northern Sri Lanka migrated along the Indian Ocean to the Malay Peninsula. In Malaysia, Tamil people are called Mamak, which comes from the Tamil word for uncle (maa-ma). That is why Tamil restaurant stalls are also known as mamak stalls.
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Halal Travel Guide: Johor Bahru - Sultanate History, Mosques and Muslim Heritage
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Johor Bahru - Sultanate History, Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Johor Bahru, Muslim Heritage, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In 1511, the Malacca Sultanate was invaded by the Portuguese. After the last Sultan of Malacca, Mahmud Shah, died in 1528, his son Alauddin Riayat Shah II became the Sultan in Johor, and he was known as the Sultan of Johor from then on. The history of the Johor Sultanate includes three dynasties: the Old Johor Dynasty, the Johor Bendahara Dynasty, and the Johor Temenggong Dynasty. Temenggong is an ancient Malay and Javanese noble title. Monarchs could appoint people with this title to rule border regions as regents or governors. In 1855, Sultan Ali of Johor signed a treaty with the British in Singapore. He agreed to hand over most of his power to Temenggong Ibrahim of Johor, who officially took the throne as the Sultan of Johor in 1858.
As early as 1844, Temenggong Ibrahim encouraged Chinese and Javanese people to move to the Malay fishing village of Tanjung Puteri in southern Johor to open ports and clear land. The Chinese grew sugarcane and pepper here, while the Javanese dug canals, built roads, and planted coconuts. In 1866, this place was officially named Johor Bahru, which is known as Xinshan in Chinese. In 1889, Sultan Abu Bakar succeeded to the throne and officially moved the royal capital to Johor Bahru.
Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque (Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar) was ordered to be built by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1892 and was officially completed in 1900. It is a very unique Victorian-style mosque in Malaysia. The mosque sits on a hilltop beside Skudai Road in Johor Bahru, overlooking the Straits of Johor and facing Singapore across the sea.
Victorian style is a revivalist architectural style that formed during the reign of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (reigned 1837-1901). Due to the pro-British sentiment of the Johor Sultanate at the time, many official buildings were constructed in the British style, and Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is a prime example. The minaret of Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque was modeled after 19th-century British clock towers while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements. Looking up at the minaret, it appears very magnificent.
We performed namaz inside the mosque. The main prayer hall is dominated by yellow tones, with the golden roof and pale yellow walls complementing each other to look very elegant. In the center of the main hall stands a minbar with a metallic, mechanical look, giving it a strong Victorian-era steampunk feel.
The Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum (Makam Diraja Mahmoodiah) is the royal burial ground for the Sultans of Johor. It was built in 1895 for the burial of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor. Since then, it has served as the final resting place for all subsequent Sultans of Johor and many members of the royal family. Johor's Chief Ministers and many other important figures are also buried here. Like the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque built during the same period, the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum uses Victorian architectural style while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements.
Sultan Abu Bakar was the first Sultan of modern Johor. Because he pushed hard for modernization, Johor became the fastest-progressing state at the time, earning him the title 'Father of Modern Johor'. Sultan Abu Bakar is most famous for the 'Kangchu system'. This policy encouraged large numbers of Chinese people to immigrate to Johor Bahru, which brought great wealth to Johor. At the same time, under the rule of Sultan Abu Bakar, his friendship with Queen Victoria allowed the Sultanate of Johor to maintain its independence. The Johor state flag could fly on a flagpole at the same height as the British Union Jack. The Johor State Constitution of 1895 was the first constitution in the Malay Peninsula, and it is still used by the state of Johor today.
On the east side of the cemetery stands the Kampung Mahmoodiah Mosque (Masjid Kampung Mahmoodiah), which shares the same style as the mausoleum. This mosque was first built in 1926 as a small mosque, and it was only upgraded to a Jumu'ah mosque in 2023.
In the afternoon, we performed the Asr namaz at the Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque (Masjid Diraja Pasir Pelangi). The Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque was built in 1911 next to the Johor Sultan's Pasir Pelangi Palace. The mosque features a neoclassical style that shows a clear British influence.
We visited an exhibition at the Johor Art Gallery. It features many works by Johor artists, including landscapes of buildings, local customs, and pieces that combine calligraphy with fine art.
A staff member at the Johor Art Gallery guided us through a hands-on experience with traditional tie-dye. The gallery also displays various colorful paintings by local artists. The traditional Malay snack stall at the entrance of the art gallery is also very famous. We were short on time and didn't get to eat there, which was a shame.
The courtyard of the Johor Art Gallery has restored several traditional Johor Malay buildings. A staff member explained Johor Malay culture to us, and we had a lot of fun trying on traditional Johor Malay clothing for free photos.
Besides Malay and Chinese people, there are also many Indian people in Johor Bahru. On Jalan Dhoby in the old town of Johor Bahru, there is a traditional bakery called Salahuddin Bakery that has been open for over 80 years. The founder came to Malaysia from New Delhi in 1925 and opened the current bakery in 1937. It has now been passed down through four generations. His shop still uses a traditional wood-fired oven to bake bread, creating a taste of childhood for generations of people in Johor Bahru.
Their most famous specialty is the curry puff (karipap). The word 'Kari' in this name means 'sauce' in the South Asian Tamil language, while 'pap' comes from the Hokkien word for 'puff'. Curry puffs made by Malaysian Indians have flaky, layered pastry. The fillings are very spicy and include vegetarian options like potato and onion curry, as well as chicken or mutton meat fillings.
In the evening, we performed the evening prayer (namaz) at the Indian mosque in the old town of Johor Bahru. The Indian mosque in Johor Bahru was built in the 1950s. It started as a small prayer hall (surau) for an initial community of 300 people. As the Indian community grew, the mosque was rebuilt and finally became a Friday mosque (Masjid) in 1994.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Johor Bahru - Sultanate History, Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Johor Bahru, Muslim Heritage, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In 1511, the Malacca Sultanate was invaded by the Portuguese. After the last Sultan of Malacca, Mahmud Shah, died in 1528, his son Alauddin Riayat Shah II became the Sultan in Johor, and he was known as the Sultan of Johor from then on. The history of the Johor Sultanate includes three dynasties: the Old Johor Dynasty, the Johor Bendahara Dynasty, and the Johor Temenggong Dynasty. Temenggong is an ancient Malay and Javanese noble title. Monarchs could appoint people with this title to rule border regions as regents or governors. In 1855, Sultan Ali of Johor signed a treaty with the British in Singapore. He agreed to hand over most of his power to Temenggong Ibrahim of Johor, who officially took the throne as the Sultan of Johor in 1858.
As early as 1844, Temenggong Ibrahim encouraged Chinese and Javanese people to move to the Malay fishing village of Tanjung Puteri in southern Johor to open ports and clear land. The Chinese grew sugarcane and pepper here, while the Javanese dug canals, built roads, and planted coconuts. In 1866, this place was officially named Johor Bahru, which is known as Xinshan in Chinese. In 1889, Sultan Abu Bakar succeeded to the throne and officially moved the royal capital to Johor Bahru.
Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque (Masjid Negeri Sultan Abu Bakar) was ordered to be built by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1892 and was officially completed in 1900. It is a very unique Victorian-style mosque in Malaysia. The mosque sits on a hilltop beside Skudai Road in Johor Bahru, overlooking the Straits of Johor and facing Singapore across the sea.
Victorian style is a revivalist architectural style that formed during the reign of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (reigned 1837-1901). Due to the pro-British sentiment of the Johor Sultanate at the time, many official buildings were constructed in the British style, and Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque is a prime example. The minaret of Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque was modeled after 19th-century British clock towers while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements. Looking up at the minaret, it appears very magnificent.
We performed namaz inside the mosque. The main prayer hall is dominated by yellow tones, with the golden roof and pale yellow walls complementing each other to look very elegant. In the center of the main hall stands a minbar with a metallic, mechanical look, giving it a strong Victorian-era steampunk feel.
The Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum (Makam Diraja Mahmoodiah) is the royal burial ground for the Sultans of Johor. It was built in 1895 for the burial of Sultan Abu Bakar of Johor. Since then, it has served as the final resting place for all subsequent Sultans of Johor and many members of the royal family. Johor's Chief Ministers and many other important figures are also buried here. Like the Sultan Abu Bakar Mosque built during the same period, the Mahmoodiah Royal Mausoleum uses Victorian architectural style while incorporating some Moorish architectural elements.
Sultan Abu Bakar was the first Sultan of modern Johor. Because he pushed hard for modernization, Johor became the fastest-progressing state at the time, earning him the title 'Father of Modern Johor'. Sultan Abu Bakar is most famous for the 'Kangchu system'. This policy encouraged large numbers of Chinese people to immigrate to Johor Bahru, which brought great wealth to Johor. At the same time, under the rule of Sultan Abu Bakar, his friendship with Queen Victoria allowed the Sultanate of Johor to maintain its independence. The Johor state flag could fly on a flagpole at the same height as the British Union Jack. The Johor State Constitution of 1895 was the first constitution in the Malay Peninsula, and it is still used by the state of Johor today.
On the east side of the cemetery stands the Kampung Mahmoodiah Mosque (Masjid Kampung Mahmoodiah), which shares the same style as the mausoleum. This mosque was first built in 1926 as a small mosque, and it was only upgraded to a Jumu'ah mosque in 2023.
In the afternoon, we performed the Asr namaz at the Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque (Masjid Diraja Pasir Pelangi). The Pasir Pelangi Royal Mosque was built in 1911 next to the Johor Sultan's Pasir Pelangi Palace. The mosque features a neoclassical style that shows a clear British influence.
We visited an exhibition at the Johor Art Gallery. It features many works by Johor artists, including landscapes of buildings, local customs, and pieces that combine calligraphy with fine art.
A staff member at the Johor Art Gallery guided us through a hands-on experience with traditional tie-dye. The gallery also displays various colorful paintings by local artists. The traditional Malay snack stall at the entrance of the art gallery is also very famous. We were short on time and didn't get to eat there, which was a shame.
The courtyard of the Johor Art Gallery has restored several traditional Johor Malay buildings. A staff member explained Johor Malay culture to us, and we had a lot of fun trying on traditional Johor Malay clothing for free photos.
Besides Malay and Chinese people, there are also many Indian people in Johor Bahru. On Jalan Dhoby in the old town of Johor Bahru, there is a traditional bakery called Salahuddin Bakery that has been open for over 80 years. The founder came to Malaysia from New Delhi in 1925 and opened the current bakery in 1937. It has now been passed down through four generations. His shop still uses a traditional wood-fired oven to bake bread, creating a taste of childhood for generations of people in Johor Bahru.
Their most famous specialty is the curry puff (karipap). The word 'Kari' in this name means 'sauce' in the South Asian Tamil language, while 'pap' comes from the Hokkien word for 'puff'. Curry puffs made by Malaysian Indians have flaky, layered pastry. The fillings are very spicy and include vegetarian options like potato and onion curry, as well as chicken or mutton meat fillings.
In the evening, we performed the evening prayer (namaz) at the Indian mosque in the old town of Johor Bahru. The Indian mosque in Johor Bahru was built in the 1950s. It started as a small prayer hall (surau) for an initial community of 300 people. As the Indian community grew, the mosque was rebuilt and finally became a Friday mosque (Masjid) in 1994.
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Halal Food Guide: Taiwan - Halal Restaurants Across the Island
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Taiwan - Halal Restaurants Across the Island is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Taiwan, Halal Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I am sharing an article from the 300th issue of China Islam magazine titled 'Remembering Brother Mu Huaijia’s Passing—Reflections on the History of Halal Restaurants in Taiwan.' Today I am transcribing the second part, which recalls various halal restaurants in Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, and Taipei.
In the southern city of Kaohsiung, Elder Zhao Ming (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) founded the restaurant Meat Pie and Porridge (xianbing zhou), which was popular with both Muslims and the general public. It only operated for a few years before closing when Elder Ming moved north to the Taipei Mosque. Later, people like Xiao Sang and Song Mingcai opened halal restaurants near the Guangfu Theater, which provided convenience for fellow Muslims.
Two elderly people also ran a snack shop that was very helpful to Muslims in the south. It was located in Kaohsiung on Qiuting Road in Dagangpu, behind the wall of the Telecommunications Bureau. It was in a row of makeshift buildings and the place was very simple. The elderly couple’s shop had no name, just a hanging sign with a water pitcher (tangping) symbol.
The owner was a fellow Muslim named Ma Renshan (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise), who was from Baoding, Hebei. They mainly served steamed buns (baozi) and beef noodles, and when they had time, they would also fry large scallion pancakes (cong you bing). People who know about it always stop by the old man's place when they visit Kaohsiung. Old Mr. Ma liked me because I learned wrestling as a child, and he was a top-tier wrestling master in North and Northwest China. Everyone knows Chang Dongsheng was a national wrestling champion and a fellow Muslim, but few know Old Mr. Ma was also an expert who once challenged Chang Zhi (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) to a match, though Chang did not accept.
Old Mr. Ma once served as a guard battalion commander for General Yan Xishan, and he lived a quiet, retired life after coming to Taiwan. In his later years, he ran this small snack shop to make a living. After Old Mr. Ming closed his shop, Old Mr. Ma's snack shop provided a lot of convenience for the local Muslims.
In the Tainan market, several enthusiastic Muslims including Wang Peijie (now known as Liu Zhi'an) and Hui Wanju pooled their money to open a halal restaurant. Business was good, but it closed after a few years due to a fire. Later, Wang Peijie opened another halal restaurant on Wufu 4th Road in Kaohsiung, and I even held my engagement party there. Wang Laohe later came to Taipei to seek opportunities and even ran a restaurant in Saudi Arabia for a time.
In Taichung, fellow Muslims like Hui Wanjuju, Mu Huaijia, and Chai Menglin (now named Chai Jin) once opened a halal restaurant, but business was hard to sustain and they closed the shop after a few years. Later, Song Mingcai ran a restaurant called Ende Yuan across from Taichung Park for many years, but it closed when Song immigrated abroad.
In Taichung, a fellow Muslim from Henan named Ma Yukun ran a specialty dumpling shop for many years, which also closed when he immigrated. There is a small halal restaurant on Jingwu Road in Taichung City that focuses on noodle dishes; they have a wide variety with good flavors that suit the general public. The owner was surnamed Sun, a man from Henan, and he eventually closed the shop as well.
Looking at Taipei, there were several large-scale halal restaurants that could serve full-course halal banquets and were quite popular for a time. The most prominent was the Donglaishun Halal Restaurant, located on Zhonghua Road across from Ende Yuan, which was run by fellow Muslim Yang Zhongbao. Xiao Ahong (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) planned a forty-table wedding banquet at Donglaishun. He had just arrived in Taiwan and did not know many fellow Hui Muslims yet. When he went to book the tables, the owner, Mr. Yang, asked for a deposit. Since National Assembly representatives were not yet receiving their salaries, Xiao Ahong could not pay the deposit at that time. He eventually found a fellow Hui Muslim named Hui Wanju to act as a guarantor, which allowed the wedding to go ahead. This happened half a century ago.
Hui Wanju was born in 1913 and is now ninety-seven years old. He is from Fenghuangcheng in Andong, is still alive, and often comes to the mosque for Friday namaz. He is single and currently lives at the Guangci Care Home in Taipei. When he was young, he was very skilled at catering for both weddings and funerals and trained many apprentices in Taiwan. He worked in various halal restaurants and also opened restaurants in partnership with others. When he first arrived in Taiwan, beef was hard to find because the local people did not eat beef and would not slaughter cows. Hui Wanju started slaughtering cows in the north, central, and southern parts of the island to supply beef to various halal restaurants. In his later years, he partnered with Fengji Dim Sum Shop on Jinshan South Road to make snacks. He was famous for his sesame flatbread (shaobing) and brown sugar baked rolls (huoshao), and he also supplied mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Collapse Read »
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Taiwan - Halal Restaurants Across the Island is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Taiwan, Halal Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I am sharing an article from the 300th issue of China Islam magazine titled 'Remembering Brother Mu Huaijia’s Passing—Reflections on the History of Halal Restaurants in Taiwan.' Today I am transcribing the second part, which recalls various halal restaurants in Kaohsiung, Tainan, Taichung, and Taipei.
In the southern city of Kaohsiung, Elder Zhao Ming (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) founded the restaurant Meat Pie and Porridge (xianbing zhou), which was popular with both Muslims and the general public. It only operated for a few years before closing when Elder Ming moved north to the Taipei Mosque. Later, people like Xiao Sang and Song Mingcai opened halal restaurants near the Guangfu Theater, which provided convenience for fellow Muslims.
Two elderly people also ran a snack shop that was very helpful to Muslims in the south. It was located in Kaohsiung on Qiuting Road in Dagangpu, behind the wall of the Telecommunications Bureau. It was in a row of makeshift buildings and the place was very simple. The elderly couple’s shop had no name, just a hanging sign with a water pitcher (tangping) symbol.
The owner was a fellow Muslim named Ma Renshan (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise), who was from Baoding, Hebei. They mainly served steamed buns (baozi) and beef noodles, and when they had time, they would also fry large scallion pancakes (cong you bing). People who know about it always stop by the old man's place when they visit Kaohsiung. Old Mr. Ma liked me because I learned wrestling as a child, and he was a top-tier wrestling master in North and Northwest China. Everyone knows Chang Dongsheng was a national wrestling champion and a fellow Muslim, but few know Old Mr. Ma was also an expert who once challenged Chang Zhi (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) to a match, though Chang did not accept.
Old Mr. Ma once served as a guard battalion commander for General Yan Xishan, and he lived a quiet, retired life after coming to Taiwan. In his later years, he ran this small snack shop to make a living. After Old Mr. Ming closed his shop, Old Mr. Ma's snack shop provided a lot of convenience for the local Muslims.
In the Tainan market, several enthusiastic Muslims including Wang Peijie (now known as Liu Zhi'an) and Hui Wanju pooled their money to open a halal restaurant. Business was good, but it closed after a few years due to a fire. Later, Wang Peijie opened another halal restaurant on Wufu 4th Road in Kaohsiung, and I even held my engagement party there. Wang Laohe later came to Taipei to seek opportunities and even ran a restaurant in Saudi Arabia for a time.
In Taichung, fellow Muslims like Hui Wanjuju, Mu Huaijia, and Chai Menglin (now named Chai Jin) once opened a halal restaurant, but business was hard to sustain and they closed the shop after a few years. Later, Song Mingcai ran a restaurant called Ende Yuan across from Taichung Park for many years, but it closed when Song immigrated abroad.
In Taichung, a fellow Muslim from Henan named Ma Yukun ran a specialty dumpling shop for many years, which also closed when he immigrated. There is a small halal restaurant on Jingwu Road in Taichung City that focuses on noodle dishes; they have a wide variety with good flavors that suit the general public. The owner was surnamed Sun, a man from Henan, and he eventually closed the shop as well.
Looking at Taipei, there were several large-scale halal restaurants that could serve full-course halal banquets and were quite popular for a time. The most prominent was the Donglaishun Halal Restaurant, located on Zhonghua Road across from Ende Yuan, which was run by fellow Muslim Yang Zhongbao. Xiao Ahong (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) planned a forty-table wedding banquet at Donglaishun. He had just arrived in Taiwan and did not know many fellow Hui Muslims yet. When he went to book the tables, the owner, Mr. Yang, asked for a deposit. Since National Assembly representatives were not yet receiving their salaries, Xiao Ahong could not pay the deposit at that time. He eventually found a fellow Hui Muslim named Hui Wanju to act as a guarantor, which allowed the wedding to go ahead. This happened half a century ago.
Hui Wanju was born in 1913 and is now ninety-seven years old. He is from Fenghuangcheng in Andong, is still alive, and often comes to the mosque for Friday namaz. He is single and currently lives at the Guangci Care Home in Taipei. When he was young, he was very skilled at catering for both weddings and funerals and trained many apprentices in Taiwan. He worked in various halal restaurants and also opened restaurants in partnership with others. When he first arrived in Taiwan, beef was hard to find because the local people did not eat beef and would not slaughter cows. Hui Wanju started slaughtering cows in the north, central, and southern parts of the island to supply beef to various halal restaurants. In his later years, he partnered with Fengji Dim Sum Shop on Jinshan South Road to make snacks. He was famous for his sesame flatbread (shaobing) and brown sugar baked rolls (huoshao), and he also supplied mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival. Collapse Read »
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.
Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.
Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.
I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).
In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.
My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'
On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.
On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.
Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.
The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.
They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.
They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.
On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.
Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'
On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers.
Collapse Read »
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Three Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Day 15, Ramadan is halfway through! We broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again; it was very sour and refreshing! Many elders (xianglao) went back for a second bowl. The fast-breaking meal (zhaifan) included stir-fried tripe with cilantro (yanbao dusi), yam with meatballs, and braised eggplant. I met more friends (dosti) at Balizhuang today; everyone is welcome to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.
Day 16, Elder Li at Balizhuang Mosque made yellow rice cake (huangmi qiegao) and Elder Fu made fried vegetable meatballs; both were delicious. Every elder at Balizhuang Mosque has a special hidden talent. For the fast-breaking meal, we had noodles with shredded chicken sauce and noodles with diced eggplant sauce, featuring both wheat noodles and oat noodles (youmian) from Zhangjiakou. The noodle toppings included blanched cabbage, blanched cowpeas, blanched bean sprouts, shredded cucumber, and shredded radish, making for a very rich texture.
Day 17, Balizhuang Mosque continued to break the fast with fermented mung bean milk. The meal included large steamed buns (baozi) with cowpea and fennel fillings, which were impossible to stop eating when paired with rice porridge.
I received camel milk soap given as charity (chusan) by an elder at Balizhuang Mosque; may it bring reward (thawab).
In the evening, I met up with friends (dosti) to pray Tarawih at the Sudanese Embassy. The Sudanese Embassy is right next to Tuanjiehu subway station. We arrived at 7:50 and were able to enter after showing our ID cards at the intersection. The call to prayer (adhan) was at 8:05, and the prayer started at 8:30. There were friends (dosti) from all over the world in the hall, with people of all skin colors standing in rows; it really felt like being abroad. The imam for Tarawih was a young hafiz from Libya whose recitation was melodic, pleasant, and very moving. We prayed eight units (rak'ah) of Tarawih, with a greeting (salam) every four units. The final Witr prayer consisted of two units with a salam, followed by one single unit. This is quite different from the traditional prayer methods of the Gedimu Hui Muslims.
My Ramadan collection includes a teacup fired in Jingdezhen in the 1980s, featuring a traditional calligraphy style common in southern China. The lid is inscribed with gratitude, blessings, mercy, and worship, while the cup body reads, 'Mercy draws near to those who do good' and 'The stingy cannot enter paradise, even if they are people who worship Allah.'
On the 18th day, a friend (dosti) from Hunan invited us to break our fast at Nanxiapo Mosque, where we had a very delicious meal of stewed meat with rice. I met many new friends during this time; Ramadan is truly a great opportunity for everyone to gather together.
On the 19th day, I went to the Carthage Arabic Restaurant on Dongzhimen Outer Street for the iftar buffet. It is a new spot opened by Adel, the head chef of La Medina, in the breakfast area on the first floor of the Atour X Hotel in Sanlitun Taikoo Li, still focusing on Tunisian flavors. Since it has not been open long, it is mostly frequented by foreign friends (dosti) from the nearby embassy district, so there is no need to wait in line.
Because Adel is in charge, the dishes are similar to those at La Medina, though the variety is slightly smaller. Appetizers include chickpea dip (hummus), parsley salad (tabbouleh), and the Tunisian-style roasted eggplant salad (mechouia). Besides roasted eggplant, the roasted eggplant salad (mechouia) contains tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and olive oil, making it very healthy.
The main course features North African sausage (merguez), made from lamb and beef mixed with cumin, harissa, chili, and various other spices. It appeared as early as the 12th century in Andalusia and later spread throughout North Africa.
They also serve the classic North African Maghreb tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka). The tomato and chili poached egg dish (shakshouka) originated in North Africa under Ottoman rule in the 16th century, when tomatoes and chili peppers were introduced to North Africa from the Americas and then became part of the local diet.
They also have the Arabic version of fried triangular pastries (sambousek), which is a classic Ramadan snack for Arabs. The fried triangular pastry (sambousek) originated in Iran and entered the Arab diet after the 10th century, later spreading to India, China, Indonesia, and Africa. In some parts of eastern China, Hui Muslims still use its Persian name, 'sanmosan'.
On the 20th day, two-thirds of Ramadan has passed. At Balizhuang Mosque, they freshly made sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and fried crispy dough (zhagezhi). I continued to break my fast with mung bean milk (douzhi), ate stir-fried green beans with meat and braised meatballs (huisongrou) for the meal, and thirteen elders joined in the opening prayer (kaijing). Breaking the fast at the mosque brings richness to both the spirit and the body.
Ramadan collection. I received a traditional late Qing Dynasty Tianjin-style pine wood dua plaque made by teacher Wang Qifei, which reads, 'O Allah!' Grant Your forgiveness and mercy to those who live in this house and to the believers who enter it!'
On the twenty-first day, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered to make dumplings (jiaozi) with carrot and cabbage fillings. Nothing really beats the taste of dumplings! After eating, I felt full of energy and ready for the Taraweeh prayers.
Collapse Read »
Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 1)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Cairo, Islamic Art, Museum Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the 19th century, Egypt placed great importance on Pharaonic art, but appreciation for Islamic art lagged behind. In 1880, Tewfik Pasha, the sixth ruler of the Muhammad Ali dynasty, finally established the first museum of Islamic art.
In 1881, Tewfik Pasha approved the creation of the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Monuments. The arcades of the abandoned Al-Hakim Mosque inside the northern gate of Cairo were used as a temporary exhibition hall to display hundreds of artifacts. In 1884, a two-story building was constructed in the mosque courtyard to house 900 artifacts. In 1887, the museum was named the Museum of Arab Antiquities. By 1895, the collection had grown to 1,641 items, and the museum space reached capacity. In 1902, the new Mamluk-style museum building was officially completed, which is the building we see today.
The Cairo Museum of Islamic Art building once featured complex decorative designs inspired by architecture from various periods of Islamic history. In 2014, a car bomb attack targeting the Cairo police headquarters across the street caused severe damage to the museum. Nearly 30 percent of the artifacts were damaged, and the exterior wall decorations were also destroyed. After three years of restoration, the museum reopened in 2017.
The hall after the entrance provides a general introduction, showcasing a selection of unique Islamic artifacts from different perspectives.
An 8th-century Umayyad dynasty Quran in Kufic script from Egypt, written in brown ink on parchment.
An enameled water jug and basin from the 19th-century Qajar dynasty of Iran, featuring Persian-style figures and floral patterns.
The oldest surviving key to the Kaaba, made in 1363-4, belonging to the Egyptian Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban (reigned 1363-77).
An 18th-century Ottoman qibla indicator, made by the manufacturer Barun al-Mukhtar during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I (reigned 1730-54). It shows the appearance of the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) after the 1629 Ottoman renovation, a structure that remained until 1955.
A 15th-century Mamluk-period mosque glass lamp from Egypt, bearing the name of Emir Safy al-Din Shaykhu.
After passing through the hall, the exhibition continues with Islamic artifacts arranged in chronological order.
Early days of the faith.
A wood carving panel from Egypt during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century.
A wooden chest panel inlaid with ivory and bone from Egypt during the Tulunid dynasty in the 9th century.
An ivory plaque with floral carvings from Egypt during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th to 8th centuries.
A wood carving panel with floral decorations from Egypt or Syria during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
An underglaze painted ceramic plate from Iraq during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th to 9th centuries.
A stucco carving panel in the Samarra style from Iraq during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. Samarra is located on the east bank of the Tigris River and served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate from 836 to 892.
Fatimid Caliphate.
A 10th-century Kufic script stucco window frame from the Western Palace of the Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo. It is truly a masterpiece of the museum; you can see its size by comparing it to the child in the bottom right corner. The Fatimid palace in Cairo was built in 970 and was divided into two parts: the Eastern Palace and the Western Palace. The Western Palace was smaller and originally built for the Fatimid princess Sitt al-Mulk, then renovated by the Caliph in 1064. In 1284-1285, the Mamluk Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun built a massive complex on the site of the Fatimid Western Palace. The hospital within the complex used some architectural elements from the Fatimid Western Palace, and this window frame came from the Qalawun Hospital.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid Caliphate in the 10th to 11th centuries, depicting various music and banquet scenes.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid period in the 11th century, depicting a rider holding a falcon.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid Caliphate in the 11th to 12th centuries, showing two people performing the traditional Egyptian stick fighting, Tahtib.
This 11th-century stucco mural from Egypt dates to the Fatimid dynasty and comes from the wall of a Fatimid-era bathhouse.
This small wooden prayer niche (mihrab) from 10th-11th century Fatimid Egypt features inscriptions with Shia content.
This 10th-11th century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate shows an image of the Prophet Isa (Jesus), which serves as evidence of the religious tolerance of that time.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate is inscribed with the name of the commander Ghaban.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate features a griffin design. The image of the griffin can be traced back to ancient Egyptian art from 3000 BC, later spreading to West Asia and the Mediterranean region. Because the lion rules the land and the eagle rules the sky, the griffin, which combines the features of both, became a symbol of nobility and power.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate features images of humans, animals, and birds.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian marble carving features Kufic calligraphy.
These stucco windows and wooden doors from the Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque in Cairo date to the late Fatimid period in 1160. The Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque is located outside the south gate of the old city of Cairo and was commissioned by the Fatimid vizier Tala'i ibn Ruzzik, who was the last powerful and capable vizier of the Fatimid dynasty. The Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque was completed only 11 years before the fall of the Fatimid dynasty, making it the last surviving building from the Fatimid era.
This wooden door from the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo dates to the Fatimid period in 1010 and was commissioned by Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who reigned from 996 to 1021. Al-Hakim was the first Fatimid caliph born in Cairo, an important imam in the history of Ismaili Shia Islam, and a central figure in the Druze faith. At that time, the city of Fustat on the south side of old Cairo was a densely populated Sunni city, while the newly built city of Cairo served as the capital of the Fatimid dynasty and the center of Ismaili Shia Islam. The Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo is the city's official congregational mosque, where the caliph would deliver the khutbah sermon every Friday during Jumu'ah prayer.
The 12th-century Fatimid-era wooden prayer niche (mihrab) and wooden doors inside the Sayyida Nafisa mausoleum in Cairo. Sayyida Nafisa (762-824) was the great-granddaughter of Imam Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet. She was a famous Egyptian scholar of hadith who served as a mentor to Imam Shafi'i and provided him with financial support.
The Nafisa mausoleum is located in Cairo's famous City of the Dead. It was first built during the Abbasid period and later renovated and rebuilt during the Fatimid period. Nafisa was the first descendant of Imam Ali to be honored during the Fatimid period. As a Sunni and a descendant of Ali, she helped promote reconciliation between the Sunni and Shia populations within the Fatimid dynasty.
Ayyubid dynasty
A 12th-century wooden chest from the Hussein Mosque in Cairo. The Hussein Mosque is located across from the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. It was first built in 1154 and is said to house the head of Imam Hussein.
A 13th-century wooden carving from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.
A 1213 marble slab from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt inscribed with the name of Sultan Al-Kamil. Al-Kamil was the fifth sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty. During his reign, he defeated the Fifth Crusade, but he handed Jerusalem over to the Crusaders for ten years during the Sixth Crusade.
Marble slabs from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt dated 1184 and 1187, inscribed with the name of Sultan Saladin. Saladin was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. During the Third Crusade, he launched a series of military campaigns against the Crusaders in the Levant and recaptured Jerusalem, restoring Muslim rule in the region.
Wooden panels and doors made in 1178 during the Ayyubid period, found in the mausoleum of Imam Shafi'i in Cairo. Imam Shafi'i was the founder of the Shafi'i school of law and one of the four great imams of Sunni Islam. Imam Shafi'i arrived in Cairo in 813 and passed away there in 819. Sultan Saladin built his mausoleum in 1178, which features exquisite wood carvings inside. These include complex geometric patterns, scripture, and an introduction to the life of Imam al-Shafi'i.
A marble slab from the 12th-century Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt, featuring carvings of griffins and creatures with human heads and bird bodies.
Stucco carvings from the 13th-century Ayyubid dynasty at the Al-Kamil Madrasa in Cairo. The Al-Kamil Madrasa was built in 1225 by the Ayyubid Sultan al-Kamil in the northern part of the former Fatimid Western Palace in Old Cairo, and it was one of Egypt's educational centers during the 13th and 14th centuries.
A flint window from the 13th-century Ayyubid dynasty at the Sayf ibn Yazan tomb in Cairo.
Mamluk Dynasty.
A marble slab from the 14th-century Mamluk period at the Sarghatmish Madrasa in Cairo. The Sarghatmish Madrasa was built in 1356 by order of the Mamluk Emir General Sirghitmish. In the 1350s, Sirghitmish was the most powerful emir of the Mamluk dynasty.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, who reigned from 1299 to 1309.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496, donated by the Sultan to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Although Sultan Qaitbay built many structures in Cairo, his greatest achievement was the restoration of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. After a fire at the Prophet's Mosque in 1481, Sultan Qaitbay rebuilt the tomb of the Prophet from a wooden structure into a brick one, added metal railings, and donated many chandeliers and candlesticks to the mosque.
A copper candlestick inlaid with silver from the 14th to 15th-century Mamluk dynasty.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the wife of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay.
A copper incense burner inlaid with gold and silver from the 14th-century Mamluk dynasty.
A wooden door from the 13th-century Mamluk period at the Salihiyya Madrasa in Cairo. The Ayyubid Sultan As-Salih Ayyub founded the Salihiyya Madrasa in 1242, and it was one of Egypt's most famous centers of education during the 13th and 14th centuries.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era wooden cabinet from Egypt, inlaid with painted ivory decorations.
Above is a 13th-14th century Mamluk double-headed eagle marble carving from Egypt, and below is a 13th-century marble carving featuring the lion emblem of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars I (reigned 1260-1277). Baybars was the fourth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty and a tough military leader who defeated invasions by the Crusaders and the Mongol army.
A glass lamp from a 14th-century Mamluk-era mosque in Egypt.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era wooden Quran box and table inlaid with ebony and ivory from the Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban Madrasa in Cairo. The Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban ordered the construction of the madrasa in 1368-9 to honor his mother, who was on a pilgrimage (hajj) at the time.
Two Mamluk-era wood carvings; the first one bears the name of Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468-96). Qaitbay was one of the sultans who sponsored the most architecture in Mamluk history. Although the Mamluk dynasty was in decline, the situation remained relatively stable and commerce flourished under Sultan Qaitbay's rule.
The second carving bears the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri (reigned 1501-16). He was the second-to-last sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate. The Ottoman Sultan Selim I killed him in 1516, which marked the shift of control in the Middle East from the Mamluk dynasty to the Ottoman dynasty.
Components of a minbar (pulpit) from the 14th-century Mamluk-era Al-Khatiri-Boulaq mosque in Egypt.
A 15th-century Mamluk-era stucco window from Egypt.
A wooden ceiling with carvings of the name of Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468-96) inside the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo.
Tiles on the Qaitbay fountain (sabil) in Cairo. Sultan Qaitbay built the Qaitbay fountain (sabil) in 1479. It was Cairo's first independent fountain-primary school (sabil-kuttab) building, a structure that became very common during the later Ottoman period.
A tile featuring the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Janbalat, who reigned from 1500 to 1501.
A 15th-century tile from the Mamluk dynasty.
A 15th-century Mamluk dynasty marble slab decorated with mother-of-pearl mosaic.
A 14th to 15th-century Mamluk dynasty marble slab with geometric patterns.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Cairo, Islamic Art, Museum Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
In the 19th century, Egypt placed great importance on Pharaonic art, but appreciation for Islamic art lagged behind. In 1880, Tewfik Pasha, the sixth ruler of the Muhammad Ali dynasty, finally established the first museum of Islamic art.
In 1881, Tewfik Pasha approved the creation of the Committee for the Preservation of Arab Monuments. The arcades of the abandoned Al-Hakim Mosque inside the northern gate of Cairo were used as a temporary exhibition hall to display hundreds of artifacts. In 1884, a two-story building was constructed in the mosque courtyard to house 900 artifacts. In 1887, the museum was named the Museum of Arab Antiquities. By 1895, the collection had grown to 1,641 items, and the museum space reached capacity. In 1902, the new Mamluk-style museum building was officially completed, which is the building we see today.
The Cairo Museum of Islamic Art building once featured complex decorative designs inspired by architecture from various periods of Islamic history. In 2014, a car bomb attack targeting the Cairo police headquarters across the street caused severe damage to the museum. Nearly 30 percent of the artifacts were damaged, and the exterior wall decorations were also destroyed. After three years of restoration, the museum reopened in 2017.
The hall after the entrance provides a general introduction, showcasing a selection of unique Islamic artifacts from different perspectives.
An 8th-century Umayyad dynasty Quran in Kufic script from Egypt, written in brown ink on parchment.
An enameled water jug and basin from the 19th-century Qajar dynasty of Iran, featuring Persian-style figures and floral patterns.
The oldest surviving key to the Kaaba, made in 1363-4, belonging to the Egyptian Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban (reigned 1363-77).
An 18th-century Ottoman qibla indicator, made by the manufacturer Barun al-Mukhtar during the reign of Sultan Mahmud I (reigned 1730-54). It shows the appearance of the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) after the 1629 Ottoman renovation, a structure that remained until 1955.
A 15th-century Mamluk-period mosque glass lamp from Egypt, bearing the name of Emir Safy al-Din Shaykhu.
After passing through the hall, the exhibition continues with Islamic artifacts arranged in chronological order.
Early days of the faith.
A wood carving panel from Egypt during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century.
A wooden chest panel inlaid with ivory and bone from Egypt during the Tulunid dynasty in the 9th century.
An ivory plaque with floral carvings from Egypt during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th to 8th centuries.
A wood carving panel with floral decorations from Egypt or Syria during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 8th century.
An underglaze painted ceramic plate from Iraq during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 8th to 9th centuries.
A stucco carving panel in the Samarra style from Iraq during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 9th century. Samarra is located on the east bank of the Tigris River and served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate from 836 to 892.
Fatimid Caliphate.
A 10th-century Kufic script stucco window frame from the Western Palace of the Fatimid Caliphate in Cairo. It is truly a masterpiece of the museum; you can see its size by comparing it to the child in the bottom right corner. The Fatimid palace in Cairo was built in 970 and was divided into two parts: the Eastern Palace and the Western Palace. The Western Palace was smaller and originally built for the Fatimid princess Sitt al-Mulk, then renovated by the Caliph in 1064. In 1284-1285, the Mamluk Sultan al-Mansur Qalawun built a massive complex on the site of the Fatimid Western Palace. The hospital within the complex used some architectural elements from the Fatimid Western Palace, and this window frame came from the Qalawun Hospital.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid Caliphate in the 10th to 11th centuries, depicting various music and banquet scenes.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid period in the 11th century, depicting a rider holding a falcon.
A ceramic plate from Egypt during the Fatimid Caliphate in the 11th to 12th centuries, showing two people performing the traditional Egyptian stick fighting, Tahtib.
This 11th-century stucco mural from Egypt dates to the Fatimid dynasty and comes from the wall of a Fatimid-era bathhouse.
This small wooden prayer niche (mihrab) from 10th-11th century Fatimid Egypt features inscriptions with Shia content.
This 10th-11th century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate shows an image of the Prophet Isa (Jesus), which serves as evidence of the religious tolerance of that time.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate is inscribed with the name of the commander Ghaban.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate features a griffin design. The image of the griffin can be traced back to ancient Egyptian art from 3000 BC, later spreading to West Asia and the Mediterranean region. Because the lion rules the land and the eagle rules the sky, the griffin, which combines the features of both, became a symbol of nobility and power.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian ceramic plate features images of humans, animals, and birds.
This 11th-century Fatimid Egyptian marble carving features Kufic calligraphy.
These stucco windows and wooden doors from the Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque in Cairo date to the late Fatimid period in 1160. The Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque is located outside the south gate of the old city of Cairo and was commissioned by the Fatimid vizier Tala'i ibn Ruzzik, who was the last powerful and capable vizier of the Fatimid dynasty. The Al-Salih Tala'i Mosque was completed only 11 years before the fall of the Fatimid dynasty, making it the last surviving building from the Fatimid era.
This wooden door from the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo dates to the Fatimid period in 1010 and was commissioned by Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who reigned from 996 to 1021. Al-Hakim was the first Fatimid caliph born in Cairo, an important imam in the history of Ismaili Shia Islam, and a central figure in the Druze faith. At that time, the city of Fustat on the south side of old Cairo was a densely populated Sunni city, while the newly built city of Cairo served as the capital of the Fatimid dynasty and the center of Ismaili Shia Islam. The Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo is the city's official congregational mosque, where the caliph would deliver the khutbah sermon every Friday during Jumu'ah prayer.
The 12th-century Fatimid-era wooden prayer niche (mihrab) and wooden doors inside the Sayyida Nafisa mausoleum in Cairo. Sayyida Nafisa (762-824) was the great-granddaughter of Imam Hasan, the grandson of the Prophet. She was a famous Egyptian scholar of hadith who served as a mentor to Imam Shafi'i and provided him with financial support.
The Nafisa mausoleum is located in Cairo's famous City of the Dead. It was first built during the Abbasid period and later renovated and rebuilt during the Fatimid period. Nafisa was the first descendant of Imam Ali to be honored during the Fatimid period. As a Sunni and a descendant of Ali, she helped promote reconciliation between the Sunni and Shia populations within the Fatimid dynasty.
Ayyubid dynasty
A 12th-century wooden chest from the Hussein Mosque in Cairo. The Hussein Mosque is located across from the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo. It was first built in 1154 and is said to house the head of Imam Hussein.
A 13th-century wooden carving from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.
A 1213 marble slab from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt inscribed with the name of Sultan Al-Kamil. Al-Kamil was the fifth sultan of the Ayyubid dynasty. During his reign, he defeated the Fifth Crusade, but he handed Jerusalem over to the Crusaders for ten years during the Sixth Crusade.
Marble slabs from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt dated 1184 and 1187, inscribed with the name of Sultan Saladin. Saladin was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. During the Third Crusade, he launched a series of military campaigns against the Crusaders in the Levant and recaptured Jerusalem, restoring Muslim rule in the region.
Wooden panels and doors made in 1178 during the Ayyubid period, found in the mausoleum of Imam Shafi'i in Cairo. Imam Shafi'i was the founder of the Shafi'i school of law and one of the four great imams of Sunni Islam. Imam Shafi'i arrived in Cairo in 813 and passed away there in 819. Sultan Saladin built his mausoleum in 1178, which features exquisite wood carvings inside. These include complex geometric patterns, scripture, and an introduction to the life of Imam al-Shafi'i.
A marble slab from the 12th-century Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt, featuring carvings of griffins and creatures with human heads and bird bodies.
Stucco carvings from the 13th-century Ayyubid dynasty at the Al-Kamil Madrasa in Cairo. The Al-Kamil Madrasa was built in 1225 by the Ayyubid Sultan al-Kamil in the northern part of the former Fatimid Western Palace in Old Cairo, and it was one of Egypt's educational centers during the 13th and 14th centuries.
A flint window from the 13th-century Ayyubid dynasty at the Sayf ibn Yazan tomb in Cairo.
Mamluk Dynasty.
A marble slab from the 14th-century Mamluk period at the Sarghatmish Madrasa in Cairo. The Sarghatmish Madrasa was built in 1356 by order of the Mamluk Emir General Sirghitmish. In the 1350s, Sirghitmish was the most powerful emir of the Mamluk dynasty.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad, who reigned from 1299 to 1309.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496, donated by the Sultan to the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. Although Sultan Qaitbay built many structures in Cairo, his greatest achievement was the restoration of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. After a fire at the Prophet's Mosque in 1481, Sultan Qaitbay rebuilt the tomb of the Prophet from a wooden structure into a brick one, added metal railings, and donated many chandeliers and candlesticks to the mosque.
A copper candlestick inlaid with silver from the 14th to 15th-century Mamluk dynasty.
A copper candlestick inscribed with the name of the wife of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay.
A copper incense burner inlaid with gold and silver from the 14th-century Mamluk dynasty.
A wooden door from the 13th-century Mamluk period at the Salihiyya Madrasa in Cairo. The Ayyubid Sultan As-Salih Ayyub founded the Salihiyya Madrasa in 1242, and it was one of Egypt's most famous centers of education during the 13th and 14th centuries.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era wooden cabinet from Egypt, inlaid with painted ivory decorations.
Above is a 13th-14th century Mamluk double-headed eagle marble carving from Egypt, and below is a 13th-century marble carving featuring the lion emblem of the Mamluk Sultan Baybars I (reigned 1260-1277). Baybars was the fourth sultan of the Mamluk dynasty and a tough military leader who defeated invasions by the Crusaders and the Mongol army.
A glass lamp from a 14th-century Mamluk-era mosque in Egypt.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era wooden Quran box and table inlaid with ebony and ivory from the Umm al-Sultan Sha'ban Madrasa in Cairo. The Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban ordered the construction of the madrasa in 1368-9 to honor his mother, who was on a pilgrimage (hajj) at the time.
Two Mamluk-era wood carvings; the first one bears the name of Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468-96). Qaitbay was one of the sultans who sponsored the most architecture in Mamluk history. Although the Mamluk dynasty was in decline, the situation remained relatively stable and commerce flourished under Sultan Qaitbay's rule.
The second carving bears the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri (reigned 1501-16). He was the second-to-last sultan of the Mamluk Sultanate. The Ottoman Sultan Selim I killed him in 1516, which marked the shift of control in the Middle East from the Mamluk dynasty to the Ottoman dynasty.
Components of a minbar (pulpit) from the 14th-century Mamluk-era Al-Khatiri-Boulaq mosque in Egypt.
A 15th-century Mamluk-era stucco window from Egypt.
A wooden ceiling with carvings of the name of Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay (reigned 1468-96) inside the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo.
Tiles on the Qaitbay fountain (sabil) in Cairo. Sultan Qaitbay built the Qaitbay fountain (sabil) in 1479. It was Cairo's first independent fountain-primary school (sabil-kuttab) building, a structure that became very common during the later Ottoman period.
A tile featuring the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Janbalat, who reigned from 1500 to 1501.
A 15th-century tile from the Mamluk dynasty.
A 15th-century Mamluk dynasty marble slab decorated with mother-of-pearl mosaic.
A 14th to 15th-century Mamluk dynasty marble slab with geometric patterns.
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Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 1)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xi'an Ramadan, Gongbei, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I have been to Xi'an many times, but this is my first time visiting during Ramadan. I have always heard that the Ramadan atmosphere in Xi'an is special. Many shops adjust their hours to serve pre-dawn meals (suhoor), and the mosques are very lively when it is time to break the fast (iftar). I used the Qingming holiday to experience it for myself.
April 4th
We stayed at a guesthouse run by a friend (dosti) on Hongbu Street in the Muslim Quarter, which made getting around very easy.
At 3:00 a.m., we wandered over to Miaohou Street. Miaohou Street has the most options for pre-dawn meals in the Muslim Quarter. We saw offal soup (zagan tang), spicy soup (hula tang), steamed rice cake (zenggao), crumbled flatbread in soup (paomo), meat pies (rou hezi), and much more.
At 3:20 a.m., we ate crumbled flatbread in soup (paomo) at Yibaolou on Miaohou Street. Yibaolou and Sanyicheng are two of the most popular spots in the Xi'an Muslim Quarter for pre-dawn meals.
It takes twenty minutes to break the flatbread (mo) into pieces. They put the meat in the pot right at the door, and the open kitchen is very clean. Besides meat and glass noodles (fensi), their soaked flatbread (paomo) also includes dried bean curd sticks (fuzhu) and pressed tofu (dougan). During Ramadan, they even give out free fried eggs and pickles. The paomo tastes great overall, but it is a little bit oily. Their chili sauce is salty, so be careful not to add too much or you will get thirsty.
Zainab had the vegetable stew (huicai), which is made by adding greens, tomatoes, and wood ear mushrooms to the meat broth used for paomo. The soup is thicker than a regular vegetable stew.
At 5:30 in the morning, the call to prayer (adhan) at the Xiaopiyuan North Mosque was melodic and moving.
The Xiaopiyuan North Mosque was built by imperial order in 1312 (the first year of the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty) and renovated in 1614 (the 42nd year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty). Inside the prayer hall, the brackets (dougong) extend outward and layer inward. The center features a four-cornered, multi-eaved, pointed roof known as the 'Eight Trigrams Hanging Roof' (bagua xuanding). It is built using a connected, interlocking style and is a very precious piece of architectural art.
During the day, the Muslim Quarter (Huifang) belongs to the tourists.
At noon, I went to Hujiagou in Xianyang to visit the grave of Master Hu Dengzhou. Hu Dengzhou (1522–1597) was the founder of the scripture hall education (jingtang jiaoyu) system in Ming Dynasty China. He studied Confucianism and Islamic scripture from a young age. Later, he created a method to teach religious classics in Chinese, which laid the foundation for the integration of Islam and Confucianism (Yi-Ru huitong). Master Hu also combined Islamic scripture education with traditional Chinese private school (sishu) education to start the scripture hall education system. Through the efforts of Master Hu and his students over several generations, scripture hall education spread everywhere. It trained many excellent teachers and developed systems like the Shandong school, the Jinling school, and the Shaanxi school.
After Master Hu passed away (guizhen), he was originally buried by the Wei River. In 1662, the first year of the Kangxi reign, flooding from the river threatened the grave, so it was moved next to the Great Mosque (Qingzhen Dasi) in Weichengli. Weichengli is a fertile area stretching over ten kilometers north of the Wei River, northeast of Xianyang. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was a settlement for Hui Muslims. Three mosques were built there, and the largest one is the Weichengli Great Mosque next to Master Hu's grave.
Two stone tablets stand by Master Hu's grave. One is the 1673 record of the grave relocation written by Ma Si, and the other is the 1718 record of the grave's renovation written by Ma Fengzhu. Both are valuable historical documents about Master Hu.
The Monument for the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Grave was written by Ma Si Baba, a junior student of Hu Taishi Baba, after he learned in Wuhan that the master's grave had been moved. Before he died, he asked for the text to be carved onto a stone to keep it safe. The stone is still kept inside the tomb pavilion of Ma Si Baba in Wuhan. The Record of Building the Ancestral Tomb of Hu Taishi was originally placed next to the grave of Hu Taishi Baba. Two elders from Xi'an, Ma Yu and Li Fengming, visited the grave of Ma Si Baba in Wuhan and saw the Monument for the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Grave. They translated the meaning of the Arabic text on that monument into Chinese and set up this new stone. Feng Zenglie, a teacher at Northwest University at the time, copied the text in 1956. After hearing that the original stone was destroyed, he organized and published the text in 1981, which caused a great stir in the academic community.
The couple who guard the grave of Taishi Baba are local believers (dost). They grow all kinds of vegetables in the yard and have even picked some fresh Chinese toon (xiangchun) sprouts that smell wonderful. They also planted some bougainvillea (sanjiaomei) in the vegetable patch, and the purple flowers look very beautiful.
There are over a dozen dairy goats in the yard, including some new lambs and some born last year. This makes it very convenient for people who come to perform a religious sacrifice (niatie). The grass the goats eat is also grown by the couple, who cleared a large piece of land for it.
In the afternoon, I returned to the Hui Muslim quarter and waited for the fast-breaking (iftar) at the Dapiyuan Mosque. Dapiyuan Mosque was built in 1411 (the ninth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the leadership of the famous early Ming imam Ma Daozhen, who spent five years raising funds for it. It was renovated during the Jiajing reign and repaired twice during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns.
When breaking the fast, people are busy eating snacks like cake, dates (yezao), and tea.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), we ate the fast-breaking meal, which included zucchini, cold skin noodles (liangpi), stir-fried meat, steamed eggs, mung bean porridge, and steamed buns (momo). There were many people, and the atmosphere was great.
After the meal, we performed the night prayer (tarawih). The calligraphy and paintings on the kiln-style hall (yaodian) of the mosque are also very old.
After the tarawih prayer, Zainab asked me to have some eight-treasure porridge at Xiao Jia Eight-Treasure Porridge shop near the entrance of the Dapiyuan women's mosque. The shop is hidden in the alley, so most people do not notice it. Besides eight-treasure porridge, they also serve potstickers (guotie) and cold skin noodles (liangpi). The porridge is packed with ingredients, and the environment is quite nice. After finishing the porridge, we had some sour plum drink (suanmeitang) on the street. The freshly brewed sour plum drink (suanmeitang) sold on the streets of the Muslim Quarter is very tart and perfect for quenching thirst during Ramadan.
April 5.
At 3:30 a.m., we had a lotus leaf bun sandwich (heye bing jiacai) with red bean porridge at Ma's Family restaurant on Miaohou Street in the Muslim Quarter. Many people were buying their pre-dawn meal (suhoor) there. Lots of customers chose the fried pancake sandwich (youbing jiacai), but we found the pancake a bit too oily. We picked the lotus leaf bun instead because it was soft and fluffy, which felt perfect for the pre-dawn meal. There are many types of side dishes. You can add a little bit of everything, including cold dishes, pickled vegetables, and a poached egg. Since the meal is quite nutritious, many friends (dosti) choose to eat here.
3:50 a.m. After finishing our lotus leaf bun sandwich, we continued west along Miaohou Street. We bought a cured beef sandwich (la niurou jiamo) at An Zhiliang Cured Beef and Mutton Shop, then went across the street to Jia's Meatball Spicy Soup (rouwan hulatang) shop at the Sajinqiao intersection to have a bowl of meatball spicy soup. The cured beef at An Zhiliang's is quite fragrant, but it is a little salty, so you need to drink plenty of water.
During Ramadan, many meatball and spicy pepper soup (hulatang) shops in the Muslim Quarter sell pre-dawn meals, but the pepper flavor is really strong. Drinking it before starting the fast isn't as comfortable as having rice porridge.
At 5:50 a.m., I prayed the dawn prayer (namaz) at Daxuexi Alley Mosque. Daxuexi Alley Mosque, also known as the West Great Mosque, was rebuilt in 1384 (the 17th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by Minister of War Tie Xuan, who was granted the name for the mosque by the emperor. It was renovated in 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle reign) and again during the Kangxi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty. The main prayer hall preserves precious Ming and Qing dynasty paintings featuring exquisite calligraphy. This style shares the same roots as the traditional mosque paintings and calligraphy of the Salar people in Xunhua, Qinghai.
At noon, I prayed the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at Huajue Alley Great Mosque. Huajue Alley Great Mosque, also known as the East Great Mosque, was renovated many times during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The main hall was rebuilt in 1455 (the 6th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty). It underwent large-scale expansions in the early Jiajing years and again in the 34th year of the Wanli reign. By the Qianlong period, it was reduced from two courtyards to just the southern section, gradually forming the current layout of five deep courtyards.
The mihrab inside the main prayer hall. In his book Chinese Islamic Architecture, Liu Zhiping says: The rear kiln hall of the main prayer hall is the most beautifully crafted. The walls are entirely paneled with wood, and the golden pillars are used to create door hoods and hanging columns, making the mihrab area look even more magnificent. All the wooden surfaces feature bold and powerful shallow carvings. Because animal patterns are not allowed as decorations inside an Islamic prayer hall, the entire wall is covered in magnificent and sturdy plant and flower designs. These types of patterns are also common on the brick carvings of other mosques. Its magnificent atmosphere has opened up a new direction for decorative patterns in our country. Not using animal decorations limited the carving designs in the mosque, but it also encouraged the development of plant, geometric, and calligraphic patterns, which helped shape the unique style of Islamic architectural design.
Inside the main hall, you can see a painting of Mecca (Tianfang tu) that shows images of the two holy sites. The lotus vine patterns surrounding the painting of Mecca all contain Arabic calligraphy, and the lotus pedestal below has a very traditional Chinese style.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xi'an Ramadan, Gongbei, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I have been to Xi'an many times, but this is my first time visiting during Ramadan. I have always heard that the Ramadan atmosphere in Xi'an is special. Many shops adjust their hours to serve pre-dawn meals (suhoor), and the mosques are very lively when it is time to break the fast (iftar). I used the Qingming holiday to experience it for myself.
April 4th
We stayed at a guesthouse run by a friend (dosti) on Hongbu Street in the Muslim Quarter, which made getting around very easy.
At 3:00 a.m., we wandered over to Miaohou Street. Miaohou Street has the most options for pre-dawn meals in the Muslim Quarter. We saw offal soup (zagan tang), spicy soup (hula tang), steamed rice cake (zenggao), crumbled flatbread in soup (paomo), meat pies (rou hezi), and much more.
At 3:20 a.m., we ate crumbled flatbread in soup (paomo) at Yibaolou on Miaohou Street. Yibaolou and Sanyicheng are two of the most popular spots in the Xi'an Muslim Quarter for pre-dawn meals.
It takes twenty minutes to break the flatbread (mo) into pieces. They put the meat in the pot right at the door, and the open kitchen is very clean. Besides meat and glass noodles (fensi), their soaked flatbread (paomo) also includes dried bean curd sticks (fuzhu) and pressed tofu (dougan). During Ramadan, they even give out free fried eggs and pickles. The paomo tastes great overall, but it is a little bit oily. Their chili sauce is salty, so be careful not to add too much or you will get thirsty.
Zainab had the vegetable stew (huicai), which is made by adding greens, tomatoes, and wood ear mushrooms to the meat broth used for paomo. The soup is thicker than a regular vegetable stew.
At 5:30 in the morning, the call to prayer (adhan) at the Xiaopiyuan North Mosque was melodic and moving.
The Xiaopiyuan North Mosque was built by imperial order in 1312 (the first year of the Huangqing era of the Yuan Dynasty) and renovated in 1614 (the 42nd year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty). Inside the prayer hall, the brackets (dougong) extend outward and layer inward. The center features a four-cornered, multi-eaved, pointed roof known as the 'Eight Trigrams Hanging Roof' (bagua xuanding). It is built using a connected, interlocking style and is a very precious piece of architectural art.
During the day, the Muslim Quarter (Huifang) belongs to the tourists.
At noon, I went to Hujiagou in Xianyang to visit the grave of Master Hu Dengzhou. Hu Dengzhou (1522–1597) was the founder of the scripture hall education (jingtang jiaoyu) system in Ming Dynasty China. He studied Confucianism and Islamic scripture from a young age. Later, he created a method to teach religious classics in Chinese, which laid the foundation for the integration of Islam and Confucianism (Yi-Ru huitong). Master Hu also combined Islamic scripture education with traditional Chinese private school (sishu) education to start the scripture hall education system. Through the efforts of Master Hu and his students over several generations, scripture hall education spread everywhere. It trained many excellent teachers and developed systems like the Shandong school, the Jinling school, and the Shaanxi school.
After Master Hu passed away (guizhen), he was originally buried by the Wei River. In 1662, the first year of the Kangxi reign, flooding from the river threatened the grave, so it was moved next to the Great Mosque (Qingzhen Dasi) in Weichengli. Weichengli is a fertile area stretching over ten kilometers north of the Wei River, northeast of Xianyang. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was a settlement for Hui Muslims. Three mosques were built there, and the largest one is the Weichengli Great Mosque next to Master Hu's grave.
Two stone tablets stand by Master Hu's grave. One is the 1673 record of the grave relocation written by Ma Si, and the other is the 1718 record of the grave's renovation written by Ma Fengzhu. Both are valuable historical documents about Master Hu.
The Monument for the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Grave was written by Ma Si Baba, a junior student of Hu Taishi Baba, after he learned in Wuhan that the master's grave had been moved. Before he died, he asked for the text to be carved onto a stone to keep it safe. The stone is still kept inside the tomb pavilion of Ma Si Baba in Wuhan. The Record of Building the Ancestral Tomb of Hu Taishi was originally placed next to the grave of Hu Taishi Baba. Two elders from Xi'an, Ma Yu and Li Fengming, visited the grave of Ma Si Baba in Wuhan and saw the Monument for the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Grave. They translated the meaning of the Arabic text on that monument into Chinese and set up this new stone. Feng Zenglie, a teacher at Northwest University at the time, copied the text in 1956. After hearing that the original stone was destroyed, he organized and published the text in 1981, which caused a great stir in the academic community.
The couple who guard the grave of Taishi Baba are local believers (dost). They grow all kinds of vegetables in the yard and have even picked some fresh Chinese toon (xiangchun) sprouts that smell wonderful. They also planted some bougainvillea (sanjiaomei) in the vegetable patch, and the purple flowers look very beautiful.
There are over a dozen dairy goats in the yard, including some new lambs and some born last year. This makes it very convenient for people who come to perform a religious sacrifice (niatie). The grass the goats eat is also grown by the couple, who cleared a large piece of land for it.
In the afternoon, I returned to the Hui Muslim quarter and waited for the fast-breaking (iftar) at the Dapiyuan Mosque. Dapiyuan Mosque was built in 1411 (the ninth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the leadership of the famous early Ming imam Ma Daozhen, who spent five years raising funds for it. It was renovated during the Jiajing reign and repaired twice during the Kangxi and Qianlong reigns.
When breaking the fast, people are busy eating snacks like cake, dates (yezao), and tea.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), we ate the fast-breaking meal, which included zucchini, cold skin noodles (liangpi), stir-fried meat, steamed eggs, mung bean porridge, and steamed buns (momo). There were many people, and the atmosphere was great.
After the meal, we performed the night prayer (tarawih). The calligraphy and paintings on the kiln-style hall (yaodian) of the mosque are also very old.
After the tarawih prayer, Zainab asked me to have some eight-treasure porridge at Xiao Jia Eight-Treasure Porridge shop near the entrance of the Dapiyuan women's mosque. The shop is hidden in the alley, so most people do not notice it. Besides eight-treasure porridge, they also serve potstickers (guotie) and cold skin noodles (liangpi). The porridge is packed with ingredients, and the environment is quite nice. After finishing the porridge, we had some sour plum drink (suanmeitang) on the street. The freshly brewed sour plum drink (suanmeitang) sold on the streets of the Muslim Quarter is very tart and perfect for quenching thirst during Ramadan.
April 5.
At 3:30 a.m., we had a lotus leaf bun sandwich (heye bing jiacai) with red bean porridge at Ma's Family restaurant on Miaohou Street in the Muslim Quarter. Many people were buying their pre-dawn meal (suhoor) there. Lots of customers chose the fried pancake sandwich (youbing jiacai), but we found the pancake a bit too oily. We picked the lotus leaf bun instead because it was soft and fluffy, which felt perfect for the pre-dawn meal. There are many types of side dishes. You can add a little bit of everything, including cold dishes, pickled vegetables, and a poached egg. Since the meal is quite nutritious, many friends (dosti) choose to eat here.
3:50 a.m. After finishing our lotus leaf bun sandwich, we continued west along Miaohou Street. We bought a cured beef sandwich (la niurou jiamo) at An Zhiliang Cured Beef and Mutton Shop, then went across the street to Jia's Meatball Spicy Soup (rouwan hulatang) shop at the Sajinqiao intersection to have a bowl of meatball spicy soup. The cured beef at An Zhiliang's is quite fragrant, but it is a little salty, so you need to drink plenty of water.
During Ramadan, many meatball and spicy pepper soup (hulatang) shops in the Muslim Quarter sell pre-dawn meals, but the pepper flavor is really strong. Drinking it before starting the fast isn't as comfortable as having rice porridge.
At 5:50 a.m., I prayed the dawn prayer (namaz) at Daxuexi Alley Mosque. Daxuexi Alley Mosque, also known as the West Great Mosque, was rebuilt in 1384 (the 17th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by Minister of War Tie Xuan, who was granted the name for the mosque by the emperor. It was renovated in 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle reign) and again during the Kangxi and Guangxu periods of the Qing Dynasty. The main prayer hall preserves precious Ming and Qing dynasty paintings featuring exquisite calligraphy. This style shares the same roots as the traditional mosque paintings and calligraphy of the Salar people in Xunhua, Qinghai.
At noon, I prayed the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at Huajue Alley Great Mosque. Huajue Alley Great Mosque, also known as the East Great Mosque, was renovated many times during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The main hall was rebuilt in 1455 (the 6th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty). It underwent large-scale expansions in the early Jiajing years and again in the 34th year of the Wanli reign. By the Qianlong period, it was reduced from two courtyards to just the southern section, gradually forming the current layout of five deep courtyards.
The mihrab inside the main prayer hall. In his book Chinese Islamic Architecture, Liu Zhiping says: The rear kiln hall of the main prayer hall is the most beautifully crafted. The walls are entirely paneled with wood, and the golden pillars are used to create door hoods and hanging columns, making the mihrab area look even more magnificent. All the wooden surfaces feature bold and powerful shallow carvings. Because animal patterns are not allowed as decorations inside an Islamic prayer hall, the entire wall is covered in magnificent and sturdy plant and flower designs. These types of patterns are also common on the brick carvings of other mosques. Its magnificent atmosphere has opened up a new direction for decorative patterns in our country. Not using animal decorations limited the carving designs in the mosque, but it also encouraged the development of plant, geometric, and calligraphic patterns, which helped shape the unique style of Islamic architectural design.
Inside the main hall, you can see a painting of Mecca (Tianfang tu) that shows images of the two holy sites. The lotus vine patterns surrounding the painting of Mecca all contain Arabic calligraphy, and the lotus pedestal below has a very traditional Chinese style.
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Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 2)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xi'an Ramadan, Gongbei, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
There are two moon-sighting platforms in the backyard, with the graves of past leaders in between. Imam Ma Qianyi (1874-1949) was a local from Huajue Lane. In 1914, after his formal appointment at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque, he served as an imam at several mosques in Xi'an and Pingliang. In 1918, he taught in turns at the ancient mosque on Sajinqiao and the mosque on Guangji Street. In 1928, he became the first democratically elected Great Imam of Xi'an, ending the previous hereditary system. He also served as the acting head imam of the Huajue Lane Great Mosque, where he taught scripture for seven years and trained many imams. In 1935, Imam Ma went on the Hajj. On his way back, he was invited by the Longshengzhuang Mosque in Feng County, Inner Mongolia, where many of the local Muslims were from Shaanxi. Later, he taught at over ten mosques in Inner Mongolia and Zhangjiakou, training a large number of imams.
Glazed tiles are stacked in the backyard. According to the 1526 stele record of the mosque's renovation, the Great Mosque at Huajue Lane received bricks and tiles from the Ming Dynasty Prince of Qin's palace during a major renovation in the early Jiajing era: '...we petitioned the virtuous Prince of Qin, who granted them and provided bricks and tiles to complete the work.' This made the mosque magnificent and brand new. Scholars have confirmed that the peacock-blue glazed tiles at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque match those found at the ruins of the Prince of Qin's glazed tile factory in Tongchuan.
Calligraphy art at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque.
During the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, the famous painter and Vice Minister of Rites, Dong Qichang, inscribed the plaque that reads 'Imperial Gifted Mosque'.
Empress Dowager Cixi inscribed the plaque reading 'Lineage Extending from the Holy Land' (Pai Yan Tian Fang).
The couplet from the Guangxu era, 'Spider webs hard to solve, pigeons cooing together, messages sent by warhorses, promises to release the deer,' describes four stories of the Prophet.
Tian Zhongyu inscribed the plaque reading 'Encompassing the Universe' (Bao Luo Yu Zhou) during the Daoguang era.
There are also various wood carvings and stone engravings with Arabic script.
After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at the mosque, I took the subway to Guangtaimen in the northeast of Xi'an to visit the Guangdamen gongbei. Guangtaimen was originally the southeast gate of the imperial gardens during the Sui and Tang dynasties. It fell into ruin after the Tang dynasty ended, and the Guangdamen village formed there after the Ming dynasty. Guangdamen village has been demolished, and the area around the gongbei is now a construction site. The roads are very difficult to walk on. I saw the main gate of the gongbei from a distance several times but could not enter because of the walls. After winding through many turns, I finally made it inside.
Guangdamen gongbei is also known as the Lingling Tomb or the tomb garden of the sages Ma Daozhen and Feng Daozu. It is currently managed by the Qadiriyya Yang menhuan. According to the records of the Qadiriyya Yangmen lineage, Khwaja Abdullah brought the Qadiriyya tradition to China during the Kangxi era. He passed it on to Master Ma in Yunnan, who passed it to Master Zhou in Gongchang. Master Zhou then passed it to Master Ma in Xi'an, who later passed it to his nephew. Because the Qadiriyya tradition is passed to the worthy rather than to one's own children, the family changed their surname from Ma to Feng, and he became known as Master Feng.
Inside the gongbei, people refer to Ma Daozhen as the 'San Geta Baba'. However, research in the article 'A Preliminary Study of Ma Daozhen's Family of Islamic Scholars' shows that Ma Daozhen was actually the ancestor of the San Geta Baba. According to the founding stele of the Dapiyuan Mosque, Ma Daozhen was a famous imam in the early Ming Dynasty who was well-versed in Islamic law and known for his excellent character and learning. He once spent five years traveling to different provinces to raise funds for the construction of the Dapiyuan Mosque, making him a key founder of the mosque. After he became the imam of the Dapiyuan Mosque, his family held the position of imam there for generations until the late Republic of China era. Among Ma Daozhen's descendants were three brothers: Ma Shiqi, Ma Shiying (known as the Second Geta Master), and Ma Shixiong (the San Geta Baba). All three were famous Islamic scholars in the early Qing Dynasty and are recorded in the 'Genealogy of Islamic Scholarship'. The Jingxue Xichuan Pu highly praises the character of Sangeta Baba and mentions his Sufi leanings.
Besides the gravestones of Ma Daozhen and Feng Daozu, the gongbei holds two precious stone tablets. One is the Guangda Gate Cemetery Stele from the 24th year of the Qianlong reign, also known as the 64 Neighborhoods Stele. It lists the names of 64 large Hui mosque neighborhoods in the suburbs of Xi'an during the Qianlong period, making it historically significant. According to elders in the Xi'an Muslim quarters, during the Republic of China era, after every Eid, Xi'an Hui Muslims would first visit the grave of Saidianchi Baba at Mijiaya in the east of the city. Then they would go to Guangtaimen to visit the grave of Sangeta Baba, and finally to Hujiagou to visit the grave of Hutashi Baba. This tradition lasted until the 1950s.
In the afternoon, we attended the Asr prayer (diguer) at Nancheng Mosque. After the prayer, I met a fellow Beijinger. He is a Hui Muslim from Daxing who came to Xi'an as a soldier when he was young and has since become an elder of the Nancheng Mosque community. The elder of Nancheng Mosque invited us to break our fast there, but we politely declined because the mosque does not have a women's prayer hall.
Nancheng Mosque was built in 1683 (the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign). It was originally built for the Muslim officers and soldiers of the Han Eight Banners stationed in the south of Xi'an and their families. It was the only mosque in Xi'an at the time that was not located in the Hui Muslim quarter. As early as 1645 (the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign), the Qing dynasty established a Manchu Eight Banners garrison city in the east of Xi'an. After the Qing dynasty settled the Revolt of the Three Feudatories in 1683, they built a garrison city for the Han Eight Banners in the southeast of Xi'an to strengthen military power. It was called the South City (nancheng). In 1780, the 45th year of the Qianlong reign, the South City was abolished. The Han Eight Banners soldiers and their families left the banner system to become civilians and joined the Green Standard Army. The South City Mosque (nancheng si) then officially became a mosque for all Hui Muslims.
During the lockdown of Xi'an in the Tongzhi reign, the South City Mosque played a special role. At that time, Hui Muslims in Xi'an could not leave the city for eighteen years. When they passed away, they were carried to the South City Mosque for burial. People say there was not enough burial shroud cloth (kafan bu) for the funerals, so they had to use paper instead. This led to a folk song: 'Carried to the South City, the rich and poor are buried the same.' Whatever you ate while alive, you are wrapped in paper when you die.
After leaving the South City Mosque, walk north to the Henan Mosque (henan si) on Dongxin Street to visit the Hui Muslim community from Henan. You can find all kinds of halal food from Henan here, and the most famous is barrel chicken (tongzi ji).
The Longhai Railway officially opened to Xi'an in December 1934, making travel between Xi'an and Henan much easier. Many Hui Muslims from Henan began coming to Xi'an to make a living, settling in the New City District on the east side of the city. In 1936, Hui Muslims from Henan rented an empty lot on Dongxin Street and built two rooms facing the street. They named it the New City District Mosque, which later became the Dongxin Street Mosque.
Henan fell in 1937, and the Yellow River levee at Huayuankou broke the following year. Afterward, Henan suffered from continuous droughts and locust plagues. A large number of refugees fled west to Xi'an, including many Hui Muslims. They followed the footsteps of the Hui Muslims from Henan who had arrived earlier, setting up sheds to live in the relatively empty and desolate areas of the New City District at that time. Because the population grew, the Hui Muslims from Henan built the New City District East Mosque on Shangren Road in 1939, which is the current Jianguo Lane Mosque.
In the evening, we broke our fast at the Dongxin Street Mosque. We had barrel chicken (tongziji), braised pork tongue (jiang koutiao), cold mixed vegetables, braised fish chunks, steamed buns (momo), and red bean porridge. Barrel chicken (tongziji) is most famous in Kaifeng, Henan. It gets its name because the hen is cooked in a barrel shape without being gutted. The finished dish is bright yellow and tastes better the more you chew it.
The Dongxin Street Mosque was the first mosque for migrants in Xi'an. After it was built in 1936, it remained active until 1958. It was then turned into the New City District Hui Muslim Cultural Center. A factory occupied it after 1971, and it did not resume religious activities until 1986. It was rebuilt into the current building in 2013, which looks very new and has a great environment. The imam at the mosque now is from Henan, and many of the elders also speak with a Henan accent, which is quite interesting.
After the Taraweeh prayers, I rode my bike back to the Hui Muslim quarter, bought some mung bean cake (lvdougao) on Miaohou Street, and had a cup of sour plum drink (suanmeitang). I seem to drink sour plum drink (suanmeitang) every time I visit Xi'an; the brewed version has a richer texture and is a bit more tart.
I strolled to the west end of Miaohou Street to have some barbecue at Sun Tao's place. They sell the small beef skewers in orders of at least 20; they are quite chewy, almost like a snack. I also had a bowl of egg milk fermented rice (jidan niunai laozao), which makes for a good pairing.
April 6
At 3:50 a.m., I had a delicious lotus leaf bun with vegetables (heye bing jia cai) for my pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the day before, so I tried a different shop for it today. This time I ate a five-dragon egg and vegetable sandwich (wulong dancai jiamo) on North Guangji Street, and I also had some meat oil rice (youfan) there. Oil rice (youfan) is a special dish that Hui Muslims in the neighborhood usually make only for Eid (Erde) and the Prophet's Birthday (Shengji). It is a meat porridge made with beef bone broth and minced beef. It is salty, savory, and very festive.
After finishing the oil rice, we turned into Xiaopi Courtyard to eat steamed buns (baozi) made with traditional sourdough (laomian) at Ashiye's shop. For traditional sourdough (laomian), the dough is prepared a day in advance and left to rise for over ten hours without using yeast powder. Then, the risen dough is mixed with fresh dough to make the texture chewier and whiter. While we were eating the buns, an older man outside found out we were fasting and insisted on paying our bill. We felt so grateful, and it made us feel that the atmosphere in Xi'an is truly wonderful.
The street view of Xiaopi Courtyard at 4:20 in the morning.
At 5:30 in the morning, we performed namaz at the West Mosque (Qingzhen Xisi) on Sajinqiao. The West Mosque was built in 1926 and belongs to the Ikhwan sect. In 1912, Imam Liu Yuzhen began teaching Ikhwan ideas when he started classes at the ancient Sajinqiao Mosque. In 1920, some local residents influenced by the Ikhwan sect set up a separate prayer space (zhemati) at the home of Ma Mengji in Xinshi Lane, which was the predecessor to the West Mosque. In 1926, over 150 Ikhwan families in Sajinqiao, led by community leaders like Liu Chunzhang, raised money to buy the Haihui Nunnery northwest of the Sajinqiao intersection and rebuilt it into the Sajinqiao West Mosque.
During the Republic of China era, the West Mosque served over a thousand local Hui Muslims. It became a health school in 1958 and later a funeral home for Hui Muslims. It reopened in 1986, the main hall was rebuilt in 1987, and the north and south halls still keep their appearance from a century ago.
The Sajinqiao West Mosque is known for valuing cultural heritage and having an open-minded approach. The mosque often hosts study sessions, martial arts performances, and social events, which attracts more young people and gives it a lively atmosphere.
Sajinqiao during the day
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Xi'an Ramadan - Mosques, Gongbei and Hui Muslim Life (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Xi'an Ramadan, Gongbei, Hui Muslims while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
There are two moon-sighting platforms in the backyard, with the graves of past leaders in between. Imam Ma Qianyi (1874-1949) was a local from Huajue Lane. In 1914, after his formal appointment at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque, he served as an imam at several mosques in Xi'an and Pingliang. In 1918, he taught in turns at the ancient mosque on Sajinqiao and the mosque on Guangji Street. In 1928, he became the first democratically elected Great Imam of Xi'an, ending the previous hereditary system. He also served as the acting head imam of the Huajue Lane Great Mosque, where he taught scripture for seven years and trained many imams. In 1935, Imam Ma went on the Hajj. On his way back, he was invited by the Longshengzhuang Mosque in Feng County, Inner Mongolia, where many of the local Muslims were from Shaanxi. Later, he taught at over ten mosques in Inner Mongolia and Zhangjiakou, training a large number of imams.
Glazed tiles are stacked in the backyard. According to the 1526 stele record of the mosque's renovation, the Great Mosque at Huajue Lane received bricks and tiles from the Ming Dynasty Prince of Qin's palace during a major renovation in the early Jiajing era: '...we petitioned the virtuous Prince of Qin, who granted them and provided bricks and tiles to complete the work.' This made the mosque magnificent and brand new. Scholars have confirmed that the peacock-blue glazed tiles at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque match those found at the ruins of the Prince of Qin's glazed tile factory in Tongchuan.
Calligraphy art at the Huajue Lane Great Mosque.
During the Tianqi era of the Ming Dynasty, the famous painter and Vice Minister of Rites, Dong Qichang, inscribed the plaque that reads 'Imperial Gifted Mosque'.
Empress Dowager Cixi inscribed the plaque reading 'Lineage Extending from the Holy Land' (Pai Yan Tian Fang).
The couplet from the Guangxu era, 'Spider webs hard to solve, pigeons cooing together, messages sent by warhorses, promises to release the deer,' describes four stories of the Prophet.
Tian Zhongyu inscribed the plaque reading 'Encompassing the Universe' (Bao Luo Yu Zhou) during the Daoguang era.
There are also various wood carvings and stone engravings with Arabic script.
After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at the mosque, I took the subway to Guangtaimen in the northeast of Xi'an to visit the Guangdamen gongbei. Guangtaimen was originally the southeast gate of the imperial gardens during the Sui and Tang dynasties. It fell into ruin after the Tang dynasty ended, and the Guangdamen village formed there after the Ming dynasty. Guangdamen village has been demolished, and the area around the gongbei is now a construction site. The roads are very difficult to walk on. I saw the main gate of the gongbei from a distance several times but could not enter because of the walls. After winding through many turns, I finally made it inside.
Guangdamen gongbei is also known as the Lingling Tomb or the tomb garden of the sages Ma Daozhen and Feng Daozu. It is currently managed by the Qadiriyya Yang menhuan. According to the records of the Qadiriyya Yangmen lineage, Khwaja Abdullah brought the Qadiriyya tradition to China during the Kangxi era. He passed it on to Master Ma in Yunnan, who passed it to Master Zhou in Gongchang. Master Zhou then passed it to Master Ma in Xi'an, who later passed it to his nephew. Because the Qadiriyya tradition is passed to the worthy rather than to one's own children, the family changed their surname from Ma to Feng, and he became known as Master Feng.
Inside the gongbei, people refer to Ma Daozhen as the 'San Geta Baba'. However, research in the article 'A Preliminary Study of Ma Daozhen's Family of Islamic Scholars' shows that Ma Daozhen was actually the ancestor of the San Geta Baba. According to the founding stele of the Dapiyuan Mosque, Ma Daozhen was a famous imam in the early Ming Dynasty who was well-versed in Islamic law and known for his excellent character and learning. He once spent five years traveling to different provinces to raise funds for the construction of the Dapiyuan Mosque, making him a key founder of the mosque. After he became the imam of the Dapiyuan Mosque, his family held the position of imam there for generations until the late Republic of China era. Among Ma Daozhen's descendants were three brothers: Ma Shiqi, Ma Shiying (known as the Second Geta Master), and Ma Shixiong (the San Geta Baba). All three were famous Islamic scholars in the early Qing Dynasty and are recorded in the 'Genealogy of Islamic Scholarship'. The Jingxue Xichuan Pu highly praises the character of Sangeta Baba and mentions his Sufi leanings.
Besides the gravestones of Ma Daozhen and Feng Daozu, the gongbei holds two precious stone tablets. One is the Guangda Gate Cemetery Stele from the 24th year of the Qianlong reign, also known as the 64 Neighborhoods Stele. It lists the names of 64 large Hui mosque neighborhoods in the suburbs of Xi'an during the Qianlong period, making it historically significant. According to elders in the Xi'an Muslim quarters, during the Republic of China era, after every Eid, Xi'an Hui Muslims would first visit the grave of Saidianchi Baba at Mijiaya in the east of the city. Then they would go to Guangtaimen to visit the grave of Sangeta Baba, and finally to Hujiagou to visit the grave of Hutashi Baba. This tradition lasted until the 1950s.
In the afternoon, we attended the Asr prayer (diguer) at Nancheng Mosque. After the prayer, I met a fellow Beijinger. He is a Hui Muslim from Daxing who came to Xi'an as a soldier when he was young and has since become an elder of the Nancheng Mosque community. The elder of Nancheng Mosque invited us to break our fast there, but we politely declined because the mosque does not have a women's prayer hall.
Nancheng Mosque was built in 1683 (the 22nd year of the Kangxi reign). It was originally built for the Muslim officers and soldiers of the Han Eight Banners stationed in the south of Xi'an and their families. It was the only mosque in Xi'an at the time that was not located in the Hui Muslim quarter. As early as 1645 (the 2nd year of the Shunzhi reign), the Qing dynasty established a Manchu Eight Banners garrison city in the east of Xi'an. After the Qing dynasty settled the Revolt of the Three Feudatories in 1683, they built a garrison city for the Han Eight Banners in the southeast of Xi'an to strengthen military power. It was called the South City (nancheng). In 1780, the 45th year of the Qianlong reign, the South City was abolished. The Han Eight Banners soldiers and their families left the banner system to become civilians and joined the Green Standard Army. The South City Mosque (nancheng si) then officially became a mosque for all Hui Muslims.
During the lockdown of Xi'an in the Tongzhi reign, the South City Mosque played a special role. At that time, Hui Muslims in Xi'an could not leave the city for eighteen years. When they passed away, they were carried to the South City Mosque for burial. People say there was not enough burial shroud cloth (kafan bu) for the funerals, so they had to use paper instead. This led to a folk song: 'Carried to the South City, the rich and poor are buried the same.' Whatever you ate while alive, you are wrapped in paper when you die.
After leaving the South City Mosque, walk north to the Henan Mosque (henan si) on Dongxin Street to visit the Hui Muslim community from Henan. You can find all kinds of halal food from Henan here, and the most famous is barrel chicken (tongzi ji).
The Longhai Railway officially opened to Xi'an in December 1934, making travel between Xi'an and Henan much easier. Many Hui Muslims from Henan began coming to Xi'an to make a living, settling in the New City District on the east side of the city. In 1936, Hui Muslims from Henan rented an empty lot on Dongxin Street and built two rooms facing the street. They named it the New City District Mosque, which later became the Dongxin Street Mosque.
Henan fell in 1937, and the Yellow River levee at Huayuankou broke the following year. Afterward, Henan suffered from continuous droughts and locust plagues. A large number of refugees fled west to Xi'an, including many Hui Muslims. They followed the footsteps of the Hui Muslims from Henan who had arrived earlier, setting up sheds to live in the relatively empty and desolate areas of the New City District at that time. Because the population grew, the Hui Muslims from Henan built the New City District East Mosque on Shangren Road in 1939, which is the current Jianguo Lane Mosque.
In the evening, we broke our fast at the Dongxin Street Mosque. We had barrel chicken (tongziji), braised pork tongue (jiang koutiao), cold mixed vegetables, braised fish chunks, steamed buns (momo), and red bean porridge. Barrel chicken (tongziji) is most famous in Kaifeng, Henan. It gets its name because the hen is cooked in a barrel shape without being gutted. The finished dish is bright yellow and tastes better the more you chew it.
The Dongxin Street Mosque was the first mosque for migrants in Xi'an. After it was built in 1936, it remained active until 1958. It was then turned into the New City District Hui Muslim Cultural Center. A factory occupied it after 1971, and it did not resume religious activities until 1986. It was rebuilt into the current building in 2013, which looks very new and has a great environment. The imam at the mosque now is from Henan, and many of the elders also speak with a Henan accent, which is quite interesting.
After the Taraweeh prayers, I rode my bike back to the Hui Muslim quarter, bought some mung bean cake (lvdougao) on Miaohou Street, and had a cup of sour plum drink (suanmeitang). I seem to drink sour plum drink (suanmeitang) every time I visit Xi'an; the brewed version has a richer texture and is a bit more tart.
I strolled to the west end of Miaohou Street to have some barbecue at Sun Tao's place. They sell the small beef skewers in orders of at least 20; they are quite chewy, almost like a snack. I also had a bowl of egg milk fermented rice (jidan niunai laozao), which makes for a good pairing.
April 6
At 3:50 a.m., I had a delicious lotus leaf bun with vegetables (heye bing jia cai) for my pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the day before, so I tried a different shop for it today. This time I ate a five-dragon egg and vegetable sandwich (wulong dancai jiamo) on North Guangji Street, and I also had some meat oil rice (youfan) there. Oil rice (youfan) is a special dish that Hui Muslims in the neighborhood usually make only for Eid (Erde) and the Prophet's Birthday (Shengji). It is a meat porridge made with beef bone broth and minced beef. It is salty, savory, and very festive.
After finishing the oil rice, we turned into Xiaopi Courtyard to eat steamed buns (baozi) made with traditional sourdough (laomian) at Ashiye's shop. For traditional sourdough (laomian), the dough is prepared a day in advance and left to rise for over ten hours without using yeast powder. Then, the risen dough is mixed with fresh dough to make the texture chewier and whiter. While we were eating the buns, an older man outside found out we were fasting and insisted on paying our bill. We felt so grateful, and it made us feel that the atmosphere in Xi'an is truly wonderful.
The street view of Xiaopi Courtyard at 4:20 in the morning.
At 5:30 in the morning, we performed namaz at the West Mosque (Qingzhen Xisi) on Sajinqiao. The West Mosque was built in 1926 and belongs to the Ikhwan sect. In 1912, Imam Liu Yuzhen began teaching Ikhwan ideas when he started classes at the ancient Sajinqiao Mosque. In 1920, some local residents influenced by the Ikhwan sect set up a separate prayer space (zhemati) at the home of Ma Mengji in Xinshi Lane, which was the predecessor to the West Mosque. In 1926, over 150 Ikhwan families in Sajinqiao, led by community leaders like Liu Chunzhang, raised money to buy the Haihui Nunnery northwest of the Sajinqiao intersection and rebuilt it into the Sajinqiao West Mosque.
During the Republic of China era, the West Mosque served over a thousand local Hui Muslims. It became a health school in 1958 and later a funeral home for Hui Muslims. It reopened in 1986, the main hall was rebuilt in 1987, and the north and south halls still keep their appearance from a century ago.
The Sajinqiao West Mosque is known for valuing cultural heritage and having an open-minded approach. The mosque often hosts study sessions, martial arts performances, and social events, which attracts more young people and gives it a lively atmosphere.
Sajinqiao during the day
Collapse Read »
Halal Food Guide: Taipei - Tianjin and Baoding Halal Restaurants
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Taipei - Tianjin and Baoding Halal Restaurants is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Taipei, Halal Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I am sharing an article from the 300th issue of Chinese Islam magazine titled "In Memory of Our Muslim Brother Mu Huaijia—Reflections on the History of Halal Restaurants in Taiwan." Today, I will transcribe the first part, which recalls the Taipei Tianjin halal restaurant Endeyuan and the Baoding halal restaurant Baoding Guan.
Our Muslim brother Mu Huaijia passed away on April 14, 2006 (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise). After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at the Taipei Mosque, we held his funeral prayer (janazah), and he was buried at the Liuzhangli Muslim Cemetery. We miss him dearly.
Mr. Mu was from Tianjin and was born in 1923. After moving to Taiwan, he spent his whole life running halal food businesses and was very well-regarded. His wife, surnamed Zhang, passed away several years ago (may Allah grant her a high place in Paradise). (I personally accompanied her to the mountain for burial.) They had two sons, Deyuan and Decai, and three daughters, Meiqin, Meiyu, and Meihua. According to the Mu family genealogy in Tianjin, the seven generations are ranked by the characters: Wen, Cheng, Xiang, Rui, Huai, De, and En (Sheng). My wife belongs to the third generation, the Xiang generation. Whenever we saw Huaijia, people would joke, "Huaijia, your great-aunt is here."
When we first arrived in Taiwan, halal restaurants were not yet established. Many Muslims ran small businesses, mostly in the form of noodle stalls (mian tanzi). Early Hui Muslim families like the Aiminda family on Bo'ai Road became famous for their beef noodles, which they originally sold from a hallway. They later rented a shop, and because business was good, they bought a building on Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road, where they still operate today.
Other Hui Muslims like Wang Shaomin, Hai Laobiao, Wang Peijie, and Ai Pengju (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) all started out selling food from street carts. Before Zhonghua Road was widened, there were two popular halal restaurants in wooden shacks by the railway: one was Endeyuan, which was run by Huaijia's uncle-in-law, where a young Huaijia learned his cooking skills in the kitchen. Later, Huaijia ran his own Endeyuan restaurant for several years at the end of Section 1 of Changsha Street, across from the military police station, before moving it to a spot across from the Audit Office on Section 2 of Zhongxiao East Road. He later moved it to an alley next to the Ambassador Hotel on Zhongshan North Road for a while, and finally opened for a few years on Dexing East Road in Shilin, but he had to close down because neighbors complained about kitchen smoke.
Huaijia once asked me to help him find a place to rent near the Taipei Mosque to start his business again, but he needed the rent to be under 50,000. I kept an eye out, and in 1998, I found a shop for rent near the mosque for over 60,000, but Huaijia thought the space was too small and did not rent it. For several years after that, the project never succeeded because a suitable location could not be found. Later, the second son of Imam Wang Chunshan (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise), Haji Menglong, rented this house and ran a halal restaurant called 'Bayi Girl' for many years.
Huai Jia's halal restaurant had its own special features. First was the Tianjin meat pie (tianjin roubing), which was unique: a rectangular pie filled with pure beef and green onions. It was cooked over a high flame until the outside was crispy and the inside was fragrant. It was so delicious that people kept praising it.
Next was the steamed beef dumpling (niurou zhengjiao), another tasty flour-based dish that was just as good as the steamed dumplings at the Baoding Restaurant on Zhonghua Road. He could stir-fry excellent dishes with an authentic Tianjin flavor, and everyone who ate them had nothing but praise. Now that Huai Jia has returned to Allah, we can no longer taste his special cooking. What a pity! His two sons both learned his true skills and are experts in both red and white meat preparation, but running a halal restaurant is not as easy as it sounds. It is a pity that the family business could not be passed down.
The Baoding Halal Restaurant (Baoding Qingzhen Guan) on Zhonghua Road started in a wooden shack by the railway. It was next door to Endeyuan, and both had their own ways of doing business. Endeyuan was famous for its beef pies and stir-fried dishes. The Baoding Restaurant was famous for its steamed dumplings (zhengjiao) and seasonal stir-fries. In its later years, the Baoding Restaurant moved to the ground floor of the sixth building in the Zhonghua Mall. The space was large. Back then, there was no gas, so they used coke as fuel. They turned large gasoline drums into stoves to steam the dumplings and used a powerful blower to help the fire burn. When there were many customers, they could steam the dumplings and serve them in three minutes. The steamed dumplings at the Baoding Restaurant were fragrant and delicious, making them a favorite for people from all walks of life. At that time, everyone had just arrived in Taiwan and lacked fat in their diets. After eating the steamed dumplings, there would be leftover oil on the plates, but people ate them with great relish and found the taste unforgettable. The Baoding Restaurant could serve various stir-fried dishes and host banquets. Its food had a unique northern flavor and is a type of meal that people still miss today. There is a snack few people know about called noodle soup slices (pian'ertang). It is made by first stir-frying high-quality beef, then adding pure beef broth, and finally cooking the dough slices in the soup. It is very delicious. Every winter, the shop serves stir-fried flour tea with beef bone marrow (niugusuichao miancha). It is a nutritious and nourishing food that is truly unique.
In the final period, the owner of Baoding Restaurant, Old Xie, fell ill and returned to Allah (may Allah grant him a place in Paradise). This caused difficulties for the restaurant. He once met with me and hoped I would take over, but I declined because I had never worked in the food industry. The Baoding Restaurant, famous for its steamed dumplings (zhengjiao), closed down, which is a great pity. Collapse Read »
Summary: Halal Food Guide: Taipei - Tianjin and Baoding Halal Restaurants is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Taipei, Halal Food, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I am sharing an article from the 300th issue of Chinese Islam magazine titled "In Memory of Our Muslim Brother Mu Huaijia—Reflections on the History of Halal Restaurants in Taiwan." Today, I will transcribe the first part, which recalls the Taipei Tianjin halal restaurant Endeyuan and the Baoding halal restaurant Baoding Guan.
Our Muslim brother Mu Huaijia passed away on April 14, 2006 (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise). After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at the Taipei Mosque, we held his funeral prayer (janazah), and he was buried at the Liuzhangli Muslim Cemetery. We miss him dearly.
Mr. Mu was from Tianjin and was born in 1923. After moving to Taiwan, he spent his whole life running halal food businesses and was very well-regarded. His wife, surnamed Zhang, passed away several years ago (may Allah grant her a high place in Paradise). (I personally accompanied her to the mountain for burial.) They had two sons, Deyuan and Decai, and three daughters, Meiqin, Meiyu, and Meihua. According to the Mu family genealogy in Tianjin, the seven generations are ranked by the characters: Wen, Cheng, Xiang, Rui, Huai, De, and En (Sheng). My wife belongs to the third generation, the Xiang generation. Whenever we saw Huaijia, people would joke, "Huaijia, your great-aunt is here."
When we first arrived in Taiwan, halal restaurants were not yet established. Many Muslims ran small businesses, mostly in the form of noodle stalls (mian tanzi). Early Hui Muslim families like the Aiminda family on Bo'ai Road became famous for their beef noodles, which they originally sold from a hallway. They later rented a shop, and because business was good, they bought a building on Section 4 of Zhongxiao East Road, where they still operate today.
Other Hui Muslims like Wang Shaomin, Hai Laobiao, Wang Peijie, and Ai Pengju (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise) all started out selling food from street carts. Before Zhonghua Road was widened, there were two popular halal restaurants in wooden shacks by the railway: one was Endeyuan, which was run by Huaijia's uncle-in-law, where a young Huaijia learned his cooking skills in the kitchen. Later, Huaijia ran his own Endeyuan restaurant for several years at the end of Section 1 of Changsha Street, across from the military police station, before moving it to a spot across from the Audit Office on Section 2 of Zhongxiao East Road. He later moved it to an alley next to the Ambassador Hotel on Zhongshan North Road for a while, and finally opened for a few years on Dexing East Road in Shilin, but he had to close down because neighbors complained about kitchen smoke.
Huaijia once asked me to help him find a place to rent near the Taipei Mosque to start his business again, but he needed the rent to be under 50,000. I kept an eye out, and in 1998, I found a shop for rent near the mosque for over 60,000, but Huaijia thought the space was too small and did not rent it. For several years after that, the project never succeeded because a suitable location could not be found. Later, the second son of Imam Wang Chunshan (may Allah grant him a high place in Paradise), Haji Menglong, rented this house and ran a halal restaurant called 'Bayi Girl' for many years.
Huai Jia's halal restaurant had its own special features. First was the Tianjin meat pie (tianjin roubing), which was unique: a rectangular pie filled with pure beef and green onions. It was cooked over a high flame until the outside was crispy and the inside was fragrant. It was so delicious that people kept praising it.
Next was the steamed beef dumpling (niurou zhengjiao), another tasty flour-based dish that was just as good as the steamed dumplings at the Baoding Restaurant on Zhonghua Road. He could stir-fry excellent dishes with an authentic Tianjin flavor, and everyone who ate them had nothing but praise. Now that Huai Jia has returned to Allah, we can no longer taste his special cooking. What a pity! His two sons both learned his true skills and are experts in both red and white meat preparation, but running a halal restaurant is not as easy as it sounds. It is a pity that the family business could not be passed down.
The Baoding Halal Restaurant (Baoding Qingzhen Guan) on Zhonghua Road started in a wooden shack by the railway. It was next door to Endeyuan, and both had their own ways of doing business. Endeyuan was famous for its beef pies and stir-fried dishes. The Baoding Restaurant was famous for its steamed dumplings (zhengjiao) and seasonal stir-fries. In its later years, the Baoding Restaurant moved to the ground floor of the sixth building in the Zhonghua Mall. The space was large. Back then, there was no gas, so they used coke as fuel. They turned large gasoline drums into stoves to steam the dumplings and used a powerful blower to help the fire burn. When there were many customers, they could steam the dumplings and serve them in three minutes. The steamed dumplings at the Baoding Restaurant were fragrant and delicious, making them a favorite for people from all walks of life. At that time, everyone had just arrived in Taiwan and lacked fat in their diets. After eating the steamed dumplings, there would be leftover oil on the plates, but people ate them with great relish and found the taste unforgettable. The Baoding Restaurant could serve various stir-fried dishes and host banquets. Its food had a unique northern flavor and is a type of meal that people still miss today. There is a snack few people know about called noodle soup slices (pian'ertang). It is made by first stir-frying high-quality beef, then adding pure beef broth, and finally cooking the dough slices in the soup. It is very delicious. Every winter, the shop serves stir-fried flour tea with beef bone marrow (niugusuichao miancha). It is a nutritious and nourishing food that is truly unique.
In the final period, the owner of Baoding Restaurant, Old Xie, fell ill and returned to Allah (may Allah grant him a place in Paradise). This caused difficulties for the restaurant. He once met with me and hoped I would take over, but I declined because I had never worked in the food industry. The Baoding Restaurant, famous for its steamed dumplings (zhengjiao), closed down, which is a great pity. Collapse Read »
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan - Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan - Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, Eid al-Fitr while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the 22nd day, the elder at Balizhuang Mosque made fresh pea flour cake (wandouhuang). It is rare to eat it warm, and it tasted amazing. I broke my fast with the usual fermented mung bean milk (douzhier), paired with crispy fried dough strips (paicha) and fried milk. For the fast-breaking meal, we had braised meatballs with carrots, stir-fried shrimp, and chicken stir-fried in soybean paste. Thanks to the elders who worked hard to cook for us!
I spent the next few days in Xi'an to experience the atmosphere of Ramadan, only returning for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).
The noble Night of Power, a night of peace. Today was the busiest day at Balizhuang Mosque since the start of Ramadan. Many friends (dost) traveled from far away to be here. We also took a train from Xi'an to Beijing this afternoon and headed straight to the mosque.
To break the fast, we had white fungus and lotus seed porridge. I also got to eat the steamed rice cakes (aiwowo) made by Elder Fu, along with mung bean cakes and flaky pastries that Zainab brought back from the Muslim Quarter (Huifang). The fast-breaking meal was very rich, featuring fried tofu stewed with beef, lamb bone broth (yangtang), and various stir-fried dishes.
On the 27th day, we broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again. For the meal, we had large steamed buns (dabaozi) with carrot or cabbage fillings, made with either leavened or scalded dough. We all agreed that the carrot filling was better. The mix of sweet carrot flavor and savory meat was so appetizing.
On the 28th day, we attended the final Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan. It was hard to say goodbye! Balizhuang Mosque was very lively. The elders were making steamed rice cakes (aiwowo) together, and Elder Li made some sticky rice cake (qiegao). We broke our fast with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) as usual. The meal was noodle soup with thick sauce (dalu mian), featuring three types of toppings: daylily, tomato, and eggplant, plus various side vegetables. I started with two bowls of fermented mung bean milk and two cups of tea, then ate a big bowl of noodles. I was completely stuffed. I walked around the courtyard several times and only felt comfortable after the Taraweeh prayer finished.
I received charity (sadaqah) from the friends (dosti). May Allah reward you all (thawab)! This Ramadan has been so heartwarming!
It is the last day of Ramadan! The elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered again to make steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), small sticky rice cakes (xiaoqiegao), and candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and everyone felt sad to see Ramadan end. Just like the sermon (wa'erzi) says, we must keep the spirit of Ramadan alive and try to make every month like Ramadan and every night like the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).
The elders at Balizhuang Mosque are busy preparing for Eid al-Fitr tomorrow, getting the meat porridge (rouzhou) simmering and the fried dough (youxiang) ready.
The iftar meal was very rich, with braised fish, braised pork tongue, chicken cubes in bean sauce, stir-fried shrimp, fried tofu stewed with beef, spiced beef, and more. The fish was flavorful, and the beef was stewed until soft and tender. May Allah reward (thawab) everyone for their hard work this month.
Happy Eid! Eid al-Fitr is finally here, and Balizhuang Mosque has prepared meat porridge (rouzhou), fried dough (youxiang), and various pastries for everyone. The wheat grain and meat flavors in the meat porridge (rouzhou) blend perfectly, making it delicious. I met with Imam Saiwabu and the village elders. I not only accepted their greeting but also recited praises with them, and I feel very grateful to Allah.
May we meet again next Ramadan. Collapse Read »
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan - Laylat al-Qadr and Eid al-Fitr is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Laylat al-Qadr, Eid al-Fitr while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the 22nd day, the elder at Balizhuang Mosque made fresh pea flour cake (wandouhuang). It is rare to eat it warm, and it tasted amazing. I broke my fast with the usual fermented mung bean milk (douzhier), paired with crispy fried dough strips (paicha) and fried milk. For the fast-breaking meal, we had braised meatballs with carrots, stir-fried shrimp, and chicken stir-fried in soybean paste. Thanks to the elders who worked hard to cook for us!
I spent the next few days in Xi'an to experience the atmosphere of Ramadan, only returning for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).
The noble Night of Power, a night of peace. Today was the busiest day at Balizhuang Mosque since the start of Ramadan. Many friends (dost) traveled from far away to be here. We also took a train from Xi'an to Beijing this afternoon and headed straight to the mosque.
To break the fast, we had white fungus and lotus seed porridge. I also got to eat the steamed rice cakes (aiwowo) made by Elder Fu, along with mung bean cakes and flaky pastries that Zainab brought back from the Muslim Quarter (Huifang). The fast-breaking meal was very rich, featuring fried tofu stewed with beef, lamb bone broth (yangtang), and various stir-fried dishes.
On the 27th day, we broke our fast at Balizhuang Mosque with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) again. For the meal, we had large steamed buns (dabaozi) with carrot or cabbage fillings, made with either leavened or scalded dough. We all agreed that the carrot filling was better. The mix of sweet carrot flavor and savory meat was so appetizing.
On the 28th day, we attended the final Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan. It was hard to say goodbye! Balizhuang Mosque was very lively. The elders were making steamed rice cakes (aiwowo) together, and Elder Li made some sticky rice cake (qiegao). We broke our fast with fermented mung bean milk (douzhi) as usual. The meal was noodle soup with thick sauce (dalu mian), featuring three types of toppings: daylily, tomato, and eggplant, plus various side vegetables. I started with two bowls of fermented mung bean milk and two cups of tea, then ate a big bowl of noodles. I was completely stuffed. I walked around the courtyard several times and only felt comfortable after the Taraweeh prayer finished.
I received charity (sadaqah) from the friends (dosti). May Allah reward you all (thawab)! This Ramadan has been so heartwarming!
It is the last day of Ramadan! The elders at Balizhuang Mosque gathered again to make steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), small sticky rice cakes (xiaoqiegao), and candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and everyone felt sad to see Ramadan end. Just like the sermon (wa'erzi) says, we must keep the spirit of Ramadan alive and try to make every month like Ramadan and every night like the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr).
The elders at Balizhuang Mosque are busy preparing for Eid al-Fitr tomorrow, getting the meat porridge (rouzhou) simmering and the fried dough (youxiang) ready.
The iftar meal was very rich, with braised fish, braised pork tongue, chicken cubes in bean sauce, stir-fried shrimp, fried tofu stewed with beef, spiced beef, and more. The fish was flavorful, and the beef was stewed until soft and tender. May Allah reward (thawab) everyone for their hard work this month.
Happy Eid! Eid al-Fitr is finally here, and Balizhuang Mosque has prepared meat porridge (rouzhou), fried dough (youxiang), and various pastries for everyone. The wheat grain and meat flavors in the meat porridge (rouzhou) blend perfectly, making it delicious. I met with Imam Saiwabu and the village elders. I not only accepted their greeting but also recited praises with them, and I feel very grateful to Allah.
May we meet again next Ramadan. Collapse Read »
Halal Travel Guide: Hexiwu, Tianjin - Hometown Memories, Mosques and Hui Muslims
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Hexiwu, Tianjin - Hometown Memories, Mosques and Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Tianjin, Hui Muslims, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On Saturday, I went back to my hometown with my family in Hexiwu Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin. My family farmed in Hexiwu Town for generations. After 1949, my grandfather answered the call to help build Beijing. He moved to the city and became a construction worker who helped build the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China.
The house in the picture is the site of my family's old ancestral home. In the 1950s, my grandfather sold it to the supply and marketing cooperative so he could buy a house inside Fuchengmen in Beijing.
A small greenhouse at my uncle's house (my great-uncle's son).
The wheat fields in my hometown. Everything is lush and green right now.
The Grand Canal section in Hexiwu. Hexiwu is known as the First Post Station of Tianjin, as it was the first stop for the Grand Canal when entering the city.
The view of the Hui Muslims' street in Hexiwu Town. Because it was a key hub for water transport, many Hui Muslim merchants lived in Hexiwu Town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There was even a Hui Muslim camp to the southwest of the town, and many people eventually settled there.
The Hexiwu Mosque was first built in the early years of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was expanded during the Longqing reign, destroyed by a flood in the seventh year of the Kangxi reign, and rebuilt in the eighth year. It was renovated again in the third year of the Xuantong reign and in 1949. The mosque suffered severe damage between 1966 and 1976 and was destroyed after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. It was rebuilt on the original site in 1988 and completed in 1990.
The mosque houses an important artifact: a plaque reading "Wu Tai Gui Yi" (The Truth Returns to One) dedicated by Jin Yuqi, a third-rank official in the Xuantong reign.
The Chinese-Arabic plaque and the sign about slippers in front of the main prayer hall are also quite interesting.
After leaving the mosque, we bought some food to pack and take home for our fast.
We first went to Xinpengzhai Restaurant to buy their specialty, golden-rimmed braised pancakes (jinbian koumen), which is beef and bean sprouts braised with pancakes and topped with fried egg. The egg was very fragrant. It was my first time eating braised pancakes this way, and it tasted great.
Then we went to the First Post Station Snack Street inside the Hexiwu farmers' market. The most famous item there is the yellow rice fried cake (huangmi zhagao) from the century-old shop Wangji Lirenzhai. We arrived a bit late, and the shop closed at 1:00 PM, so we just bought all the remaining fried cakes (zhagao).
Lirenzhai is a Tianjin intangible cultural heritage site for the craft of making Hexiwu Lirenzhai fried cakes (zhagao). The Wang family's ancestral home is in Cangzhou, Hebei. In the late Qing Dynasty, they fled the war and arrived in Wuqing, first settling in Yangcun. Later, they heard that Hexiwu was densely populated and had a large community of Hui Muslims, so they moved to Hexiwu to settle down. In 1918, Wang Zhenlong inherited the family craft and officially set up a stall in Hexiwu, specializing in yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao). After 1958, the Wang family's fried cake business was merged into a cooperative store, and it was shut down after the 1960s. It was not until 1979 that the second-generation successor, Wang Jinyuan, inherited the family business and brought back the Wang family fried cakes. In 1999, the third-generation successor, Wang Xueren, took over and renamed it Lirenzhai, which is the name it uses today.
Besides yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao), the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) in Hexiwu are also very famous. Unlike the common version, the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) here have fillings. They come in mung bean flour and white flour varieties, giving them a richer texture than the standard ones.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Hexiwu, Tianjin - Hometown Memories, Mosques and Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Tianjin, Hui Muslims, Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On Saturday, I went back to my hometown with my family in Hexiwu Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin. My family farmed in Hexiwu Town for generations. After 1949, my grandfather answered the call to help build Beijing. He moved to the city and became a construction worker who helped build the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum of China.
The house in the picture is the site of my family's old ancestral home. In the 1950s, my grandfather sold it to the supply and marketing cooperative so he could buy a house inside Fuchengmen in Beijing.
A small greenhouse at my uncle's house (my great-uncle's son).
The wheat fields in my hometown. Everything is lush and green right now.
The Grand Canal section in Hexiwu. Hexiwu is known as the First Post Station of Tianjin, as it was the first stop for the Grand Canal when entering the city.
The view of the Hui Muslims' street in Hexiwu Town. Because it was a key hub for water transport, many Hui Muslim merchants lived in Hexiwu Town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There was even a Hui Muslim camp to the southwest of the town, and many people eventually settled there.
The Hexiwu Mosque was first built in the early years of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was expanded during the Longqing reign, destroyed by a flood in the seventh year of the Kangxi reign, and rebuilt in the eighth year. It was renovated again in the third year of the Xuantong reign and in 1949. The mosque suffered severe damage between 1966 and 1976 and was destroyed after the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. It was rebuilt on the original site in 1988 and completed in 1990.
The mosque houses an important artifact: a plaque reading "Wu Tai Gui Yi" (The Truth Returns to One) dedicated by Jin Yuqi, a third-rank official in the Xuantong reign.
The Chinese-Arabic plaque and the sign about slippers in front of the main prayer hall are also quite interesting.
After leaving the mosque, we bought some food to pack and take home for our fast.
We first went to Xinpengzhai Restaurant to buy their specialty, golden-rimmed braised pancakes (jinbian koumen), which is beef and bean sprouts braised with pancakes and topped with fried egg. The egg was very fragrant. It was my first time eating braised pancakes this way, and it tasted great.
Then we went to the First Post Station Snack Street inside the Hexiwu farmers' market. The most famous item there is the yellow rice fried cake (huangmi zhagao) from the century-old shop Wangji Lirenzhai. We arrived a bit late, and the shop closed at 1:00 PM, so we just bought all the remaining fried cakes (zhagao).
Lirenzhai is a Tianjin intangible cultural heritage site for the craft of making Hexiwu Lirenzhai fried cakes (zhagao). The Wang family's ancestral home is in Cangzhou, Hebei. In the late Qing Dynasty, they fled the war and arrived in Wuqing, first settling in Yangcun. Later, they heard that Hexiwu was densely populated and had a large community of Hui Muslims, so they moved to Hexiwu to settle down. In 1918, Wang Zhenlong inherited the family craft and officially set up a stall in Hexiwu, specializing in yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao). After 1958, the Wang family's fried cake business was merged into a cooperative store, and it was shut down after the 1960s. It was not until 1979 that the second-generation successor, Wang Jinyuan, inherited the family business and brought back the Wang family fried cakes. In 1999, the third-generation successor, Wang Xueren, took over and renamed it Lirenzhai, which is the name it uses today.
Besides yellow rice fried cakes (zhagao), the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) in Hexiwu are also very famous. Unlike the common version, the fried crispy rolls (gezhe he) here have fillings. They come in mung bean flour and white flour varieties, giving them a richer texture than the standard ones.
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Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Ma Si Baba Gongbei, Turkish Coffee and Fatumai Restaurant
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Ma Si Baba Gongbei, Turkish Coffee and Fatumai Restaurant is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Wuhan, Gongbei, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On March 10, I rode my bike from the east gate of Central China Normal University early in the morning to visit the tomb of Ma Si Baba on Huquan Street. The tomb of Ma Si Baba is now inside the Poly Huadu residential complex, and the phone number for the caretaker, Ma Yunjiang Dosti, is posted at the entrance. Unfortunately, Ma Dosti was at the hospital when we arrived, so he asked his sister to come and open the gate for us.
Ma Si Baba (1597-1679), whose real name was Ma Quan and courtesy name was Minglong, was a master of Islamic studies and the founder of the Jingtang education system in Hubei. Ma Si Baba came from the Ma family of Huaiyuantang, originally from Xuyi County, Fengyang Prefecture. His great-grandfather, Ma Jun, was appointed as a commander in the Wuchang Left Guard of the Huguang Regional Military Commission in 1413 (the sixth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and settled in Wuchang from then on.
Ma Si Baba studied both Islamic and Chinese classics with his father from a young age. When he was young, he spent seven years in Tongxin, Ningxia, and Xianning, Shaanxi, studying under the teachers Feng Bo'an and Feng Shaoquan. After returning to Wuhan, he began teaching at the Yuanmenkou mosque in Wuchang, where he focused on studying Persian classics like the Miersade. In Wuhan, Ma Si Baba received guidance from the Western Regions scholar Jiliang and was influenced by Sufi thought. The only surviving work by Ma Si Baba is "Renji Xingwu" (Self-Recognition and Awakening), written in 1661 (the eighteenth year of the Shunzhi reign). In the book, he uses Confucian and Taoist ideas to explain various concepts of the faith, reflecting the cultural trend of "interpreting Islam through Confucianism" at the time.
Ma Si Baba was once invited by Ma Xiong, the regional commander of Liuzhou, to serve as the imam at the mosque in Liuzhou. Later, he used money donated by Ma Xiong's foster father, Ma Jiaolin, to buy farmland for the school at the foot of Wohu Mountain, east of Wuchang city, and he was buried there after he passed away. After Ma Si Baba passed away, Hui Muslims from the Ma family of Huaiyuantang, the Ma family of Sichuan, the Ma family of Shaanxi, the Li family of Shizijie in Wuchang, and the Wu family of Xiamazhuang moved there to settle. Later, families with the surnames Fu and Liao also joined the faith, gradually forming the village of Majiazhuang.
The tomb of Ma Si Baba was severely damaged after the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, and the current brick-and-concrete tomb pavilion was built in 1953. In 1979, due to land requisition, the Shangmazhuang area where Ma Si Baba's descendants lived was relocated to Zhangjiawan. In 2003, to build Xiongchu Avenue and develop real estate, Majiazhuang was relocated to the Xinzhu Road resettlement village in Guanshan Street, and in 2014, it was moved again to the Optics Valley Youth City across the street. When the Poly Huadu complex was developed, several Hui Muslim families from Majiazhuang chose to buy homes there to continue living near the tomb of Ma Si Baba, including the family of the current caretaker, Ma Yunjiang.
According to Ma Chao, a teacher at Shaanxi Normal University, there are five stone tablets inside the tomb pavilion of Ma Si Baba. On the north wall is the "Stele Record of the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Tomb," written by Ma Si Baba in 1673 (the twelfth year of the Kangxi reign). On both sides are the "Huabiao Stele Record" and the "School Farmland Stele Record," written in 1683 (the twenty-second year of the Kangxi reign) by Ma Ziyun, the regional commander of northern Sichuan. The two tablets at the back record the information of those who redeemed the school farmland, titled "Rules and Donor Names for the Majiazhuang School Farmland in Wuchang" (upper and lower parts). Outside the tomb pavilion, there are also replicas of the Ornamental Column Stele (Huabiao Beiji) and the School Field Stele (Xuetian Beiji).
The top of the Stele Commemorating the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Tomb features Arabic and Persian script, with Chinese text below. Hu Dengzhou, known as Master Hu Baba, was the founder of the Chinese scripture hall education system and a famous scripture teacher. After Master Hu Baba passed away, he was buried in his hometown of Hujiagou, Xianyang, Shaanxi. In 1662, the first year of the Kangxi reign, the Wei River flooded and threatened the tomb, so local Muslims decided to relocate Master Hu Baba's grave. Ma Si Baba, the highest-ranking scripture teacher among Master Hu Baba's junior disciples at the time, wrote a eulogy after hearing about the relocation. Five years later, Ma Si Baba passed away. On his deathbed, he worried the eulogy would be lost, so he asked his son and students to carve it onto a stone next to his own grave.
The Ornamental Column Stele (Huabiao Beiji) is Ma Ziyun's praise for Ma Si Baba. The School Field Stele (Xuetian Beiji) records that after Ma Ziyun's grandfather, Ma Jiaolin, passed away, his family was in financial trouble and sold some of the school fields Ma Jiaolin had donated to Ma Si Baba. Later, Ma Ziyun bought the fields back. The Stele of School Field Regulations and Donor Names in Wuchang Ma Family Village records information about many Eight Banners Hui Muslim military officers, various regional religious leaders, and members of Ma Si Baba's clan.
In the afternoon, I went to the Turkish cafe ISPARTA in Tongxingli, Hankou, to drink sand-boiled coffee and eat baklava. Tongxingli is right next to the former French Consulate. It is a typical old Hankou neighborhood (lifen) and is now a street for vintage clothing. Their shop is very easy to miss and not very big inside, but it has a great atmosphere. The Turkish guy makes the coffee fresh, and it feels like I am back in Istanbul.
In the afternoon, I went to Fatumei Restaurant on Huangxing Road. It is a famous traditional halal restaurant in Hankou that serves specialty halal dishes from Henan-origin Hui Muslims in Hankou.
I have eaten their beef meatballs, lotus root boxes, and sticky rice fish (cibayu) before, and they all tasted good. This time I ordered beef spring rolls, stir-fried beef tripe, and dry-fried shredded beef, which are also classic Hankou Hui Muslim dishes. The spring rolls (chun juan) were fragrant and crispy. The shredded tripe (du si) went perfectly with rice, and the dry-fried shredded beef (ganbian niurou si) was very chewy. It was surprisingly spicy, though—my mouth felt like it was on fire after just one bite. I quickly ordered an iced cola to cool down and ended up packing the rest to eat at home.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Ma Si Baba Gongbei, Turkish Coffee and Fatumai Restaurant is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Wuhan, Gongbei, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On March 10, I rode my bike from the east gate of Central China Normal University early in the morning to visit the tomb of Ma Si Baba on Huquan Street. The tomb of Ma Si Baba is now inside the Poly Huadu residential complex, and the phone number for the caretaker, Ma Yunjiang Dosti, is posted at the entrance. Unfortunately, Ma Dosti was at the hospital when we arrived, so he asked his sister to come and open the gate for us.
Ma Si Baba (1597-1679), whose real name was Ma Quan and courtesy name was Minglong, was a master of Islamic studies and the founder of the Jingtang education system in Hubei. Ma Si Baba came from the Ma family of Huaiyuantang, originally from Xuyi County, Fengyang Prefecture. His great-grandfather, Ma Jun, was appointed as a commander in the Wuchang Left Guard of the Huguang Regional Military Commission in 1413 (the sixth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and settled in Wuchang from then on.
Ma Si Baba studied both Islamic and Chinese classics with his father from a young age. When he was young, he spent seven years in Tongxin, Ningxia, and Xianning, Shaanxi, studying under the teachers Feng Bo'an and Feng Shaoquan. After returning to Wuhan, he began teaching at the Yuanmenkou mosque in Wuchang, where he focused on studying Persian classics like the Miersade. In Wuhan, Ma Si Baba received guidance from the Western Regions scholar Jiliang and was influenced by Sufi thought. The only surviving work by Ma Si Baba is "Renji Xingwu" (Self-Recognition and Awakening), written in 1661 (the eighteenth year of the Shunzhi reign). In the book, he uses Confucian and Taoist ideas to explain various concepts of the faith, reflecting the cultural trend of "interpreting Islam through Confucianism" at the time.
Ma Si Baba was once invited by Ma Xiong, the regional commander of Liuzhou, to serve as the imam at the mosque in Liuzhou. Later, he used money donated by Ma Xiong's foster father, Ma Jiaolin, to buy farmland for the school at the foot of Wohu Mountain, east of Wuchang city, and he was buried there after he passed away. After Ma Si Baba passed away, Hui Muslims from the Ma family of Huaiyuantang, the Ma family of Sichuan, the Ma family of Shaanxi, the Li family of Shizijie in Wuchang, and the Wu family of Xiamazhuang moved there to settle. Later, families with the surnames Fu and Liao also joined the faith, gradually forming the village of Majiazhuang.
The tomb of Ma Si Baba was severely damaged after the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, and the current brick-and-concrete tomb pavilion was built in 1953. In 1979, due to land requisition, the Shangmazhuang area where Ma Si Baba's descendants lived was relocated to Zhangjiawan. In 2003, to build Xiongchu Avenue and develop real estate, Majiazhuang was relocated to the Xinzhu Road resettlement village in Guanshan Street, and in 2014, it was moved again to the Optics Valley Youth City across the street. When the Poly Huadu complex was developed, several Hui Muslim families from Majiazhuang chose to buy homes there to continue living near the tomb of Ma Si Baba, including the family of the current caretaker, Ma Yunjiang.
According to Ma Chao, a teacher at Shaanxi Normal University, there are five stone tablets inside the tomb pavilion of Ma Si Baba. On the north wall is the "Stele Record of the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Tomb," written by Ma Si Baba in 1673 (the twelfth year of the Kangxi reign). On both sides are the "Huabiao Stele Record" and the "School Farmland Stele Record," written in 1683 (the twenty-second year of the Kangxi reign) by Ma Ziyun, the regional commander of northern Sichuan. The two tablets at the back record the information of those who redeemed the school farmland, titled "Rules and Donor Names for the Majiazhuang School Farmland in Wuchang" (upper and lower parts). Outside the tomb pavilion, there are also replicas of the Ornamental Column Stele (Huabiao Beiji) and the School Field Stele (Xuetian Beiji).
The top of the Stele Commemorating the Relocation of Hu Dengzhou's Tomb features Arabic and Persian script, with Chinese text below. Hu Dengzhou, known as Master Hu Baba, was the founder of the Chinese scripture hall education system and a famous scripture teacher. After Master Hu Baba passed away, he was buried in his hometown of Hujiagou, Xianyang, Shaanxi. In 1662, the first year of the Kangxi reign, the Wei River flooded and threatened the tomb, so local Muslims decided to relocate Master Hu Baba's grave. Ma Si Baba, the highest-ranking scripture teacher among Master Hu Baba's junior disciples at the time, wrote a eulogy after hearing about the relocation. Five years later, Ma Si Baba passed away. On his deathbed, he worried the eulogy would be lost, so he asked his son and students to carve it onto a stone next to his own grave.
The Ornamental Column Stele (Huabiao Beiji) is Ma Ziyun's praise for Ma Si Baba. The School Field Stele (Xuetian Beiji) records that after Ma Ziyun's grandfather, Ma Jiaolin, passed away, his family was in financial trouble and sold some of the school fields Ma Jiaolin had donated to Ma Si Baba. Later, Ma Ziyun bought the fields back. The Stele of School Field Regulations and Donor Names in Wuchang Ma Family Village records information about many Eight Banners Hui Muslim military officers, various regional religious leaders, and members of Ma Si Baba's clan.
In the afternoon, I went to the Turkish cafe ISPARTA in Tongxingli, Hankou, to drink sand-boiled coffee and eat baklava. Tongxingli is right next to the former French Consulate. It is a typical old Hankou neighborhood (lifen) and is now a street for vintage clothing. Their shop is very easy to miss and not very big inside, but it has a great atmosphere. The Turkish guy makes the coffee fresh, and it feels like I am back in Istanbul.
In the afternoon, I went to Fatumei Restaurant on Huangxing Road. It is a famous traditional halal restaurant in Hankou that serves specialty halal dishes from Henan-origin Hui Muslims in Hankou.
I have eaten their beef meatballs, lotus root boxes, and sticky rice fish (cibayu) before, and they all tasted good. This time I ordered beef spring rolls, stir-fried beef tripe, and dry-fried shredded beef, which are also classic Hankou Hui Muslim dishes. The spring rolls (chun juan) were fragrant and crispy. The shredded tripe (du si) went perfectly with rice, and the dry-fried shredded beef (ganbian niurou si) was very chewy. It was surprisingly spicy, though—my mouth felt like it was on fire after just one bite. I quickly ordered an iced cola to cool down and ended up packing the rest to eat at home.
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Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Two Mosques and Iftar
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Two Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Continuing from the last post, I will share more about the iftar meals at Balizhuang Mosque.
Day eight, today we are breaking our fast with Balizhuang mung bean milk (douzhi)! This must be the only place in the country that does this. The freshly boiled mung bean milk (douzhi) is thick, and it comes with fermented bean curd residue (ma doufu) made from the same base. It is completely authentic. For the iftar meal, we had shredded chicken noodle soup (dalu mian) and diced eggplant noodle soup (qie ding lu mian) with various vegetable toppings. I ate two bowls.
Day nine, today at Balizhuang Mosque, Elder Li made fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo) again. They have plenty of dates and are a classic staple of the Balizhuang iftar meals! There were also honey dates and walnuts pickled by the elders. The shredded potatoes, chicken drumettes, and braised eggplant served for iftar were all delicious.
Day ten, today the elders made deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi), mung bean residue with fermented bean curd (ma doufu), and tofu meatball soup. The main dish was stir-fried meat with flatbread (chao bing), and the soup was lamb offal soup (yangza tang). You cannot buy these deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi) or the tofu meatball soup anywhere else. Old Hui Muslims use these crisps when they fry meat rolls and meatballs.
Day eleven, a blessed Jumu'ah. Today I attended the charity Ramadan and elder-respecting event at Dongsi Mosque. I met a friend (dosti) who just returned from vacation in Saudi Arabia, and I also ran into the owner of Xiayi Restaurant on Dongsi North Street, where I have been eating lamb skewers since I was a child. Next to the main prayer hall, there is a stone tablet from the Republic of China era. It lists the names of students from the former Chengda Teachers College, many of whom went on to achieve great things.
In the afternoon, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made steamed dumplings (shaomai) together. The skins were thin, the fillings were large, and the meat was very fragrant. Dipping them in Laba vinegar really brought out the flavor. They also fried chicken strips and boiled rice porridge. Today I met three sisters from Yunnan who came here because of the mosque's reputation. I am very grateful (shukr).
Day twelve, today at Balizhuang Mosque, we had fried tofu stewed with meat, along with stir-fried lamb liver, stir-fried shrimp, and fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo).
Day thirteen, today the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made nail-head meat pies (mending roubing) together. Elder Ma from the mosque is the very same chef who specializes in making these pies at Jingxiangzhai in Shilipu. The meat buns (mending) made at the mosque are very fragrant, full of savory juices, and the reward (thawab) for preparing food for those fasting is great.
Also, today the elders made sticky rice cake (qiegao) and sweet melon salad (saixianggua). Sweet melon salad (saixianggua) is made with shredded pear, cucumber, and hawthorn jelly (jinggao), making it very refreshing to eat.
On the fourteenth day, two weeks into Ramadan, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque brought donkey roll cakes (lvdagun), fried crispy crackers (zhagezi), honey-glazed pastries (misandao), pea flour cakes (wandouhuang), and fried rice sticks (jiangmitiao). For the fast-breaking meal, we had braised chicken (huangmenji) and sesame flatbread with meat (shaobing jiarou), along with various vegetable dishes and two types of fried steamed bun slices.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week Two Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Continuing from the last post, I will share more about the iftar meals at Balizhuang Mosque.
Day eight, today we are breaking our fast with Balizhuang mung bean milk (douzhi)! This must be the only place in the country that does this. The freshly boiled mung bean milk (douzhi) is thick, and it comes with fermented bean curd residue (ma doufu) made from the same base. It is completely authentic. For the iftar meal, we had shredded chicken noodle soup (dalu mian) and diced eggplant noodle soup (qie ding lu mian) with various vegetable toppings. I ate two bowls.
Day nine, today at Balizhuang Mosque, Elder Li made fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo) again. They have plenty of dates and are a classic staple of the Balizhuang iftar meals! There were also honey dates and walnuts pickled by the elders. The shredded potatoes, chicken drumettes, and braised eggplant served for iftar were all delicious.
Day ten, today the elders made deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi), mung bean residue with fermented bean curd (ma doufu), and tofu meatball soup. The main dish was stir-fried meat with flatbread (chao bing), and the soup was lamb offal soup (yangza tang). You cannot buy these deep-fried mung bean flour crisps (gezhi) or the tofu meatball soup anywhere else. Old Hui Muslims use these crisps when they fry meat rolls and meatballs.
Day eleven, a blessed Jumu'ah. Today I attended the charity Ramadan and elder-respecting event at Dongsi Mosque. I met a friend (dosti) who just returned from vacation in Saudi Arabia, and I also ran into the owner of Xiayi Restaurant on Dongsi North Street, where I have been eating lamb skewers since I was a child. Next to the main prayer hall, there is a stone tablet from the Republic of China era. It lists the names of students from the former Chengda Teachers College, many of whom went on to achieve great things.
In the afternoon, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made steamed dumplings (shaomai) together. The skins were thin, the fillings were large, and the meat was very fragrant. Dipping them in Laba vinegar really brought out the flavor. They also fried chicken strips and boiled rice porridge. Today I met three sisters from Yunnan who came here because of the mosque's reputation. I am very grateful (shukr).
Day twelve, today at Balizhuang Mosque, we had fried tofu stewed with meat, along with stir-fried lamb liver, stir-fried shrimp, and fried yam and date rolls (tang juan guo).
Day thirteen, today the elders at Balizhuang Mosque made nail-head meat pies (mending roubing) together. Elder Ma from the mosque is the very same chef who specializes in making these pies at Jingxiangzhai in Shilipu. The meat buns (mending) made at the mosque are very fragrant, full of savory juices, and the reward (thawab) for preparing food for those fasting is great.
Also, today the elders made sticky rice cake (qiegao) and sweet melon salad (saixianggua). Sweet melon salad (saixianggua) is made with shredded pear, cucumber, and hawthorn jelly (jinggao), making it very refreshing to eat.
On the fourteenth day, two weeks into Ramadan, the elders at Balizhuang Mosque brought donkey roll cakes (lvdagun), fried crispy crackers (zhagezi), honey-glazed pastries (misandao), pea flour cakes (wandouhuang), and fried rice sticks (jiangmitiao). For the fast-breaking meal, we had braised chicken (huangmenji) and sesame flatbread with meat (shaobing jiarou), along with various vegetable dishes and two types of fried steamed bun slices.
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Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Jiang'an Mosque Quarter, CCNU and Wuchang Food
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Jiang'an Mosque Quarter, CCNU and Wuchang Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Wuhan, Mosque Quarter, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jiang'an Mosque neighborhood.
I took the high-speed train back to Wuhan on Friday evening, March 8th. I noticed the trains to Wuhan have slowed down; most now take over five hours, with only a few left that take four hours. That night, I took a taxi from Wuhan Station straight to Erqi in Jiang'an. Jiang'an Erqi and Wuchang Qiyi Street are two mosque neighborhoods in Wuhan that I visited many times when I was in college ten years ago. The Erqi neighborhood has already gone through demolition and reconstruction, while Qiyi Street is currently undergoing demolition. Although the local Islamic community in Wuhan has declined significantly, Erqi is still the only area in the city that maintains its mosque neighborhood layout.
There are several Hui Muslim barbecue shops in Erqi, mostly run by Hui Muslims from Henan, which is linked to how the Jiang'an Erqi mosque neighborhood was formed. We chose one called Diao Huzi Hui Muslim Barbecue. The owner is from Zhumadian, Henan, and he now runs four barbecue shops near Erqi. We ordered grilled lamb skewers, beef skewers, vegetarian chicken (suji), dried tofu (ganzi), lotus root, crucian carp (xitouyu), sesame flatbread (shaobing), and lamb bone broth (yangtang). First, a reminder to check the menu carefully. Their meat is priced by the skewer, but vegetables are by the portion, and one portion is five skewers. We ordered way too much. Since Wuhan is in the south, the lamb isn't quite as good as in the northwest, so I ordered more vegetables. I liked their vegetarian chicken the best; it was fragrant and chewy. The dried tofu was very tender, with a completely different texture from the vegetarian chicken. I also really enjoyed the grilled sesame flatbread.
On the morning of Saturday, March 9th, I performed namaz at the Jiang'an Mosque. There were two imams and eight elders, ten people in total, which is quite rare in Wuhan these days. Because there were so few people, we prayed in the small prayer hall. The elders said the main hall only opens for Jumu'ah.
In 1906, the Beijing-Hankou Railway officially opened. Hui Muslims from places like Zhoukou, Henan, came to Hankou along the railway to escape years of flooding and drought. They built shacks to live in near the Jiang'an Railway Station in areas like Qiuchang, Liujiamiao, and Toudao Street, which became known as the 'Henan Sheds'. Some of them made a living pulling rickshaws or working as dock porters, and they were also called the 'Henan Gang'.
In 1918, the Henan Hui Muslims who had settled in Liujiamiao built a simple mosque, the earliest Liujiamiao Mosque. Because the neighborhood residents were mainly from Henan, it was also called the Henan Mosque. Later, when Wu Peifu's Beiyang Army was stationed there, they requisitioned the mosque to feed their horses, so everyone had to pool money in 1920 to buy a small building to use as a mosque. After the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, the mosque was damaged by war, and the land was taken for railway expansion, so everyone raised money again to buy a new building for the mosque. Since then, the mosque has undergone several major renovations and was named Jiang'an Mosque. Because it is located on Erqi Street, it is also called Erqi Street Mosque.
Jiang'an Station stopped operating in 2010, and demolition of the surrounding area began immediately. By 2014, all the houses around Jiang'an Mosque were torn down. The new Jiang'an Mosque was completed in 2018, and the relocation was officially finished in 2020, which is what we see today. For what the Jiang'an Mosque neighborhood used to look like, you can see my previous diary entry, 'Hui Muslim Community in Hankou, Hubei'.
I originally wanted to have breakfast in Erqi this morning, but after asking around, I found that all the halal restaurants around Jiang'an Mosque have closed. There are only meat shops and pastry shops left, which is a real shame. One of them, Lvji Beef and Mutton Shop, still had reviews last year for selling various noodles, steamed buns (baozi), and dumplings (jiaozi), but they don't do that anymore.
Erqi North Road is very busy in the morning, and we caught some freshly fried beef meatballs (niurou yuanzi) at Chengliji. Their shop is an old favorite from Toudao Street that later moved to Erqi North Road, and the local neighbors really like it. The freshly fried beef meatballs taste delicious! They definitely don't have that floury texture from too much starch found in the meatballs at some other shops. It is a pity that the beef skin-tofu (niurou doupi) I wanted most wasn't being made. The owner said they would make it in a few days, so it is best to call ahead next time.
Next to Chengliji is Yixiangzhai Food Shop, which sells various halal pastries. I always buy some whenever I return to Wuhan. I usually buy peanut brittle (huasheng su) and ginger candy (jiangzhi zatang). This time I also bought flaxseed crackers (yamazi bingbo), and they taste even better! They are also low in sugar and taste very healthy.
Since we didn't get breakfast near Jiang'an Mosque, we rode our bikes 2.7 kilometers west to Shuangbao Red Oil Beef Series on Erqi Side Road. This place must be the most popular and famous halal restaurant in the Erqi area. Shuangbao now has two shops, one halal and one not halal, so everyone must be careful to tell them apart. The new halal shop is run by a Hui Muslim landlady, and the old non-halal shop is reportedly run by the landlady's niece.
This place likely has the widest variety of beef dishes among halal restaurants in Wuhan. Lunch starts at 11:00, offering dozens of options. The crispy rice beef (guoba niurou), beef-stuffed fermented tofu (chouganzi bao niurou), and braised beef spine (lu niulonggu) are the most classic choices. We arrived before lunch service started, so we had breakfast instead. The breakfast menu features various beef rice noodles and wheat noodles, and they taste fantastic. The signature beef mixed noodles (zhaopai niurou banmian) are the best. The dry-mixed beef combined with the braising broth is very fragrant. The lady mixing the noodles was very friendly. When she heard we were fellow Muslims (dosti), she even gave us some beef tendon (banjin) for free. Their braised beef tendon is very tender, which is quite different from the tough tendon you get at barbecue spots. We also ordered a bowl of three-topping noodles (sanliao fen) with beef tendon, braised beef, and beef offal. The chili oil flavor is very rich, and the beef tendon is braised until it is soft and tender—a texture I have never experienced in the north.
Overall, we left feeling very satisfied! I will definitely come back to try their lunch menu next time.
Central China Normal University
I finally returned to my alma mater, Central China Normal University, ten years after graduation. This is where I lived for four years. I visited once in 2017, but in 2021, I wasn't allowed in and could only look through the gate. This time, I just had to scan my ID card to enter. Apart from a few new high-rise buildings, the school hasn't changed much in ten years. Many places are full of memories.
I noticed many more electric scooters on campus this time, including shared ones you can unlock with a QR code. It is much more convenient for students now than when we had to climb the hill to class every day.
I went back to the halal canteen where I ate for four years, but my alumni card wouldn't work, so I just walked around. First of all, the halal canteen has been renamed the Ethnic Canteen. The stalls inside have all changed, though I saw a Uyghur guy still running the Xinjiang food window. The hand-pulled noodles (banmian) back then were really tough, and the southern rice used for the pilaf (zhuafan) was really poor quality, but we still lined up every time it was mealtime. After finishing the noodles, I would buy a bottle of black tea and walk through the woods and up the hill back to the dorm. I felt so relaxed.
During my freshman and sophomore years, I lived in the West 1 Dormitory at Central China Normal University. The West District dorms, along with the School of Literature and the School of History, were among the first buildings constructed after the university moved from Tanhualin to Guizishan in 1955. They are now listed as part of the 'Early Architecture of Central China Normal University' in the Wuhan Excellent Historical Buildings registry.
The best part about living in a historical building is that it is truly warm in winter and cool in summer, which is much more comfortable than the modern buildings I lived in later. However, being next to the woods meant there were all kinds of bugs, and mice even got into the dorms. The mosquitoes in the camphor tree forest nearby were the worst; their bites would leave wounds that wouldn't heal.
Now, the West District dorm buildings have had their outer coatings removed to reveal the original grey bricks, and the interiors have been converted into offices instead of dorms. We ate the oranges from the tree at the dorm entrance every year while we lived there. Even though they were very sour, they are an unforgettable memory.
This time when I returned to my alma mater, I stayed at the Guiyuan Hotel, which is on the hillside in the northeast corner of the campus. In June 2013, Wuhan was extremely hot. Back then, the dorms at the university didn't have air conditioning, and the electric fans just blew hot air. The school opened the gymnasium for everyone to sleep on the floor, but my childhood friend and I pooled our money to stay in the north building of the Guiyuan Hotel for a month. That was when I truly experienced how unbearable the southern heat and humidity could be.
This time I stayed in the main building of the Guiyuan Hotel. The environment was quite nice, but the air conditioner didn't have a heating mode, so I got a taste of the early spring chill in the south.
Right outside the Guiyuan Hotel is the big downhill slope on the east side of the campus. Back then, the school buses didn't have speed limits, so we would practically take flight when we rode them down. After they set speed limits, we never had that roller-coaster experience again.
Finally, I went to the classroom where we used to have lessons to see what it was like. The desks and chairs have all been replaced with new ones, and I didn't feel the same sleepiness that used to hit me as soon as I put my head down.
Wuchang Food
After walking around my alma mater, I took the subway to Liangdao Street for lunch. The subway now goes to the Xiaodongmen area of Wuchang, and you are right on Liangdao Street when you come out. I haven't been to Wuhan in a few years, and I didn't expect Liangdao Street to turn into a trendy food street. All kinds of snack shops are packed side by side, which is completely different from when I was a student.
We biked straight to Ma's Hot Dry Noodles (reganmian). Since the Qiyi Street demolition and the closing of Pang's, Ma's is likely the only halal noodle shop left in Wuhan. We ate hot dry noodles and fresh fish paste rice noodles (hutangfen). We wanted to order stinky tofu (chouganzi), but the staff said they haven't made it lately. Still, the hot dry noodles with regular braised tofu (luganzi) were delicious.
Besides Ma's, there are two halal red-brick wall shops on Liangdao Street. One sells taro paste twisted dough sticks (dama-hua), and the other sells taro paste cheese bricks. The cheese bricks are popular, with the original flavor on sale for just 9.9. We bought a red bean one, and the mix of taro, red bean, and cheese tasted great. The cheese on top is cold, and the taro paste underneath is hot, which makes for a very satisfying treat.
In the evening, we went to Yizhiwei Restaurant on Bayi Road for halal Hubei cuisine. It is run by Hui Muslims from Fang County, Hubei. When I was a student, it was called Mecca Restaurant. It was famous in Wuhan for hosting university student gatherings. Since graduating, I have eaten here every time I return to Wuhan. It is a big part of my memories of the city.
Coming back this time, I found that Yizhiwei has been renovated. The environment is excellent, and the shop is full of young people eating. Their menu has always been known for its variety. They focus on halal Hubei dishes, featuring both traditional Hui Muslim food and various fusion dishes that all taste good. We ordered pan-fried sticky rice fish (cibayu), beef fried rice with pickled chili (shanjiao niurou hua fan), and beef bone lotus root soup. Sticky rice fish is a local Hubei specialty. Grass carp is marinated, cut into pieces, dried, and then pan-fried. It looks like fried sticky rice cakes (ciba) and is very salty and spicy. The beef fried rice with pickled chili is even spicier and more fragrant. The pickled chili makes your whole palate tingle. Beef bone lotus root soup is the Hui Muslim version of the famous Hubei pork rib and lotus root soup. Hubei is famous for its lotus root, and this beef bone version is a classic dish for hosting guests among Hubei Hui Muslims. To make it, the beef bones are simmered over low heat until the meat falls off, and the lotus root becomes soft and starchy. It is especially comforting to drink in the autumn and winter.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Wuhan - Jiang'an Mosque Quarter, CCNU and Wuchang Food is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Wuhan, Mosque Quarter, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jiang'an Mosque neighborhood.
I took the high-speed train back to Wuhan on Friday evening, March 8th. I noticed the trains to Wuhan have slowed down; most now take over five hours, with only a few left that take four hours. That night, I took a taxi from Wuhan Station straight to Erqi in Jiang'an. Jiang'an Erqi and Wuchang Qiyi Street are two mosque neighborhoods in Wuhan that I visited many times when I was in college ten years ago. The Erqi neighborhood has already gone through demolition and reconstruction, while Qiyi Street is currently undergoing demolition. Although the local Islamic community in Wuhan has declined significantly, Erqi is still the only area in the city that maintains its mosque neighborhood layout.
There are several Hui Muslim barbecue shops in Erqi, mostly run by Hui Muslims from Henan, which is linked to how the Jiang'an Erqi mosque neighborhood was formed. We chose one called Diao Huzi Hui Muslim Barbecue. The owner is from Zhumadian, Henan, and he now runs four barbecue shops near Erqi. We ordered grilled lamb skewers, beef skewers, vegetarian chicken (suji), dried tofu (ganzi), lotus root, crucian carp (xitouyu), sesame flatbread (shaobing), and lamb bone broth (yangtang). First, a reminder to check the menu carefully. Their meat is priced by the skewer, but vegetables are by the portion, and one portion is five skewers. We ordered way too much. Since Wuhan is in the south, the lamb isn't quite as good as in the northwest, so I ordered more vegetables. I liked their vegetarian chicken the best; it was fragrant and chewy. The dried tofu was very tender, with a completely different texture from the vegetarian chicken. I also really enjoyed the grilled sesame flatbread.
On the morning of Saturday, March 9th, I performed namaz at the Jiang'an Mosque. There were two imams and eight elders, ten people in total, which is quite rare in Wuhan these days. Because there were so few people, we prayed in the small prayer hall. The elders said the main hall only opens for Jumu'ah.
In 1906, the Beijing-Hankou Railway officially opened. Hui Muslims from places like Zhoukou, Henan, came to Hankou along the railway to escape years of flooding and drought. They built shacks to live in near the Jiang'an Railway Station in areas like Qiuchang, Liujiamiao, and Toudao Street, which became known as the 'Henan Sheds'. Some of them made a living pulling rickshaws or working as dock porters, and they were also called the 'Henan Gang'.
In 1918, the Henan Hui Muslims who had settled in Liujiamiao built a simple mosque, the earliest Liujiamiao Mosque. Because the neighborhood residents were mainly from Henan, it was also called the Henan Mosque. Later, when Wu Peifu's Beiyang Army was stationed there, they requisitioned the mosque to feed their horses, so everyone had to pool money in 1920 to buy a small building to use as a mosque. After the Battle of Wuhan in 1938, the mosque was damaged by war, and the land was taken for railway expansion, so everyone raised money again to buy a new building for the mosque. Since then, the mosque has undergone several major renovations and was named Jiang'an Mosque. Because it is located on Erqi Street, it is also called Erqi Street Mosque.
Jiang'an Station stopped operating in 2010, and demolition of the surrounding area began immediately. By 2014, all the houses around Jiang'an Mosque were torn down. The new Jiang'an Mosque was completed in 2018, and the relocation was officially finished in 2020, which is what we see today. For what the Jiang'an Mosque neighborhood used to look like, you can see my previous diary entry, 'Hui Muslim Community in Hankou, Hubei'.
I originally wanted to have breakfast in Erqi this morning, but after asking around, I found that all the halal restaurants around Jiang'an Mosque have closed. There are only meat shops and pastry shops left, which is a real shame. One of them, Lvji Beef and Mutton Shop, still had reviews last year for selling various noodles, steamed buns (baozi), and dumplings (jiaozi), but they don't do that anymore.
Erqi North Road is very busy in the morning, and we caught some freshly fried beef meatballs (niurou yuanzi) at Chengliji. Their shop is an old favorite from Toudao Street that later moved to Erqi North Road, and the local neighbors really like it. The freshly fried beef meatballs taste delicious! They definitely don't have that floury texture from too much starch found in the meatballs at some other shops. It is a pity that the beef skin-tofu (niurou doupi) I wanted most wasn't being made. The owner said they would make it in a few days, so it is best to call ahead next time.
Next to Chengliji is Yixiangzhai Food Shop, which sells various halal pastries. I always buy some whenever I return to Wuhan. I usually buy peanut brittle (huasheng su) and ginger candy (jiangzhi zatang). This time I also bought flaxseed crackers (yamazi bingbo), and they taste even better! They are also low in sugar and taste very healthy.
Since we didn't get breakfast near Jiang'an Mosque, we rode our bikes 2.7 kilometers west to Shuangbao Red Oil Beef Series on Erqi Side Road. This place must be the most popular and famous halal restaurant in the Erqi area. Shuangbao now has two shops, one halal and one not halal, so everyone must be careful to tell them apart. The new halal shop is run by a Hui Muslim landlady, and the old non-halal shop is reportedly run by the landlady's niece.
This place likely has the widest variety of beef dishes among halal restaurants in Wuhan. Lunch starts at 11:00, offering dozens of options. The crispy rice beef (guoba niurou), beef-stuffed fermented tofu (chouganzi bao niurou), and braised beef spine (lu niulonggu) are the most classic choices. We arrived before lunch service started, so we had breakfast instead. The breakfast menu features various beef rice noodles and wheat noodles, and they taste fantastic. The signature beef mixed noodles (zhaopai niurou banmian) are the best. The dry-mixed beef combined with the braising broth is very fragrant. The lady mixing the noodles was very friendly. When she heard we were fellow Muslims (dosti), she even gave us some beef tendon (banjin) for free. Their braised beef tendon is very tender, which is quite different from the tough tendon you get at barbecue spots. We also ordered a bowl of three-topping noodles (sanliao fen) with beef tendon, braised beef, and beef offal. The chili oil flavor is very rich, and the beef tendon is braised until it is soft and tender—a texture I have never experienced in the north.
Overall, we left feeling very satisfied! I will definitely come back to try their lunch menu next time.
Central China Normal University
I finally returned to my alma mater, Central China Normal University, ten years after graduation. This is where I lived for four years. I visited once in 2017, but in 2021, I wasn't allowed in and could only look through the gate. This time, I just had to scan my ID card to enter. Apart from a few new high-rise buildings, the school hasn't changed much in ten years. Many places are full of memories.
I noticed many more electric scooters on campus this time, including shared ones you can unlock with a QR code. It is much more convenient for students now than when we had to climb the hill to class every day.
I went back to the halal canteen where I ate for four years, but my alumni card wouldn't work, so I just walked around. First of all, the halal canteen has been renamed the Ethnic Canteen. The stalls inside have all changed, though I saw a Uyghur guy still running the Xinjiang food window. The hand-pulled noodles (banmian) back then were really tough, and the southern rice used for the pilaf (zhuafan) was really poor quality, but we still lined up every time it was mealtime. After finishing the noodles, I would buy a bottle of black tea and walk through the woods and up the hill back to the dorm. I felt so relaxed.
During my freshman and sophomore years, I lived in the West 1 Dormitory at Central China Normal University. The West District dorms, along with the School of Literature and the School of History, were among the first buildings constructed after the university moved from Tanhualin to Guizishan in 1955. They are now listed as part of the 'Early Architecture of Central China Normal University' in the Wuhan Excellent Historical Buildings registry.
The best part about living in a historical building is that it is truly warm in winter and cool in summer, which is much more comfortable than the modern buildings I lived in later. However, being next to the woods meant there were all kinds of bugs, and mice even got into the dorms. The mosquitoes in the camphor tree forest nearby were the worst; their bites would leave wounds that wouldn't heal.
Now, the West District dorm buildings have had their outer coatings removed to reveal the original grey bricks, and the interiors have been converted into offices instead of dorms. We ate the oranges from the tree at the dorm entrance every year while we lived there. Even though they were very sour, they are an unforgettable memory.
This time when I returned to my alma mater, I stayed at the Guiyuan Hotel, which is on the hillside in the northeast corner of the campus. In June 2013, Wuhan was extremely hot. Back then, the dorms at the university didn't have air conditioning, and the electric fans just blew hot air. The school opened the gymnasium for everyone to sleep on the floor, but my childhood friend and I pooled our money to stay in the north building of the Guiyuan Hotel for a month. That was when I truly experienced how unbearable the southern heat and humidity could be.
This time I stayed in the main building of the Guiyuan Hotel. The environment was quite nice, but the air conditioner didn't have a heating mode, so I got a taste of the early spring chill in the south.
Right outside the Guiyuan Hotel is the big downhill slope on the east side of the campus. Back then, the school buses didn't have speed limits, so we would practically take flight when we rode them down. After they set speed limits, we never had that roller-coaster experience again.
Finally, I went to the classroom where we used to have lessons to see what it was like. The desks and chairs have all been replaced with new ones, and I didn't feel the same sleepiness that used to hit me as soon as I put my head down.
Wuchang Food
After walking around my alma mater, I took the subway to Liangdao Street for lunch. The subway now goes to the Xiaodongmen area of Wuchang, and you are right on Liangdao Street when you come out. I haven't been to Wuhan in a few years, and I didn't expect Liangdao Street to turn into a trendy food street. All kinds of snack shops are packed side by side, which is completely different from when I was a student.
We biked straight to Ma's Hot Dry Noodles (reganmian). Since the Qiyi Street demolition and the closing of Pang's, Ma's is likely the only halal noodle shop left in Wuhan. We ate hot dry noodles and fresh fish paste rice noodles (hutangfen). We wanted to order stinky tofu (chouganzi), but the staff said they haven't made it lately. Still, the hot dry noodles with regular braised tofu (luganzi) were delicious.
Besides Ma's, there are two halal red-brick wall shops on Liangdao Street. One sells taro paste twisted dough sticks (dama-hua), and the other sells taro paste cheese bricks. The cheese bricks are popular, with the original flavor on sale for just 9.9. We bought a red bean one, and the mix of taro, red bean, and cheese tasted great. The cheese on top is cold, and the taro paste underneath is hot, which makes for a very satisfying treat.
In the evening, we went to Yizhiwei Restaurant on Bayi Road for halal Hubei cuisine. It is run by Hui Muslims from Fang County, Hubei. When I was a student, it was called Mecca Restaurant. It was famous in Wuhan for hosting university student gatherings. Since graduating, I have eaten here every time I return to Wuhan. It is a big part of my memories of the city.
Coming back this time, I found that Yizhiwei has been renovated. The environment is excellent, and the shop is full of young people eating. Their menu has always been known for its variety. They focus on halal Hubei dishes, featuring both traditional Hui Muslim food and various fusion dishes that all taste good. We ordered pan-fried sticky rice fish (cibayu), beef fried rice with pickled chili (shanjiao niurou hua fan), and beef bone lotus root soup. Sticky rice fish is a local Hubei specialty. Grass carp is marinated, cut into pieces, dried, and then pan-fried. It looks like fried sticky rice cakes (ciba) and is very salty and spicy. The beef fried rice with pickled chili is even spicier and more fragrant. The pickled chili makes your whole palate tingle. Beef bone lotus root soup is the Hui Muslim version of the famous Hubei pork rib and lotus root soup. Hubei is famous for its lotus root, and this beef bone version is a classic dish for hosting guests among Hubei Hui Muslims. To make it, the beef bones are simmered over low heat until the meat falls off, and the lotus root becomes soft and starchy. It is especially comforting to drink in the autumn and winter.
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Islamic Art Guide: Ancient Ceramics at Tsinghua University Art Museum
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Ancient Ceramics at Tsinghua University Art Museum is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Tsinghua Museum, Ancient Ceramics, China Museums while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The exhibition 'The Art of Clay: Ceramic Art in Ancient East-West Cultural Exchange' on the fourth floor of the Tsinghua University Art Museum displays 270 ancient ceramic pieces from the Ikuo Hirayama Silk Road Museum collection from March 22 to July 31.
First, let's look at pottery made in Saveh, Iran. Saveh is located southwest of Tehran and was an important city during the Ilkhanate period.
A 13th-century Mina'i ware flower-shaped long-necked vase. Mina'i ware (Mina'i) originated in Kashan, Iran, in the early 13th century and is the earliest type of overglaze enamel pottery in Iran.
A 12th-13th century lusterware vase with figure patterns. Lusterware (Lustreware) appeared in Iraq in the 9th century and spread to Syria and Iran in the 12th century. It is a low-temperature secondary firing technique that creates a shimmering metallic finish during the second firing.
A 12th-13th century green-glazed pot with a lid.
A 12th-13th century lusterware long-necked vase.
A 12th-13th century bowl with figure patterns.
A 10th-11th century plate with bird patterns on a pale yellow background.
A 12th-13th century bowl with blue-glazed cart patterns.
A 13th-century lusterware octagonal star tile.
A 12th-13th century lusterware long-necked vase with floral patterns.
A 12th-century lusterware plate with plant patterns from Saveh, Iran.
A 12th-century blue-glazed water pitcher with a handle from Gorgan, Iran. Gorgan was an important city on the Caspian Sea coast during the Sasanian period. It was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and the city moved to its current location during the Ilkhanate period.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed black-painted four-handled jar from Gorgan, Iran.
A 13th-century luster-painted handled jug from Kashan, Iran. During the Seljuk and Ilkhanate rule from the 12th to 14th centuries, Kashan was a major center for producing high-quality glazed pottery in Iran. In modern Persian, the word for tile (kashi) comes from the name Kashan.
A 13th-century Minai-ware bowl with a horse-riding figure from Kashan, Iran. Minai-ware was popular in Kashan during the 13th century and is known as the most luxurious ceramic in the eastern Islamic world.
A 12th-13th century luster-painted bowl with figures from Kashan, Iran.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed floral-patterned cockscomb-shaped jug from Kashan, Iran.
A 9th-10th century polychrome animal-patterned bowl from Nishapur, Iran. Nishapur is an ancient city on the Silk Road in northeastern Iran, once one of the four major cities of the Greater Khorasan region. Nishapur became the capital of the Persian Tahirid Dynasty in the 9th century, grew into an important cultural and commercial hub under the Persian Samanid Dynasty in the 10th century, and continued to thrive during the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, trade routes from Transoxiana in Central Asia, China, Iraq, and Egypt met here. Glazed pottery produced in Nishapur at that time became a major trade commodity in the West, rivaling Baghdad and Cairo.
A 10th-11th century bowl with a painted horse pattern on a light yellow background from Nishapur, Iran.
A 10th-11th century three-color glazed bowl from Nishapur, Iran. Nishapur was a major production center for three-colored pottery and exported large quantities to the Transoxiana region in Central Asia.
A 10th-century bowl with painted designs on a white glazed background from Nishapur, Iran.
A 10th-11th century bowl with painted designs on a pale yellow background from Nishapur, Iran.
An 11th-12th century large plate with three-colored incised patterns from Yazd, Iran. Yazd is known as the City of Windcatchers. It was added to the World Heritage List in 2017 and is famous for its handicrafts.
An 11th-12th century bowl with incised green patterns on a pale yellow background from Amol, Iran. Amol sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea and was a major commercial hub in history.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed pitcher with a handle and arabesque patterns from Afghanistan.
A 13th-century bowl with colorful painted floral patterns from Iran.
A 16th-17th century Iznik ceramic plate from the Ottoman dynasty. The ancient city of Iznik is located by Lake Iznik, 90 kilometers southeast of Istanbul. It became a production center for Ottoman underglaze ceramics in the late 15th century. Because Ottoman rulers loved Chinese blue and white porcelain, Iznik ceramics combined traditional Ottoman arabesque patterns with Chinese elements.
Early Iznik ceramics only used cobalt blue. After the 16th century, they gradually introduced sage green and lavender as soft color tones. In the late 16th century, the master architect Mimar Sinan used many Iznik tiles for Ottoman Empire buildings. He replaced sage green with bright green and lavender with bright red. In 1557, Kara Mehmed Çelebi became the chief painter for the Ottoman court. He introduced a floral style featuring tulips, carnations, roses, and hyacinths into Iznik ceramics, making the patterns look more natural.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Ancient Ceramics at Tsinghua University Art Museum is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Tsinghua Museum, Ancient Ceramics, China Museums while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The exhibition 'The Art of Clay: Ceramic Art in Ancient East-West Cultural Exchange' on the fourth floor of the Tsinghua University Art Museum displays 270 ancient ceramic pieces from the Ikuo Hirayama Silk Road Museum collection from March 22 to July 31.
First, let's look at pottery made in Saveh, Iran. Saveh is located southwest of Tehran and was an important city during the Ilkhanate period.
A 13th-century Mina'i ware flower-shaped long-necked vase. Mina'i ware (Mina'i) originated in Kashan, Iran, in the early 13th century and is the earliest type of overglaze enamel pottery in Iran.
A 12th-13th century lusterware vase with figure patterns. Lusterware (Lustreware) appeared in Iraq in the 9th century and spread to Syria and Iran in the 12th century. It is a low-temperature secondary firing technique that creates a shimmering metallic finish during the second firing.
A 12th-13th century green-glazed pot with a lid.
A 12th-13th century lusterware long-necked vase.
A 12th-13th century bowl with figure patterns.
A 10th-11th century plate with bird patterns on a pale yellow background.
A 12th-13th century bowl with blue-glazed cart patterns.
A 13th-century lusterware octagonal star tile.
A 12th-13th century lusterware long-necked vase with floral patterns.
A 12th-century lusterware plate with plant patterns from Saveh, Iran.
A 12th-century blue-glazed water pitcher with a handle from Gorgan, Iran. Gorgan was an important city on the Caspian Sea coast during the Sasanian period. It was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and the city moved to its current location during the Ilkhanate period.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed black-painted four-handled jar from Gorgan, Iran.
A 13th-century luster-painted handled jug from Kashan, Iran. During the Seljuk and Ilkhanate rule from the 12th to 14th centuries, Kashan was a major center for producing high-quality glazed pottery in Iran. In modern Persian, the word for tile (kashi) comes from the name Kashan.
A 13th-century Minai-ware bowl with a horse-riding figure from Kashan, Iran. Minai-ware was popular in Kashan during the 13th century and is known as the most luxurious ceramic in the eastern Islamic world.
A 12th-13th century luster-painted bowl with figures from Kashan, Iran.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed floral-patterned cockscomb-shaped jug from Kashan, Iran.
A 9th-10th century polychrome animal-patterned bowl from Nishapur, Iran. Nishapur is an ancient city on the Silk Road in northeastern Iran, once one of the four major cities of the Greater Khorasan region. Nishapur became the capital of the Persian Tahirid Dynasty in the 9th century, grew into an important cultural and commercial hub under the Persian Samanid Dynasty in the 10th century, and continued to thrive during the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, trade routes from Transoxiana in Central Asia, China, Iraq, and Egypt met here. Glazed pottery produced in Nishapur at that time became a major trade commodity in the West, rivaling Baghdad and Cairo.
A 10th-11th century bowl with a painted horse pattern on a light yellow background from Nishapur, Iran.
A 10th-11th century three-color glazed bowl from Nishapur, Iran. Nishapur was a major production center for three-colored pottery and exported large quantities to the Transoxiana region in Central Asia.
A 10th-century bowl with painted designs on a white glazed background from Nishapur, Iran.
A 10th-11th century bowl with painted designs on a pale yellow background from Nishapur, Iran.
An 11th-12th century large plate with three-colored incised patterns from Yazd, Iran. Yazd is known as the City of Windcatchers. It was added to the World Heritage List in 2017 and is famous for its handicrafts.
An 11th-12th century bowl with incised green patterns on a pale yellow background from Amol, Iran. Amol sits on the coast of the Caspian Sea and was a major commercial hub in history.
A 12th-13th century blue-glazed pitcher with a handle and arabesque patterns from Afghanistan.
A 13th-century bowl with colorful painted floral patterns from Iran.
A 16th-17th century Iznik ceramic plate from the Ottoman dynasty. The ancient city of Iznik is located by Lake Iznik, 90 kilometers southeast of Istanbul. It became a production center for Ottoman underglaze ceramics in the late 15th century. Because Ottoman rulers loved Chinese blue and white porcelain, Iznik ceramics combined traditional Ottoman arabesque patterns with Chinese elements.
Early Iznik ceramics only used cobalt blue. After the 16th century, they gradually introduced sage green and lavender as soft color tones. In the late 16th century, the master architect Mimar Sinan used many Iznik tiles for Ottoman Empire buildings. He replaced sage green with bright green and lavender with bright red. In 1557, Kara Mehmed Çelebi became the chief painter for the Ottoman court. He introduced a floral style featuring tulips, carnations, roses, and hyacinths into Iznik ceramics, making the patterns look more natural.
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Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week One Mosques and Iftar
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week One Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
It is the holy month of Ramadan again. I spent a wonderful time at Balizhuang Mosque last year (see "Ramadan in Beijing 2023—The Beautiful Balizhuang Mosque"), and I am spending Ramadan at Balizhuang Mosque again this year.
On the evening of March 11, I performed the first Taraweeh prayer at Balizhuang Mosque. Every year, I enjoy the blessed atmosphere of Ramadan the most, when everyone gathers at the mosque to complete their worship.
On the first day, Balizhuang Mosque had Hohhot pastries and baked flatbreads (beizi) donated by Elder Yang, as well as tea donated by the imam. For iftar, we had braised meat (hui songrou), braised eggplant, stewed radish, and fermented bean curd (ma doufu). It was simple and tasty, and I felt very comfortable after eating.
Looking at the Douyin building from Balizhuang Mosque, I see people praying and people working overtime.
On the second day, I had stewed beef with potatoes, stewed kelp, and cabbage with vermicelli at Balizhuang Mosque. The stewed beef was great with rice, and the kelp and vermicelli were lighter than what you get in restaurants, which is perfect for breaking the fast because it does not make you thirsty.
On the third day, Elder Li made donkey-roll cakes (lvdagun) for everyone at Balizhuang Mosque. I experienced his cooking skills last year. For iftar, we had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and eggplant sauce noodles. There were various toppings like radish, cabbage, cucumber, and roast chicken. I love soybean paste noodles so much! Soybean paste noodles in restaurants are usually all sauce with very little meat, but the ones at the mosque have plenty of meat.
On the fourth day, for the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I went to Dongsi Mosque. The midday sun was warm, and spring in Beijing is in full swing.
In the evening, a friend (dosti) kindly invited everyone to break their fast at Nanxiapo Mosque. We ate delicious stewed beef, and I felt very grateful. Nanxiapo Mosque now hosts charity meals (nietie) and is also open to the public, selling the eight classic bowls (badawan), breakfast, and fast food. You can enter through the hot pot restaurant next to the mosque. If you want to try traditional Beijing Muslim cuisine, you can come and give it a try.
On the fifth day, at Balizhuang Mosque, I had fish head with pancakes (yutou paobing). The elders made the pancakes themselves, along with candied yam rolls (tang juanguo), and there was also grilled fish and pilaf (zhuafan) donated by a foreign friend (dosti). There were many people on the weekend, filling four large tables. For a small mosque, this is not easy at all.
On the sixth day, the Balizhuang Mosque made dumplings. We had fennel filling and cabbage filling, plus spiced beef (jiang niurou) and stir-fried egg with wood ear mushrooms and meat (muxu rou). Fennel dumplings have been my favorite since I was a kid!
The wild peach blossoms by Erdaogou stream at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque are in full bloom. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Hui Muslims in Balizhuang used water from Erdaogou to irrigate their crops. The village was full of bean trellises, melon frames, heavy fruit, and lush green trees.
On the seventh day, I got some rice cake (niangao) made by Elder Li at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque. For the communal meal, we had hot noodle soup, lamb chops, and fried tofu stewed with meatballs. We also had steamed buns (mantou) and griddle-baked flatbread (laobing). I was completely stuffed. After eating, I had tea and chatted with the elders, then went into the prayer hall for the scripture reading and the prayer service.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Ramadan Diary - Week One Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Beijing Ramadan, Mosques, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
It is the holy month of Ramadan again. I spent a wonderful time at Balizhuang Mosque last year (see "Ramadan in Beijing 2023—The Beautiful Balizhuang Mosque"), and I am spending Ramadan at Balizhuang Mosque again this year.
On the evening of March 11, I performed the first Taraweeh prayer at Balizhuang Mosque. Every year, I enjoy the blessed atmosphere of Ramadan the most, when everyone gathers at the mosque to complete their worship.
On the first day, Balizhuang Mosque had Hohhot pastries and baked flatbreads (beizi) donated by Elder Yang, as well as tea donated by the imam. For iftar, we had braised meat (hui songrou), braised eggplant, stewed radish, and fermented bean curd (ma doufu). It was simple and tasty, and I felt very comfortable after eating.
Looking at the Douyin building from Balizhuang Mosque, I see people praying and people working overtime.
On the second day, I had stewed beef with potatoes, stewed kelp, and cabbage with vermicelli at Balizhuang Mosque. The stewed beef was great with rice, and the kelp and vermicelli were lighter than what you get in restaurants, which is perfect for breaking the fast because it does not make you thirsty.
On the third day, Elder Li made donkey-roll cakes (lvdagun) for everyone at Balizhuang Mosque. I experienced his cooking skills last year. For iftar, we had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and eggplant sauce noodles. There were various toppings like radish, cabbage, cucumber, and roast chicken. I love soybean paste noodles so much! Soybean paste noodles in restaurants are usually all sauce with very little meat, but the ones at the mosque have plenty of meat.
On the fourth day, for the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I went to Dongsi Mosque. The midday sun was warm, and spring in Beijing is in full swing.
In the evening, a friend (dosti) kindly invited everyone to break their fast at Nanxiapo Mosque. We ate delicious stewed beef, and I felt very grateful. Nanxiapo Mosque now hosts charity meals (nietie) and is also open to the public, selling the eight classic bowls (badawan), breakfast, and fast food. You can enter through the hot pot restaurant next to the mosque. If you want to try traditional Beijing Muslim cuisine, you can come and give it a try.
On the fifth day, at Balizhuang Mosque, I had fish head with pancakes (yutou paobing). The elders made the pancakes themselves, along with candied yam rolls (tang juanguo), and there was also grilled fish and pilaf (zhuafan) donated by a foreign friend (dosti). There were many people on the weekend, filling four large tables. For a small mosque, this is not easy at all.
On the sixth day, the Balizhuang Mosque made dumplings. We had fennel filling and cabbage filling, plus spiced beef (jiang niurou) and stir-fried egg with wood ear mushrooms and meat (muxu rou). Fennel dumplings have been my favorite since I was a kid!
The wild peach blossoms by Erdaogou stream at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque are in full bloom. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Hui Muslims in Balizhuang used water from Erdaogou to irrigate their crops. The village was full of bean trellises, melon frames, heavy fruit, and lush green trees.
On the seventh day, I got some rice cake (niangao) made by Elder Li at the entrance of Balizhuang Mosque. For the communal meal, we had hot noodle soup, lamb chops, and fried tofu stewed with meatballs. We also had steamed buns (mantou) and griddle-baked flatbread (laobing). I was completely stuffed. After eating, I had tea and chatted with the elders, then went into the prayer hall for the scripture reading and the prayer service.
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Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 2)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Cairo, Islamic Art, Museum Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Script tiles from the Mamluk dynasty in the 14th century.
A tile inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496.
A 14th-century marble tile with Kufic script from the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt.
Arabic script tiles from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty, with the 14th century on top and the 16th century on the bottom.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era marble carving from the Sarghatmish Madrasa in Cairo, featuring a small-scale replica in the bottom right corner that allows visitors to touch the patterns.
A copper lamp inlaid with silver, inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban, who reigned from 1363 to 1377.
A 13th-century glass vessel from the Mamluk dynasty inscribed with the name of Prince Shams al-Din al-Tanbugha.
A 13th-century copper-plated wooden door from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty, inscribed with the name of Prince Shams al-Din Sunqur al-Tawil al-Mansuri.
An ivory carving inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496.
A 14th-century ivory carving from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty.
A marble carving inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri, who reigned from 1501 to 1516.
A royal decree carved into marble by the Egyptian Mamluk Sultan Sayf al-Din Jaqmaq, who reigned from 1438 to 1453, after he ordered the exemption of taxes for merchants.
A marble tombstone from the 15th to 16th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty.
A 13th to 15th-century copper basin inlaid with silver from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty; the Palace Museum holds several blue and white porcelain pieces with the same design.
Ottoman dynasty.
A 17th to 18th-century wooden balcony (mashrabiya) from the Ottoman dynasty in Egypt. This is an important part of traditional Middle Eastern architecture, featuring intricate wooden lattice screens that allow for evaporative cooling when water jars are placed inside.
An 18th-century wooden cabinet inlaid with ivory from the Ottoman period in Egypt.
This piece has no label, but it appears to be an ivory-inlaid wooden pulpit (minbar) from the Ottoman period in Egypt.
Ceramic tiles produced in Iznik, Turkey, during the 16th-century Ottoman period.
Porcelain from the 16th to 19th centuries, covering the Ottoman and Muhammad Ali periods.
A marble carving from the 16th-century Ottoman period.
A 17th-century Ottoman period ceramic tile painted with an image of the Kaaba (Tianfang).
An 18th-century Ottoman period ceramic tile painted with an image of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
Tombstone.
A 12th-century basalt tombstone from the Arabian Peninsula or the Dahlak Archipelago.
A 12th-century limestone tombstone from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.
A 10th-century wooden tombstone from the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt.
A 7th-century limestone tombstone from the Rashidun or Umayyad period in Egypt.
An 8th-century marble tombstone from the Abbasid period in Egypt.
A 9th-century marble tombstone from the Abbasid period in Egypt.
A 10th-century marble tombstone from the Fatimid period in Egypt.
An 11th-century marble tombstone from the Fatimid period in Egypt.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Cairo, Islamic Art, Museum Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Script tiles from the Mamluk dynasty in the 14th century.
A tile inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496.
A 14th-century marble tile with Kufic script from the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt.
Arabic script tiles from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty, with the 14th century on top and the 16th century on the bottom.
A 14th-century Mamluk-era marble carving from the Sarghatmish Madrasa in Cairo, featuring a small-scale replica in the bottom right corner that allows visitors to touch the patterns.
A copper lamp inlaid with silver, inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Sha'ban, who reigned from 1363 to 1377.
A 13th-century glass vessel from the Mamluk dynasty inscribed with the name of Prince Shams al-Din al-Tanbugha.
A 13th-century copper-plated wooden door from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty, inscribed with the name of Prince Shams al-Din Sunqur al-Tawil al-Mansuri.
An ivory carving inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay, who reigned from 1468 to 1496.
A 14th-century ivory carving from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty.
A marble carving inscribed with the name of the Mamluk Sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri, who reigned from 1501 to 1516.
A royal decree carved into marble by the Egyptian Mamluk Sultan Sayf al-Din Jaqmaq, who reigned from 1438 to 1453, after he ordered the exemption of taxes for merchants.
A marble tombstone from the 15th to 16th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty.
A 13th to 15th-century copper basin inlaid with silver from the Egyptian Mamluk dynasty; the Palace Museum holds several blue and white porcelain pieces with the same design.
Ottoman dynasty.
A 17th to 18th-century wooden balcony (mashrabiya) from the Ottoman dynasty in Egypt. This is an important part of traditional Middle Eastern architecture, featuring intricate wooden lattice screens that allow for evaporative cooling when water jars are placed inside.
An 18th-century wooden cabinet inlaid with ivory from the Ottoman period in Egypt.
This piece has no label, but it appears to be an ivory-inlaid wooden pulpit (minbar) from the Ottoman period in Egypt.
Ceramic tiles produced in Iznik, Turkey, during the 16th-century Ottoman period.
Porcelain from the 16th to 19th centuries, covering the Ottoman and Muhammad Ali periods.
A marble carving from the 16th-century Ottoman period.
A 17th-century Ottoman period ceramic tile painted with an image of the Kaaba (Tianfang).
An 18th-century Ottoman period ceramic tile painted with an image of the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
Tombstone.
A 12th-century basalt tombstone from the Arabian Peninsula or the Dahlak Archipelago.
A 12th-century limestone tombstone from the Ayyubid dynasty in Egypt.
A 10th-century wooden tombstone from the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt.
A 7th-century limestone tombstone from the Rashidun or Umayyad period in Egypt.
An 8th-century marble tombstone from the Abbasid period in Egypt.
A 9th-century marble tombstone from the Abbasid period in Egypt.
A 10th-century marble tombstone from the Fatimid period in Egypt.
An 11th-century marble tombstone from the Fatimid period in Egypt.
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Halal Travel Guide: Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia - Minangkabau Culture and Muslim Life
Reposted from the web
Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia - Minangkabau Culture and Muslim Life is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Negeri Sembilan, Minangkabau, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The Minangkabau people are a Malay-speaking group from the Minangkabau Highlands of Sumatra, and they are very closely related to the Malay people. The Minangkabau have long been known for their business skills and are the most mobile ethnic group in Southeast Asia. In the early 14th century, the Minangkabau crossed the Strait of Malacca to reach what is now Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia, where they intermarried with the indigenous Malay people (Orang Asli) to form the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau community.
Although Malaysian law classifies the Minangkabau as a branch of the Malay people, those in Negeri Sembilan still maintain their own traditions in food, music, and martial arts, and the traditional Minangkabau customary law (Adat Minangkabau) continues to deeply influence them.
The best place to get a direct look at the Minangkabau culture of Negeri Sembilan is the Negeri Sembilan State Museum. Beyond the main exhibition hall, the museum grounds feature two traditional buildings in the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau style. After blending with local Malay architecture, the Minangkabau buildings in Negeri Sembilan do not have the high, buffalo-horn-like roof corners found in Sumatra, but the roofs remain curved.
The first house is the Ampang Tinggi Palace (Istana Ampang Tinggi), built between 1865 and 1870 by order of the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Besar), Tuanku Imam (reigned 1861–1869), on a ridge in eastern Negeri Sembilan overlooking vast rice fields, and it was later occupied by the Negeri Sembilan royal family. In 1953, the then-ruler of Negeri Sembilan (Yang di-Pertuan Besar), Tuanku Abdul Rahman (reigned 1933–1960), agreed to have the palace dismantled and relocated, and it was finally moved to its current site at the Negeri Sembilan State Museum in 1980 and listed as a national heritage site in 2013. Unfortunately, the palace was under renovation when we visited, so we could not go inside.
The second building is a traditional house built near Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan by Minangkabau architects Haji Syahahbudin and Kamaruddin; it was dismantled by the British government in 1924 for display in London, later rebuilt at the Negeri Sembilan State Museum, and recognized as a heritage building in 2013.
Exquisite wood carvings on a traditional Minangkabau building.
The main exhibition hall of the Negeri Sembilan State Museum is called Teratak Perpatih, and it primarily introduces the cultural customs and life rules formed by the Minangkabau people of Negeri Sembilan based on their traditional customary law (Adat Perpatih). The most unique feature of Minangkabau customary law is the combination of patrilineal and matrilineal systems, where men are responsible for religious and political affairs, while property and land are passed from mother to daughter, ensuring that no matter how poor a Minangkabau woman is, she never has to sacrifice her dignity to make a living. If they divorce and return to their hometown, they still have their own land to live on.
The main hall of the Negeri Sembilan State Museum itself features the high, curved roof corners of traditional Minangkabau architecture, and it displays Minangkabau clothing, musical instruments, and information on their history and culture.
The Negeri Sembilan State Museum houses items belonging to the Minangkabau ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) Tuanku Abdul Rahman, who reigned from 1933 to 1960, and his queen, Tuanku Kurshiah. They were also the first King and Queen of Malaysia.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the Minangkabau people of Negeri Sembilan were ruled successively by the Malacca Sultanate and the Johor Sultanate. In the mid-18th century, as the Johor Sultanate declined, attacks from the Bugis people of Sulawesi forced the Minangkabau in Negeri Sembilan to seek help from their ancestral home in Sumatra. A group of Minangkabau chiefs from Negeri Sembilan traveled to the Minangkabau Kingdom of Pagaruyung in West Sumatra, where the King (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) sent his prince, Tuanku Sultan Mahmud Shah, to Negeri Sembilan to establish a throne. In 1773, Tuanku Sultan Mahmud Shah received the title of Yang di-Pertuan Besar from the Sultan of Johor and was crowned king in Negeri Sembilan, marking the beginning of Minangkabau rule in the region.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman was the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. In 1925, he accompanied his father to visit the British King in England and decided to stay there to study law. After graduating and qualifying as a lawyer in 1928, he returned to Malaya to work as a defense attorney. Following his father's death in 1933, he became the only Malay ruler with a law degree.
When the British tried to establish the Malayan Union in 1946, Tuanku Abdul Rahman initially signed the treaty. Later, on the advice of the Sultan of Kedah, he hired a London-based lawyer to represent the Malay rulers in opposing the Malayan Union plan. Due to strong opposition from the Malay people, the Malayan Union was dissolved in 1948 and reorganized into the Federation of Malaya, which restored the status of the Malay rulers. In 1957, the Federation of Malaya officially gained independence from Britain, and Tuanku Abdul Rahman was elected as the first Supreme Head of State (Yang di-Pertuan Agong).
Tuanku Abdul Rahman firmly defended parliamentary democracy and upheld the position of the popularly elected Prime Minister. To honor him, his portrait is printed on the front of all Malaysian banknotes.
On the hill to the east of Seremban Lake Garden sits the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery, built to commemorate the tenth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and the tenth Supreme Head of State of Malaysia, Tuanku Ja'afar.
Tuanku Ja'afar was born in 1922 to a mother of Irish and Anglo-Indian descent. He was educated in Singapore before the war and was a classmate of Lee Kuan Yew. After experiencing World War II, Tuanku Ja'afar decided to pursue advanced legal studies at the University of Nottingham, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. In 1957, he helped with the negotiations for the independence of the Federation of Malaya in the UK, and later served as a diplomat for ten years. Tuanku Ja'afar became the ruler of Negeri Sembilan in 1967 and served as the King of Malaysia from 1994 to 1999. During his term, Malaysia hosted the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the APEC summit.
Tuanku Ja'afar loved golf, cricket, and painting. His artwork is currently on display at the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery. The gallery also houses Tuanku Ja'afar's official royal attire and a replica of the royal throne.
The Lake Garden is on the west side of the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery. I saw a lizard as long as an arm by the water, but I couldn't get a photo.
Further west is the Negeri Sembilan Royal Palace (Istana Hinggap Negeri Sembilan). All nine of Malaysia's rulers, whether Sultans or Yamtuan, have their own palaces. The Negeri Sembilan Royal Palace was originally in Seri Menanti, east of Seremban. After 1960, the Yamtuan of Negeri Sembilan converted this British-style residence in Seremban into the current palace.
The Negeri Sembilan State Assembly building is on the west side of the palace, where you can see the water buffalo horn roofs typical of Minangkabau architecture.
To the south of the palace is the old government building known as the White House. It was built in 1912 by the famous British architect Hubback, who also designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Jamek Mosque, and the National Textile Museum. The building was moved to its current location in 1984 and has served as the state library ever since.
We performed namaz at the Seremban Jamek Mosque. The Seremban Jamek Mosque was originally a wooden structure. It was rebuilt into the current building in 1900, added a pagoda-style minaret in 1924, and was listed as a national heritage building in 2005. The mosque's architecture is similar to traditional mosques in Malacca, featuring a two-tiered pyramid roof and a minaret influenced by Chinese pagoda design.
Haji Shariff Cendol is a famous snack shop in Seremban. Its founder, Abdullah Muhammad Ibrahim, came to Malaysia in 1930, learned how to make shaved ice dessert (cendol) from Javanese people, and started selling it on the street using bamboo baskets carried on a shoulder pole. In 1958, Haji Shariff inherited the craft and began selling cendol from a pushcart. It wasn't until 2007 that the family finally moved to their current location and opened a proper shop.
Cendol is a classic cooling ice dessert found across Southeast Asia, with its origins in Java. The most traditional version uses pandan leaf jelly noodles (pandan fen tiao), shaved ice, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup. Later, new versions added toppings like red bean paste, durian, and jackfruit.
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Summary: Halal Travel Guide: Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia - Minangkabau Culture and Muslim Life is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Negeri Sembilan, Minangkabau, Muslim Travel while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The Minangkabau people are a Malay-speaking group from the Minangkabau Highlands of Sumatra, and they are very closely related to the Malay people. The Minangkabau have long been known for their business skills and are the most mobile ethnic group in Southeast Asia. In the early 14th century, the Minangkabau crossed the Strait of Malacca to reach what is now Negeri Sembilan in Malaysia, where they intermarried with the indigenous Malay people (Orang Asli) to form the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau community.
Although Malaysian law classifies the Minangkabau as a branch of the Malay people, those in Negeri Sembilan still maintain their own traditions in food, music, and martial arts, and the traditional Minangkabau customary law (Adat Minangkabau) continues to deeply influence them.
The best place to get a direct look at the Minangkabau culture of Negeri Sembilan is the Negeri Sembilan State Museum. Beyond the main exhibition hall, the museum grounds feature two traditional buildings in the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau style. After blending with local Malay architecture, the Minangkabau buildings in Negeri Sembilan do not have the high, buffalo-horn-like roof corners found in Sumatra, but the roofs remain curved.
The first house is the Ampang Tinggi Palace (Istana Ampang Tinggi), built between 1865 and 1870 by order of the Negeri Sembilan Minangkabau ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Besar), Tuanku Imam (reigned 1861–1869), on a ridge in eastern Negeri Sembilan overlooking vast rice fields, and it was later occupied by the Negeri Sembilan royal family. In 1953, the then-ruler of Negeri Sembilan (Yang di-Pertuan Besar), Tuanku Abdul Rahman (reigned 1933–1960), agreed to have the palace dismantled and relocated, and it was finally moved to its current site at the Negeri Sembilan State Museum in 1980 and listed as a national heritage site in 2013. Unfortunately, the palace was under renovation when we visited, so we could not go inside.
The second building is a traditional house built near Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan by Minangkabau architects Haji Syahahbudin and Kamaruddin; it was dismantled by the British government in 1924 for display in London, later rebuilt at the Negeri Sembilan State Museum, and recognized as a heritage building in 2013.
Exquisite wood carvings on a traditional Minangkabau building.
The main exhibition hall of the Negeri Sembilan State Museum is called Teratak Perpatih, and it primarily introduces the cultural customs and life rules formed by the Minangkabau people of Negeri Sembilan based on their traditional customary law (Adat Perpatih). The most unique feature of Minangkabau customary law is the combination of patrilineal and matrilineal systems, where men are responsible for religious and political affairs, while property and land are passed from mother to daughter, ensuring that no matter how poor a Minangkabau woman is, she never has to sacrifice her dignity to make a living. If they divorce and return to their hometown, they still have their own land to live on.
The main hall of the Negeri Sembilan State Museum itself features the high, curved roof corners of traditional Minangkabau architecture, and it displays Minangkabau clothing, musical instruments, and information on their history and culture.
The Negeri Sembilan State Museum houses items belonging to the Minangkabau ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) Tuanku Abdul Rahman, who reigned from 1933 to 1960, and his queen, Tuanku Kurshiah. They were also the first King and Queen of Malaysia.
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the Minangkabau people of Negeri Sembilan were ruled successively by the Malacca Sultanate and the Johor Sultanate. In the mid-18th century, as the Johor Sultanate declined, attacks from the Bugis people of Sulawesi forced the Minangkabau in Negeri Sembilan to seek help from their ancestral home in Sumatra. A group of Minangkabau chiefs from Negeri Sembilan traveled to the Minangkabau Kingdom of Pagaruyung in West Sumatra, where the King (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) sent his prince, Tuanku Sultan Mahmud Shah, to Negeri Sembilan to establish a throne. In 1773, Tuanku Sultan Mahmud Shah received the title of Yang di-Pertuan Besar from the Sultan of Johor and was crowned king in Negeri Sembilan, marking the beginning of Minangkabau rule in the region.
Tuanku Abdul Rahman was the eighth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan. In 1925, he accompanied his father to visit the British King in England and decided to stay there to study law. After graduating and qualifying as a lawyer in 1928, he returned to Malaya to work as a defense attorney. Following his father's death in 1933, he became the only Malay ruler with a law degree.
When the British tried to establish the Malayan Union in 1946, Tuanku Abdul Rahman initially signed the treaty. Later, on the advice of the Sultan of Kedah, he hired a London-based lawyer to represent the Malay rulers in opposing the Malayan Union plan. Due to strong opposition from the Malay people, the Malayan Union was dissolved in 1948 and reorganized into the Federation of Malaya, which restored the status of the Malay rulers. In 1957, the Federation of Malaya officially gained independence from Britain, and Tuanku Abdul Rahman was elected as the first Supreme Head of State (Yang di-Pertuan Agong).
Tuanku Abdul Rahman firmly defended parliamentary democracy and upheld the position of the popularly elected Prime Minister. To honor him, his portrait is printed on the front of all Malaysian banknotes.
On the hill to the east of Seremban Lake Garden sits the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery, built to commemorate the tenth Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and the tenth Supreme Head of State of Malaysia, Tuanku Ja'afar.
Tuanku Ja'afar was born in 1922 to a mother of Irish and Anglo-Indian descent. He was educated in Singapore before the war and was a classmate of Lee Kuan Yew. After experiencing World War II, Tuanku Ja'afar decided to pursue advanced legal studies at the University of Nottingham, Oxford University, and the London School of Economics. In 1957, he helped with the negotiations for the independence of the Federation of Malaya in the UK, and later served as a diplomat for ten years. Tuanku Ja'afar became the ruler of Negeri Sembilan in 1967 and served as the King of Malaysia from 1994 to 1999. During his term, Malaysia hosted the 1998 Commonwealth Games and the APEC summit.
Tuanku Ja'afar loved golf, cricket, and painting. His artwork is currently on display at the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery. The gallery also houses Tuanku Ja'afar's official royal attire and a replica of the royal throne.
The Lake Garden is on the west side of the Tuanku Ja'afar Royal Gallery. I saw a lizard as long as an arm by the water, but I couldn't get a photo.
Further west is the Negeri Sembilan Royal Palace (Istana Hinggap Negeri Sembilan). All nine of Malaysia's rulers, whether Sultans or Yamtuan, have their own palaces. The Negeri Sembilan Royal Palace was originally in Seri Menanti, east of Seremban. After 1960, the Yamtuan of Negeri Sembilan converted this British-style residence in Seremban into the current palace.
The Negeri Sembilan State Assembly building is on the west side of the palace, where you can see the water buffalo horn roofs typical of Minangkabau architecture.
To the south of the palace is the old government building known as the White House. It was built in 1912 by the famous British architect Hubback, who also designed the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Jamek Mosque, and the National Textile Museum. The building was moved to its current location in 1984 and has served as the state library ever since.
We performed namaz at the Seremban Jamek Mosque. The Seremban Jamek Mosque was originally a wooden structure. It was rebuilt into the current building in 1900, added a pagoda-style minaret in 1924, and was listed as a national heritage building in 2005. The mosque's architecture is similar to traditional mosques in Malacca, featuring a two-tiered pyramid roof and a minaret influenced by Chinese pagoda design.
Haji Shariff Cendol is a famous snack shop in Seremban. Its founder, Abdullah Muhammad Ibrahim, came to Malaysia in 1930, learned how to make shaved ice dessert (cendol) from Javanese people, and started selling it on the street using bamboo baskets carried on a shoulder pole. In 1958, Haji Shariff inherited the craft and began selling cendol from a pushcart. It wasn't until 2007 that the family finally moved to their current location and opened a proper shop.
Cendol is a classic cooling ice dessert found across Southeast Asia, with its origins in Java. The most traditional version uses pandan leaf jelly noodles (pandan fen tiao), shaved ice, coconut milk, and palm sugar syrup. Later, new versions added toppings like red bean paste, durian, and jackfruit.
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Islamic Art Guide: Saudi AlUla Exhibition at Beijing Forbidden City
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Saudi AlUla Exhibition at Beijing Forbidden City is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on AlUla, Forbidden City, Arabian Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
From January 6 to March 22, 2024, the West Wing of the Meridian Gate at the Palace Museum hosted the exhibition 'AlUla: Wonder of Arabia,' which introduced the ancient oasis city of AlUla in the northwest of Saudi Arabia's Medina Province.
This concludes the sharing of the three major exhibitions held at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum to start 2024.
[Exhibition Visit] The Essence of Iranian Artifacts at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum
[Exhibition Visit] Exhibition on Ancient Cultural Exchanges Between China and West Asia at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum
The Al-Mabiyat site is located in Saudi Arabia's Medina Province, 20 kilometers southeast of the ancient city of AlUla. Starting in 1985, King Saud University conducted several years of archaeological surveys and excavations here, discovering many remains related to irrigation, mining, and ceramic production. Academic research suggests this is likely the ancient Hejazi city of Al-Qurh, which rose during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th century and declined during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 12th century.
The ancient city of Al-Qurh prospered because it sat on the trade and pilgrimage routes connecting the Levant and the Hejaz region, and it left behind many historical records. The famous 10th-century Arab geographer Al-Maqdisi recorded that Al-Qurh was the most prosperous and populous area in the Hejaz after Mecca. The city had a diverse population, very cheap dates, and high-quality, abundant spring water. Another famous 10th-century Arab geographer, Istakhri, recorded that among the towns of the Hejaz, the size of Al-Qurh was second only to another ancient town, Al-Yamama. The 12th-13th century Greek-descended geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi recorded that Al-Qurh was located in a very fertile valley covered with villages from one end to the other.
The picture shows 9th-10th century water jugs, goblets, wall tile fragments, iridescent glazed pottery shards, glazed pottery shards, amphorae, and glassware unearthed at the Al-Mabiyat site.
After the ancient city of Al-Qurh declined in the 12th century, the oasis town of AlUla to the northwest rose in the 13th century, continuing to serve as a trade and pilgrimage town connecting the Levant and the Hejaz. The old town was only gradually abandoned after the new city of AlUla was established in the 1970s. The last family moved out of the old town in 1983, and the old town mosque also stopped services after 1985. Today, the old town of AlUla has become a folk culture village. Its 870 mud-brick houses are separated by narrow, winding alleys, and it still preserves the mosque, market, and castle buildings.
After people moved out of the old town of AlUla in the 1970s, some daily items were left behind, and this exhibition displays a portion of them. These include inlaid book stands (rehal), Arabic calligraphy pens, palm baskets, kerosene lamps, water-drawing axles, and pack saddles. Palm groves are scattered across the oasis around the old town. People often spent their summers in the groves to escape the heat and only returned to live in the old town during the autumn and winter. The exhibition hall also screens a film called "Rebuilding the Old Town and Oasis," which recreates scenes of daily life in the old town of AlUla.
In 1900, Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II began building the Hejaz Railway to connect Damascus and Medina. The AlUla station officially opened in September 1907. Because the AlUla station is exactly 1,000 kilometers from the start of the railway, it holds significant symbolic meaning. This exhibition displays several items from the Hejaz Railway, including railway components marked with "Hejaz," pocket watches featuring the Hejaz Railway logo, and telegraph machines.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Saudi AlUla Exhibition at Beijing Forbidden City is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on AlUla, Forbidden City, Arabian Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
From January 6 to March 22, 2024, the West Wing of the Meridian Gate at the Palace Museum hosted the exhibition 'AlUla: Wonder of Arabia,' which introduced the ancient oasis city of AlUla in the northwest of Saudi Arabia's Medina Province.
This concludes the sharing of the three major exhibitions held at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum to start 2024.
[Exhibition Visit] The Essence of Iranian Artifacts at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum
[Exhibition Visit] Exhibition on Ancient Cultural Exchanges Between China and West Asia at the Meridian Gate of the Palace Museum
The Al-Mabiyat site is located in Saudi Arabia's Medina Province, 20 kilometers southeast of the ancient city of AlUla. Starting in 1985, King Saud University conducted several years of archaeological surveys and excavations here, discovering many remains related to irrigation, mining, and ceramic production. Academic research suggests this is likely the ancient Hejazi city of Al-Qurh, which rose during the Umayyad Caliphate in the 7th century and declined during the Abbasid Caliphate in the 12th century.
The ancient city of Al-Qurh prospered because it sat on the trade and pilgrimage routes connecting the Levant and the Hejaz region, and it left behind many historical records. The famous 10th-century Arab geographer Al-Maqdisi recorded that Al-Qurh was the most prosperous and populous area in the Hejaz after Mecca. The city had a diverse population, very cheap dates, and high-quality, abundant spring water. Another famous 10th-century Arab geographer, Istakhri, recorded that among the towns of the Hejaz, the size of Al-Qurh was second only to another ancient town, Al-Yamama. The 12th-13th century Greek-descended geographer Yaqut al-Hamawi recorded that Al-Qurh was located in a very fertile valley covered with villages from one end to the other.
The picture shows 9th-10th century water jugs, goblets, wall tile fragments, iridescent glazed pottery shards, glazed pottery shards, amphorae, and glassware unearthed at the Al-Mabiyat site.
After the ancient city of Al-Qurh declined in the 12th century, the oasis town of AlUla to the northwest rose in the 13th century, continuing to serve as a trade and pilgrimage town connecting the Levant and the Hejaz. The old town was only gradually abandoned after the new city of AlUla was established in the 1970s. The last family moved out of the old town in 1983, and the old town mosque also stopped services after 1985. Today, the old town of AlUla has become a folk culture village. Its 870 mud-brick houses are separated by narrow, winding alleys, and it still preserves the mosque, market, and castle buildings.
After people moved out of the old town of AlUla in the 1970s, some daily items were left behind, and this exhibition displays a portion of them. These include inlaid book stands (rehal), Arabic calligraphy pens, palm baskets, kerosene lamps, water-drawing axles, and pack saddles. Palm groves are scattered across the oasis around the old town. People often spent their summers in the groves to escape the heat and only returned to live in the old town during the autumn and winter. The exhibition hall also screens a film called "Rebuilding the Old Town and Oasis," which recreates scenes of daily life in the old town of AlUla.
In 1900, Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II began building the Hejaz Railway to connect Damascus and Medina. The AlUla station officially opened in September 1907. Because the AlUla station is exactly 1,000 kilometers from the start of the railway, it holds significant symbolic meaning. This exhibition displays several items from the Hejaz Railway, including railway components marked with "Hejaz," pocket watches featuring the Hejaz Railway logo, and telegraph machines.
Collapse Read »
Islamic Art Guide: China and West Asia Exchange at the Forbidden City
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: China and West Asia Exchange at the Forbidden City is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on West Asia, Forbidden City, Ancient Trade while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
From January 12 to April 11, 2024, the Exhibition of Ancient Civilizations of China and West Asia was held at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City displayed many rare artifacts not usually seen in regular exhibitions. The National Museum of Iran also provided many blue-and-white porcelains. You can view them alongside the Iranian artifact exhibition next door at the Meridian Gate (see "Exhibition Notes: Iranian Artifacts at the Forbidden City Meridian Gate").
Xinjiang textiles from the Qianlong period.
A blue-ground Hui-style gold and silver brocade (huihui zhijin yin jin) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection. Hui-style brocade (huihui jin) was sent to the imperial court as tribute from Xinjiang. Besides Xinjiang, it was also produced in Central Asia, West Asia, and North India under the Mughal Empire. Hui-style brocade was often woven with gold and silver threads, and its patterns reflect the artistic style of Central Asia and Persia.
A colorful Hotan silk (hetian chou) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection.
A colorful tree-bark pattern Hotan silk (hetian chou) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection, which is what we know as Atlas silk (aidelaisi chou).
A green Mashru fabric (mashlubu) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection, which was a type of pile fabric from the Xinjiang region during the Qing Dynasty.
Blue-and-white porcelain in the Forbidden City collection, fired in the shapes of West Asian and North African bronze ware.
A Ming Dynasty Yongle period blue-and-white gourd-shaped flask with ribbon handles and Islamic patterns in the Forbidden City collection. Behind it is a bronze vessel with the same shape that I photographed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, dating back to the Mamluk Sultanate in the 14th century.
A Qing Dynasty Qianlong period blue-and-white vase without handles (wudang zun) featuring scrolling floral patterns and Arabic calligraphy in the Forbidden City collection. This is one of five such vases from the old Qing palace collection. One is currently on display at the Wuying Hall ceramics exhibition. This piece is an imitation and innovation of the Ming Dynasty vase. The Qianlong Emperor personally designed and modified the imperial poem cloisonné inner liner, allowing it to be used for flower arranging. Behind it is a bronze vessel with the same shape that I photographed at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, dating back to the Mamluk Sultanate.
A Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white plate with a lotus pond and mandarin duck pattern and a rhombic flower-shaped rim in the Forbidden City collection. Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain uses su-ma-li cobalt ore imported from the Kashan region of Iran. The petal-shaped rim (linghuakou) and dense decorative style of the plate are influenced by Islamic culture, while the mandarin duck and lotus pond in the center is a decorative theme popular in China since the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods. The following photo I took at the Iran exhibition at the Meridian Gate next door shows a petal-shaped geometric pattern copper basin from Rafsanjan in southeastern Iran, dating to the Seljuk Empire in the 11th to 12th centuries.
A Ming Xuande period blue and white flower-patterned water sprinkler (huajiao) from the Palace Museum collection. This style of water sprinkler was made in Jingdezhen during the Ming Yongle, Xuande, and Qing Yongzheng periods to imitate West Asian copperware. The exhibition also displays a copper pot of the same shape from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which dates to early 16th-century Afghanistan.
Porcelain with Arabic script from the Palace Museum collection.
A Ming Zhengde period blue and white candlestick with Arabic script from the Palace Museum collection. The following is another Zhengde blue and white Arabic script candlestick on display at the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian).
A Qing Kangxi period blue and white three-legged incense burner with Arabic script in panels from the Palace Museum collection.
Early Islamic glassware from the Famen Mosque and Palace Museum collections.
A Tang dynasty engraved glass plate from the Famen Mosque Museum, unearthed from the Famen Mosque underground palace in 1987. The four-lobed sections and the center form a mihrab decorative pattern unique to Islamic culture, making it a representative piece of early Islamic glassware unearthed in China. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a similar piece, unearthed in 1939 from the Tappeh Madreseh madrasa site in Nishapur, Iran, and estimated to date to the early 9th century. This madrasa is believed to have been built by the Tahirid ruler Abdallah ibn Tahir, who reigned from 828 to 845.
A Tang dynasty stamped straight-sided glass cup from the Famen Mosque Museum, unearthed from the Famen Mosque underground palace in 1987. This is a common type of early Islamic glass cup, popular in Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Syria before the 11th century.
An 8th to 10th-century glass bottle from the Palace Museum collection. Its shape is the same as the perfume oil bottles popular in the Islamic world from the 9th to 11th centuries. Because the bottom looks like a molar tooth, it is called a molar flask.
An 8th to 10th-century glass bottle from the Palace Museum collection. This shape was popular in the early Islamic period and may have been used to hold spices or cosmetics. Similar items have been found in Nishapur, Iran, and Samarra and Ctesiphon in Iraq. After these glass bottles arrived in China, they were also used to hold Buddhist relics. They have been found in the underground palaces of the Jingzhi Mosque Pagoda in Dingzhou, Hebei, and the Miaotong Pagoda in Lianshui, Jiangsu.
This 8th-10th century glass bottle in the Palace Museum collection features a design with small applied glass discs on the exterior, a style originating from Iran or Syria.
This 14th-century gold-painted glass twin-handled vase in the Palace Museum collection features Quranic verses on the belly, several blue-ground gold-painted circular emblems on the body, and a twin-bird pattern in the center. This type of vessel was often used as an oil lamp bottle in mosques or palaces during the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt.
A Caucasian long sword from the Qing dynasty in the Palace Museum collection.
A Qing dynasty Caucasian Shashka long sword in the Palace Museum collection, engraved with Arabic inscriptions. The Shashka long sword was a weapon used by the Adyghe people (Circassians) living in the North Caucasus mountains, with the earliest records dating back to the late 17th century. The Shashka long sword is characterized by a hilt that fits entirely into the scabbard, making it look like a blade without a handle.
The Circassians converted to Islam in the 17th century under the influence of the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire. In the late 19th century, they suffered massacres and genocide during the Russian invasion. The surviving Adyghe people were taken in by the Ottoman Empire, and most now live in Turkey.
Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain from the Sheikh Safi al-Din gongbei in the National Museum of Iran.
Porcelain from the Sheikh Safi al-Din gongbei (Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble) is held in the National Museum of Iran, and a large number of artifacts from the same site are also on display at the Iran exhibition next to the Meridian Gate.
Sheikh Safi al-Din (1252-1334) was a Kurdish Sufi master during the Ilkhanate period and the founder of the Safaviyya order. This order eventually established the Safavid dynasty in 1501. After the Safavid dynasty was established, they expanded the Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei) in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, on a large scale between the 16th and 18th centuries, turning it into a massive building complex. The Porcelain House, built in the 17th century, has a huge cross-shaped space. The small niches densely packed on the walls were once filled with Chinese porcelain. Today, most of these porcelains are kept in museums in Tehran.
Late 16th-century blue and white bowl with a floral and fruit branch pattern.
16th-century blue and white octagonal long-necked vase with a crane and deer pattern.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain plate with lotus bundle patterns.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain plate with a foliated rim and grape branch patterns.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain celestial globe vase (tianqiuping) with white dragon and sea wave patterns.
14th-century blue and white porcelain plum vase (meiping) with scrolling peony patterns.
14th-century blue and white porcelain jar with mythical beast and scrolling peony patterns.
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Summary: Islamic Art Guide: China and West Asia Exchange at the Forbidden City is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on West Asia, Forbidden City, Ancient Trade while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
From January 12 to April 11, 2024, the Exhibition of Ancient Civilizations of China and West Asia was held at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City displayed many rare artifacts not usually seen in regular exhibitions. The National Museum of Iran also provided many blue-and-white porcelains. You can view them alongside the Iranian artifact exhibition next door at the Meridian Gate (see "Exhibition Notes: Iranian Artifacts at the Forbidden City Meridian Gate").
Xinjiang textiles from the Qianlong period.
A blue-ground Hui-style gold and silver brocade (huihui zhijin yin jin) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection. Hui-style brocade (huihui jin) was sent to the imperial court as tribute from Xinjiang. Besides Xinjiang, it was also produced in Central Asia, West Asia, and North India under the Mughal Empire. Hui-style brocade was often woven with gold and silver threads, and its patterns reflect the artistic style of Central Asia and Persia.
A colorful Hotan silk (hetian chou) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection.
A colorful tree-bark pattern Hotan silk (hetian chou) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection, which is what we know as Atlas silk (aidelaisi chou).
A green Mashru fabric (mashlubu) from the Qianlong period in the Forbidden City collection, which was a type of pile fabric from the Xinjiang region during the Qing Dynasty.
Blue-and-white porcelain in the Forbidden City collection, fired in the shapes of West Asian and North African bronze ware.
A Ming Dynasty Yongle period blue-and-white gourd-shaped flask with ribbon handles and Islamic patterns in the Forbidden City collection. Behind it is a bronze vessel with the same shape that I photographed at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, dating back to the Mamluk Sultanate in the 14th century.
A Qing Dynasty Qianlong period blue-and-white vase without handles (wudang zun) featuring scrolling floral patterns and Arabic calligraphy in the Forbidden City collection. This is one of five such vases from the old Qing palace collection. One is currently on display at the Wuying Hall ceramics exhibition. This piece is an imitation and innovation of the Ming Dynasty vase. The Qianlong Emperor personally designed and modified the imperial poem cloisonné inner liner, allowing it to be used for flower arranging. Behind it is a bronze vessel with the same shape that I photographed at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, dating back to the Mamluk Sultanate.
A Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white plate with a lotus pond and mandarin duck pattern and a rhombic flower-shaped rim in the Forbidden City collection. Yuan dynasty blue and white porcelain uses su-ma-li cobalt ore imported from the Kashan region of Iran. The petal-shaped rim (linghuakou) and dense decorative style of the plate are influenced by Islamic culture, while the mandarin duck and lotus pond in the center is a decorative theme popular in China since the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods. The following photo I took at the Iran exhibition at the Meridian Gate next door shows a petal-shaped geometric pattern copper basin from Rafsanjan in southeastern Iran, dating to the Seljuk Empire in the 11th to 12th centuries.
A Ming Xuande period blue and white flower-patterned water sprinkler (huajiao) from the Palace Museum collection. This style of water sprinkler was made in Jingdezhen during the Ming Yongle, Xuande, and Qing Yongzheng periods to imitate West Asian copperware. The exhibition also displays a copper pot of the same shape from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which dates to early 16th-century Afghanistan.
Porcelain with Arabic script from the Palace Museum collection.
A Ming Zhengde period blue and white candlestick with Arabic script from the Palace Museum collection. The following is another Zhengde blue and white Arabic script candlestick on display at the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian).
A Qing Kangxi period blue and white three-legged incense burner with Arabic script in panels from the Palace Museum collection.
Early Islamic glassware from the Famen Mosque and Palace Museum collections.
A Tang dynasty engraved glass plate from the Famen Mosque Museum, unearthed from the Famen Mosque underground palace in 1987. The four-lobed sections and the center form a mihrab decorative pattern unique to Islamic culture, making it a representative piece of early Islamic glassware unearthed in China. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds a similar piece, unearthed in 1939 from the Tappeh Madreseh madrasa site in Nishapur, Iran, and estimated to date to the early 9th century. This madrasa is believed to have been built by the Tahirid ruler Abdallah ibn Tahir, who reigned from 828 to 845.
A Tang dynasty stamped straight-sided glass cup from the Famen Mosque Museum, unearthed from the Famen Mosque underground palace in 1987. This is a common type of early Islamic glass cup, popular in Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and Syria before the 11th century.
An 8th to 10th-century glass bottle from the Palace Museum collection. Its shape is the same as the perfume oil bottles popular in the Islamic world from the 9th to 11th centuries. Because the bottom looks like a molar tooth, it is called a molar flask.
An 8th to 10th-century glass bottle from the Palace Museum collection. This shape was popular in the early Islamic period and may have been used to hold spices or cosmetics. Similar items have been found in Nishapur, Iran, and Samarra and Ctesiphon in Iraq. After these glass bottles arrived in China, they were also used to hold Buddhist relics. They have been found in the underground palaces of the Jingzhi Mosque Pagoda in Dingzhou, Hebei, and the Miaotong Pagoda in Lianshui, Jiangsu.
This 8th-10th century glass bottle in the Palace Museum collection features a design with small applied glass discs on the exterior, a style originating from Iran or Syria.
This 14th-century gold-painted glass twin-handled vase in the Palace Museum collection features Quranic verses on the belly, several blue-ground gold-painted circular emblems on the body, and a twin-bird pattern in the center. This type of vessel was often used as an oil lamp bottle in mosques or palaces during the Mamluk dynasty in Egypt.
A Caucasian long sword from the Qing dynasty in the Palace Museum collection.
A Qing dynasty Caucasian Shashka long sword in the Palace Museum collection, engraved with Arabic inscriptions. The Shashka long sword was a weapon used by the Adyghe people (Circassians) living in the North Caucasus mountains, with the earliest records dating back to the late 17th century. The Shashka long sword is characterized by a hilt that fits entirely into the scabbard, making it look like a blade without a handle.
The Circassians converted to Islam in the 17th century under the influence of the Crimean Khanate and the Ottoman Empire. In the late 19th century, they suffered massacres and genocide during the Russian invasion. The surviving Adyghe people were taken in by the Ottoman Empire, and most now live in Turkey.
Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain from the Sheikh Safi al-Din gongbei in the National Museum of Iran.
Porcelain from the Sheikh Safi al-Din gongbei (Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble) is held in the National Museum of Iran, and a large number of artifacts from the same site are also on display at the Iran exhibition next to the Meridian Gate.
Sheikh Safi al-Din (1252-1334) was a Kurdish Sufi master during the Ilkhanate period and the founder of the Safaviyya order. This order eventually established the Safavid dynasty in 1501. After the Safavid dynasty was established, they expanded the Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei) in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, on a large scale between the 16th and 18th centuries, turning it into a massive building complex. The Porcelain House, built in the 17th century, has a huge cross-shaped space. The small niches densely packed on the walls were once filled with Chinese porcelain. Today, most of these porcelains are kept in museums in Tehran.
Late 16th-century blue and white bowl with a floral and fruit branch pattern.
16th-century blue and white octagonal long-necked vase with a crane and deer pattern.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain plate with lotus bundle patterns.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain plate with a foliated rim and grape branch patterns.
Early 15th-century blue and white porcelain celestial globe vase (tianqiuping) with white dragon and sea wave patterns.
14th-century blue and white porcelain plum vase (meiping) with scrolling peony patterns.
14th-century blue and white porcelain jar with mythical beast and scrolling peony patterns.
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Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 1)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Iranian Art, Forbidden City, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The East Wing of the Meridian Gate at the Forbidden City hosted the 'Splendors of Persia: Exhibition of Iranian Cultural Relics' from January 12 to April 11, 2024. The National Museum of Iran sent many precious artifacts for everyone to enjoy.
I visited the National Museum of Iran in 2019, as seen in my article 'Exhibition Notes from the Museum of the Islamic Era in Iran'.
I will share some of the artifacts from the exhibition with you below.
Was the Zhengde Emperor's Islamic name 'Suleiman'?
For this Iranian exhibition at the Meridian Gate, the Forbidden City contributed a heavyweight artifact: a white-glazed, iron-red decorated plate with Arabic and Persian inscriptions, fired at the imperial kilns during the Zhengde period (1506–1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Previously, the Wuyingdian Ceramics Gallery only displayed the front, but this time we finally got to see the bottom of the plate, which holds much more information.
According to Li Yihua's 1984 article 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Porcelain—Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture' in the 'Journal of the Palace Museum', this is the only red-decorated piece among the more than 20 pieces of Zhengde Arabic and Persian porcelain in the Forbidden City's collection. The wall of the plate features a Hadith: 'The Exalted and Majestic Lord says, whoever does a good deed the size of a speck of dust, (or) whoever does a bad deed the size of a speck of dust, He will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate. Li Yihua interpreted them as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' and suggested it might have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars lean toward the idea that 'Dimani Ke' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' Based on this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman.' This means the Zhengde Emperor's Islamic name was likely 'Suleiman,' which is why some people jokingly call this piece 'King Solomon's Treasure'.
During the Zhengde period, the palace was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian inscriptions. Most were bowls, cups, brush rests, and boxes with the same shapes as official kiln wares, and the content was mostly Quranic verses, Hadith, and praises. According to research by Professor Jin Liyan and records in the 'Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty,' the Zhengde Emperor studied Islamic knowledge in 1509 (the third year of Zhengde): 'Hearing that Hui Muslims do not eat meat slaughtered by others, but must slaughter it themselves, and that they have kind hearts and read scriptures, he invited them into the palace to learn from them.'
The largest astrolabe from the National Museum of Iran
The National Museum of Iran brought its largest astrolabe for this exhibition. It weighs five kilograms, is over forty centimeters in diameter, and is made of six pieces of brass. It uses scales to mark geographical zones, and the crown-shaped decoration at the top is engraved with the names of two rulers from the Safavid and Qajar dynasties on either side.
The astrolabe comes from the famous Golestan Palace in Tehran. Golestan Palace was the royal palace of the Qajar dynasty and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. Golestan Palace was first called Tehran Citadel. It was built during the reign of Tahmasp I (ruled 1524-76) of the Safavid dynasty and rebuilt during the reign of Karim Khan (ruled 1750-79) of the Zand dynasty. After Agha Mohammad Khan (ruled 1789-97) of the Qajar dynasty made Tehran the capital, he officially converted Tehran Citadel into Golestan Palace. Between 1925 and 1945, Reza Shah (ruled 1925-41) of the Pahlavi dynasty ordered the demolition of most of Golestan Palace for modern urban construction. Modern-style commercial buildings were built there one after another during the 1950s and 1960s.
Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei)
For this exhibition at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, the National Museum of Iran brought a large number of Ming dynasty porcelains from the Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble (gongbei). It was a real eye-opener, as I did not get to see these porcelains when I visited the National Museum of Iran before.
Sheikh Safi al-Din (1252-1334) was a Kurdish Sufi master during the Ilkhanate period and the founder of the Safaviyya order. This order eventually established the Safavid dynasty in 1501. After the Safavid dynasty was established, they expanded the Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei) in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, on a large scale between the 16th and 18th centuries, turning it into a massive building complex. The Porcelain House, built in the 17th century, has a huge cross-shaped space. The small niches densely packed on the walls were once filled with Chinese porcelain. Today, most of these porcelains are kept in museums in Tehran.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain with cloud and crane patterns.
15th-16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white ewer with openwork, peacock and peony patterns, and lotus scroll patterns, featuring unglazed panels.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white ewer with seahorse and floral patterns.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white jar with bird and flower patterns.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white jar with scrolling vine patterns.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white bowl with polychrome figure patterns.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain bowl with seahorse and floral patterns.
Early 15th-century Ming dynasty white porcelain plate.
15th-century Ming Dynasty celadon plate with chrysanthemum petal patterns.
15th-century Ming Dynasty celadon plate with floral branch patterns.
14th-century Yuan Dynasty blue and white plate with phoenix and flower patterns. The outer wall is stamped with the seal of the Abbasid Caliph.
Late 14th to early 15th-century Yuan and Ming Dynasty large celadon plate.
Early 16th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white bowl with Arabic script and Xuande mark.
16th-century Ming Dynasty yellow-glazed plate.
Late 16th-century Ming Dynasty iron-red glazed porcelain plate with fish patterns.
16th-century Ming Dynasty brown-glazed bowl with Jiajing mark.
Late 15th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white moon flask with arabesque patterns.
Late 14th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white ewer with scrolling flower patterns.
15th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white plum vase (meiping) with scrolling lotus patterns. The vase body is stamped with the seal of the Abbasid Caliph, which can also be seen on other items in this exhibition. The text reads, 'Abbas, servant of the King of Supreme Power, dedicated to King Safi'. After the Mongol army destroyed Baghdad in 1261, the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt re-established the Abbasid Caliphate in Cairo. The Abbasid Caliphs in Egypt continued to serve as religious authorities but could not get involved in secular affairs. In 1517, the Ottoman Empire conquered Cairo, the last Abbasid Caliph was taken to Istanbul, and the Abbasid Caliphate came to an end.
A 16th-century Ming Dynasty jade cup with a dragon-shaped handle and beast-ear decorations, featuring the seal of the Abbasid Caliph carved on the bottom.
A 17th-century brass candlestick from the Safavid Dynasty.
A 16th-17th century double-headed brass candlestick from the Safavid Dynasty, engraved with Persian poetry by the famous poet Saadi:
One night I could not sleep and stayed awake all night,
I heard a conversation between a moth and a candle.
I am a lover who burns willingly with all my heart,
Why do you cry out in pain with tears streaming down?
Nishapur
Nishapur is an ancient city on the Silk Road in northeastern Iran, once one of the four major cities of the Greater Khorasan region. Nishapur became the capital of the Persian Tahirid Dynasty in the 9th century, grew into an important cultural and commercial hub under the Persian Samanid Dynasty in the 10th century, and continued to thrive during the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, trade routes from Transoxiana in Central Asia, China, Iraq, and Egypt met here. Glazed pottery produced in Nishapur at that time became a major trade commodity in the West, rivaling Baghdad and Cairo.
In 1221, Nishapur was massacred by the Mongols and then destroyed, leaving the former metropolis buried deep underground. It was not until archaeological excavations by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York between 1935 and 1940 that countless artifacts were discovered beneath the farmland. Today, most of the excavated Nishapur artifacts are kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as in museums in Tehran and Mashhad.
A 10th-11th century stucco panel with floral patterns.
A tombstone from the 9th to 11th century featuring Kufic script for Yahya ibn Ja'far.
A 9th to 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted horseman designs.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with geometric patterns.
A 9th to 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with geometric and plant patterns.
A 9th to 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with geometric and plant patterns.
A 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted imitation Kufic inscriptions.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with Kufic script.
Glass lamps, glass cups, and glass bowls from the 9th to 10th century. Besides glazed pottery, Nishapur was also a center for glass craftsmanship from the 9th to 11th century.
A 10th-century Sari-style glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted bird patterns.
Gorgan.
Glazed pottery from the ancient city of Gorgan. Gorgan was an important city on the Caspian coast during the Sasanian period and remained a center for Zoroastrianism after the 8th century. The old city of Gorgan was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and it was moved to the current new city during the Ilkhanate period.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted antelope patterns.
A 13th to 14th-century Ilkhanate-period glazed pottery jar with a single handle and calligraphic text.
Luster-glazed ceramic plate with figure patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th-14th century.
Glazed ceramic bowl with geometric patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 14th century.
Glazed ceramic bowl with floral patterns and calligraphy from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Gorgan-style luster-glazed inscription brick with Thuluth script from the Ilkhanate period, 13th-14th century.
Glassware and bronze ware from the ancient city of Gorgan.
Single-handled glass jar, 9th-10th century.
Glass ewer, 10th century.
Single-handled glass jar, 10th century.
Bird-shaped glass ewer from the Seljuk Empire, 11th-12th century.
Glass bowl with flower patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Glass bottle with circle patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Single-handled bronze ewer, 9th-10th century.
Two-handled bronze cauldron with inscriptions from the Seljuk Empire period, 12th century.
Ray.
Ray is located in the southern suburbs of Tehran and is an important ancient city in northern Iran. It is referred to as "Layi" in books like the History of Yuan. In 1043, Tuğrul Beg, the founder of the Seljuk Empire, made Ray the capital of the empire and carried out large-scale reconstruction of the ancient city. Under the rule of the Seljuk Empire, Rey reached its peak with a massive marketplace and a very prosperous trade scene. Import and export trade, mainly in silk, connected the entire Eurasian continent. At that time, Rey was the center for making painted pottery in Iran, and Rey-style painted pottery was an important handicraft of the period.
In 1220, the Mongol army invaded Rey, which was then under the rule of the Khwarazmian Empire. Because there was no fierce resistance, the Mongols did not massacre the city. Even so, the residents gradually left, and the center for pottery production moved to the southern city of Kashan.
Stucco figure from the Seljuk dynasty, 11th to 12th century.
Ceramic tile from the Seljuk dynasty, 11th to 12th century.
Single-handled pottery jar from the 9th century.
Three-handled pottery jar from the 9th to 10th century.
Blue-glazed narrow-necked pottery vase from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Rey-style Mina'i glazed pottery bowl with a camel rider pattern, from the late Seljuk dynasty to the Ilkhanate period, 12th to 13th century.
Rey-style Mina'i glazed pottery bowl with a sphinx pattern, from the late Seljuk dynasty to the Ilkhanate period, 12th to 13th century.
Glazed pottery bowl with geometric patterns from the ancient city of Rey, Ilkhanate period, 13th to 14th century.
Seljuk dynasty.
Bronze ware from the Seljuk dynasty.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty single-handled bronze lamp with a bird figure from Quchan. Quchan is in northeastern Iran near the border with Turkmenistan. The lamp has Kufic script and scroll patterns on both sides. Similar designs were found in Nishapur, which may link to traditions in northeastern Iran.
12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze ewer with calligraphy in the Khorasan style.
12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze incense burner from Sowme'eh Sara. Sowme'eh Sara is on the Caspian Sea coast in northwestern Iran.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze basin with a floral rim and geometric patterns from Rafsanjan. Rafsanjan is in southeastern Iran. It is the world's largest producer of pistachios and a center for carpet production in Iran.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze candlestick with three animal-shaped feet in the Khorasan style.
Summer palace of the Ilkhanate.
Artifacts unearthed at the Takht-e Soleyman site, the summer palace of the Ilkhanate. Takht-e Soleyman is a World Heritage site that served as the summer palace for the Ilkhanate in the 13th century. The Ilkhanate blended Eastern and Iranian art here to develop a unique Ilkhanid artistic style.
Takht-e Soleyman is the only surviving secular building complex from the Ilkhanate. The walls of the Great Khan's palace still have beautiful glazed tile decorations, which directly reflect the cultural and artistic exchange between China and Iran in the 14th century. The glazed tiles show various flowers, animals, and figures. The themes cover Chinese mythology, Iranian mythology, and calligraphic scripture, showing a blend of many cultures. Some of the tile themes come from the famous Iranian epic, the Shahnameh, which shows how the Ilkhanate integrated into Iran at the time.
Late 13th to early 14th century stucco panel with bird patterns.
Late 13th to early 14th century, Lajvardina glazed tiles with deer and lion patterns.
13th to 14th century, lusterware glazed tiles with camel and sphinx patterns. Lusterware, also called iridescent glaze, is a decorative technique using a second low-temperature firing. This second firing uses a reduction atmosphere to create a shimmering metallic finish.
13th to 14th century, Lajvardina glazed tile with a dragon pattern. This piece is a signature artifact from Takht-e Soleyman, and the National Museum of Iran even sells magnets featuring it.
12th to 13th century, late Seljuk to Ilkhanate period, green-glazed pottery bowl with carved scrolling leaf patterns in panels.
Late 13th to early 14th century, lusterware glazed pottery bowl with animal patterns.
Late 13th to early 14th century, Ilkhanate period, glazed pottery bowl with a twin-ram pattern.
Kashan
Glazed pottery from the ancient city of Kashan. During the 12th to 14th centuries under Seljuk and Ilkhanate rule, Kashan was a major center for producing high-quality glazed pottery in Iran. In modern Persian, the word for tile (kashi) comes from the name Kashan.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery jug with one handle and a sphinx pattern.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery jug with human figure patterns.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery watering vessel with human figure patterns.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed mihrab with Thuluth script inscriptions. This mihrab is definitely one of the best pieces on display at the National Museum of Iran.
14th-century Ilkhanate period, Saveh, Lajvardina glazed molded inscription tile. Saveh is located southwest of Tehran and was an important city during the Ilkhanate period. Lajvardina is an overglaze technique known for its lapis lazuli-like blue base glaze, often seen on building facades from the Ilkhanate period.
14th-century Ilkhanate period, Sultanabad, glazed pottery bowl with mythical bird and deer patterns. The bowl depicts the Simurgh, a mythical bird from Persian legends. During the Sassanid Empire, the Simurgh was depicted with a dog's head and a peacock's tail, but it transformed into a peacock-like image under Chinese influence during the Ilkhanate period.
Timurid Dynasty
14th-15th century Timurid period, Borujerd, silver-inlaid bronze stemmed bowl.
14th-century Timurid period, Khorasan region, mosaic tile with checkerboard Kufic script.
16th-17th century Shahsavar, overglaze painted tile with human figures.
Safavid Dynasty
16th-17th century Isfahan province, stucco panel with calligraphic inscriptions.
17th-century Amol, blue glazed pottery bowl with floral patterns. Amol is located on the Caspian Sea coast. It was a major trading hub in history and continued to grow during the Safavid Dynasty, becoming a favorite residence of the Safavid King Abbas II, who reigned from 1632 to 1666.
16th-century Amol, blue and white porcelain plate.
17th-century glazed pottery plate with underglaze floral patterns from northern Iran.
16th-century bronze incense burner with a dragon head from Yazd Province.
16th-century bronze plate with floral patterns and inscriptions from Kermanshah Province.
16th-century bronze candlestick from Isfahan. In 1598, Safavid King Abbas I (reigned 1588-1629) made Isfahan his capital. He rebuilt it into a prosperous and beautiful city, and Isfahan entered a golden age of culture. Collapse Read »
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 1) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Iranian Art, Forbidden City, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
The East Wing of the Meridian Gate at the Forbidden City hosted the 'Splendors of Persia: Exhibition of Iranian Cultural Relics' from January 12 to April 11, 2024. The National Museum of Iran sent many precious artifacts for everyone to enjoy.
I visited the National Museum of Iran in 2019, as seen in my article 'Exhibition Notes from the Museum of the Islamic Era in Iran'.
I will share some of the artifacts from the exhibition with you below.
Was the Zhengde Emperor's Islamic name 'Suleiman'?
For this Iranian exhibition at the Meridian Gate, the Forbidden City contributed a heavyweight artifact: a white-glazed, iron-red decorated plate with Arabic and Persian inscriptions, fired at the imperial kilns during the Zhengde period (1506–1521) of the Ming Dynasty. Previously, the Wuyingdian Ceramics Gallery only displayed the front, but this time we finally got to see the bottom of the plate, which holds much more information.
According to Li Yihua's 1984 article 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Porcelain—Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture' in the 'Journal of the Palace Museum', this is the only red-decorated piece among the more than 20 pieces of Zhengde Arabic and Persian porcelain in the Forbidden City's collection. The wall of the plate features a Hadith: 'The Exalted and Majestic Lord says, whoever does a good deed the size of a speck of dust, (or) whoever does a bad deed the size of a speck of dust, He will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate. Li Yihua interpreted them as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' and suggested it might have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars lean toward the idea that 'Dimani Ke' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' Based on this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman.' This means the Zhengde Emperor's Islamic name was likely 'Suleiman,' which is why some people jokingly call this piece 'King Solomon's Treasure'.
During the Zhengde period, the palace was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian inscriptions. Most were bowls, cups, brush rests, and boxes with the same shapes as official kiln wares, and the content was mostly Quranic verses, Hadith, and praises. According to research by Professor Jin Liyan and records in the 'Veritable Records of the Joseon Dynasty,' the Zhengde Emperor studied Islamic knowledge in 1509 (the third year of Zhengde): 'Hearing that Hui Muslims do not eat meat slaughtered by others, but must slaughter it themselves, and that they have kind hearts and read scriptures, he invited them into the palace to learn from them.'
The largest astrolabe from the National Museum of Iran
The National Museum of Iran brought its largest astrolabe for this exhibition. It weighs five kilograms, is over forty centimeters in diameter, and is made of six pieces of brass. It uses scales to mark geographical zones, and the crown-shaped decoration at the top is engraved with the names of two rulers from the Safavid and Qajar dynasties on either side.
The astrolabe comes from the famous Golestan Palace in Tehran. Golestan Palace was the royal palace of the Qajar dynasty and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. Golestan Palace was first called Tehran Citadel. It was built during the reign of Tahmasp I (ruled 1524-76) of the Safavid dynasty and rebuilt during the reign of Karim Khan (ruled 1750-79) of the Zand dynasty. After Agha Mohammad Khan (ruled 1789-97) of the Qajar dynasty made Tehran the capital, he officially converted Tehran Citadel into Golestan Palace. Between 1925 and 1945, Reza Shah (ruled 1925-41) of the Pahlavi dynasty ordered the demolition of most of Golestan Palace for modern urban construction. Modern-style commercial buildings were built there one after another during the 1950s and 1960s.
Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei)
For this exhibition at the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, the National Museum of Iran brought a large number of Ming dynasty porcelains from the Sheikh Safi al-Din Khānegāh and Shrine Ensemble (gongbei). It was a real eye-opener, as I did not get to see these porcelains when I visited the National Museum of Iran before.
Sheikh Safi al-Din (1252-1334) was a Kurdish Sufi master during the Ilkhanate period and the founder of the Safaviyya order. This order eventually established the Safavid dynasty in 1501. After the Safavid dynasty was established, they expanded the Sheikh Safi al-Din Shrine (gongbei) in Ardabil, northwestern Iran, on a large scale between the 16th and 18th centuries, turning it into a massive building complex. The Porcelain House, built in the 17th century, has a huge cross-shaped space. The small niches densely packed on the walls were once filled with Chinese porcelain. Today, most of these porcelains are kept in museums in Tehran.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain with cloud and crane patterns.
15th-16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white ewer with openwork, peacock and peony patterns, and lotus scroll patterns, featuring unglazed panels.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white ewer with seahorse and floral patterns.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white jar with bird and flower patterns.
Late 16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white jar with scrolling vine patterns.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white bowl with polychrome figure patterns.
16th-century Ming dynasty blue and white porcelain bowl with seahorse and floral patterns.
Early 15th-century Ming dynasty white porcelain plate.
15th-century Ming Dynasty celadon plate with chrysanthemum petal patterns.
15th-century Ming Dynasty celadon plate with floral branch patterns.
14th-century Yuan Dynasty blue and white plate with phoenix and flower patterns. The outer wall is stamped with the seal of the Abbasid Caliph.
Late 14th to early 15th-century Yuan and Ming Dynasty large celadon plate.
Early 16th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white bowl with Arabic script and Xuande mark.
16th-century Ming Dynasty yellow-glazed plate.
Late 16th-century Ming Dynasty iron-red glazed porcelain plate with fish patterns.
16th-century Ming Dynasty brown-glazed bowl with Jiajing mark.
Late 15th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white moon flask with arabesque patterns.
Late 14th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white ewer with scrolling flower patterns.
15th-century Ming Dynasty blue and white plum vase (meiping) with scrolling lotus patterns. The vase body is stamped with the seal of the Abbasid Caliph, which can also be seen on other items in this exhibition. The text reads, 'Abbas, servant of the King of Supreme Power, dedicated to King Safi'. After the Mongol army destroyed Baghdad in 1261, the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt re-established the Abbasid Caliphate in Cairo. The Abbasid Caliphs in Egypt continued to serve as religious authorities but could not get involved in secular affairs. In 1517, the Ottoman Empire conquered Cairo, the last Abbasid Caliph was taken to Istanbul, and the Abbasid Caliphate came to an end.
A 16th-century Ming Dynasty jade cup with a dragon-shaped handle and beast-ear decorations, featuring the seal of the Abbasid Caliph carved on the bottom.
A 17th-century brass candlestick from the Safavid Dynasty.
A 16th-17th century double-headed brass candlestick from the Safavid Dynasty, engraved with Persian poetry by the famous poet Saadi:
One night I could not sleep and stayed awake all night,
I heard a conversation between a moth and a candle.
I am a lover who burns willingly with all my heart,
Why do you cry out in pain with tears streaming down?
Nishapur
Nishapur is an ancient city on the Silk Road in northeastern Iran, once one of the four major cities of the Greater Khorasan region. Nishapur became the capital of the Persian Tahirid Dynasty in the 9th century, grew into an important cultural and commercial hub under the Persian Samanid Dynasty in the 10th century, and continued to thrive during the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Between the 9th and 11th centuries, trade routes from Transoxiana in Central Asia, China, Iraq, and Egypt met here. Glazed pottery produced in Nishapur at that time became a major trade commodity in the West, rivaling Baghdad and Cairo.
In 1221, Nishapur was massacred by the Mongols and then destroyed, leaving the former metropolis buried deep underground. It was not until archaeological excavations by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York between 1935 and 1940 that countless artifacts were discovered beneath the farmland. Today, most of the excavated Nishapur artifacts are kept at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as in museums in Tehran and Mashhad.
A 10th-11th century stucco panel with floral patterns.
A tombstone from the 9th to 11th century featuring Kufic script for Yahya ibn Ja'far.
A 9th to 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted horseman designs.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with geometric patterns.
A 9th to 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with geometric and plant patterns.
A 9th to 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with geometric and plant patterns.
A 10th-century Nishapur-style glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted imitation Kufic inscriptions.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with Kufic script.
Glass lamps, glass cups, and glass bowls from the 9th to 10th century. Besides glazed pottery, Nishapur was also a center for glass craftsmanship from the 9th to 11th century.
A 10th-century Sari-style glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted bird patterns.
Gorgan.
Glazed pottery from the ancient city of Gorgan. Gorgan was an important city on the Caspian coast during the Sasanian period and remained a center for Zoroastrianism after the 8th century. The old city of Gorgan was destroyed during the Mongol invasion in the 13th century, and it was moved to the current new city during the Ilkhanate period.
A 10th-century glazed pottery bowl with slip-painted antelope patterns.
A 13th to 14th-century Ilkhanate-period glazed pottery jar with a single handle and calligraphic text.
Luster-glazed ceramic plate with figure patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th-14th century.
Glazed ceramic bowl with geometric patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 14th century.
Glazed ceramic bowl with floral patterns and calligraphy from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Gorgan-style luster-glazed inscription brick with Thuluth script from the Ilkhanate period, 13th-14th century.
Glassware and bronze ware from the ancient city of Gorgan.
Single-handled glass jar, 9th-10th century.
Glass ewer, 10th century.
Single-handled glass jar, 10th century.
Bird-shaped glass ewer from the Seljuk Empire, 11th-12th century.
Glass bowl with flower patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Glass bottle with circle patterns from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Single-handled bronze ewer, 9th-10th century.
Two-handled bronze cauldron with inscriptions from the Seljuk Empire period, 12th century.
Ray.
Ray is located in the southern suburbs of Tehran and is an important ancient city in northern Iran. It is referred to as "Layi" in books like the History of Yuan. In 1043, Tuğrul Beg, the founder of the Seljuk Empire, made Ray the capital of the empire and carried out large-scale reconstruction of the ancient city. Under the rule of the Seljuk Empire, Rey reached its peak with a massive marketplace and a very prosperous trade scene. Import and export trade, mainly in silk, connected the entire Eurasian continent. At that time, Rey was the center for making painted pottery in Iran, and Rey-style painted pottery was an important handicraft of the period.
In 1220, the Mongol army invaded Rey, which was then under the rule of the Khwarazmian Empire. Because there was no fierce resistance, the Mongols did not massacre the city. Even so, the residents gradually left, and the center for pottery production moved to the southern city of Kashan.
Stucco figure from the Seljuk dynasty, 11th to 12th century.
Ceramic tile from the Seljuk dynasty, 11th to 12th century.
Single-handled pottery jar from the 9th century.
Three-handled pottery jar from the 9th to 10th century.
Blue-glazed narrow-necked pottery vase from the Ilkhanate period, 13th century.
Rey-style Mina'i glazed pottery bowl with a camel rider pattern, from the late Seljuk dynasty to the Ilkhanate period, 12th to 13th century.
Rey-style Mina'i glazed pottery bowl with a sphinx pattern, from the late Seljuk dynasty to the Ilkhanate period, 12th to 13th century.
Glazed pottery bowl with geometric patterns from the ancient city of Rey, Ilkhanate period, 13th to 14th century.
Seljuk dynasty.
Bronze ware from the Seljuk dynasty.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty single-handled bronze lamp with a bird figure from Quchan. Quchan is in northeastern Iran near the border with Turkmenistan. The lamp has Kufic script and scroll patterns on both sides. Similar designs were found in Nishapur, which may link to traditions in northeastern Iran.
12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze ewer with calligraphy in the Khorasan style.
12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze incense burner from Sowme'eh Sara. Sowme'eh Sara is on the Caspian Sea coast in northwestern Iran.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze basin with a floral rim and geometric patterns from Rafsanjan. Rafsanjan is in southeastern Iran. It is the world's largest producer of pistachios and a center for carpet production in Iran.
11th-12th century Seljuk dynasty bronze candlestick with three animal-shaped feet in the Khorasan style.
Summer palace of the Ilkhanate.
Artifacts unearthed at the Takht-e Soleyman site, the summer palace of the Ilkhanate. Takht-e Soleyman is a World Heritage site that served as the summer palace for the Ilkhanate in the 13th century. The Ilkhanate blended Eastern and Iranian art here to develop a unique Ilkhanid artistic style.
Takht-e Soleyman is the only surviving secular building complex from the Ilkhanate. The walls of the Great Khan's palace still have beautiful glazed tile decorations, which directly reflect the cultural and artistic exchange between China and Iran in the 14th century. The glazed tiles show various flowers, animals, and figures. The themes cover Chinese mythology, Iranian mythology, and calligraphic scripture, showing a blend of many cultures. Some of the tile themes come from the famous Iranian epic, the Shahnameh, which shows how the Ilkhanate integrated into Iran at the time.
Late 13th to early 14th century stucco panel with bird patterns.
Late 13th to early 14th century, Lajvardina glazed tiles with deer and lion patterns.
13th to 14th century, lusterware glazed tiles with camel and sphinx patterns. Lusterware, also called iridescent glaze, is a decorative technique using a second low-temperature firing. This second firing uses a reduction atmosphere to create a shimmering metallic finish.
13th to 14th century, Lajvardina glazed tile with a dragon pattern. This piece is a signature artifact from Takht-e Soleyman, and the National Museum of Iran even sells magnets featuring it.
12th to 13th century, late Seljuk to Ilkhanate period, green-glazed pottery bowl with carved scrolling leaf patterns in panels.
Late 13th to early 14th century, lusterware glazed pottery bowl with animal patterns.
Late 13th to early 14th century, Ilkhanate period, glazed pottery bowl with a twin-ram pattern.
Kashan
Glazed pottery from the ancient city of Kashan. During the 12th to 14th centuries under Seljuk and Ilkhanate rule, Kashan was a major center for producing high-quality glazed pottery in Iran. In modern Persian, the word for tile (kashi) comes from the name Kashan.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery jug with one handle and a sphinx pattern.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery jug with human figure patterns.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed pottery watering vessel with human figure patterns.
13th to 14th century, Ilkhanate period, lusterware glazed mihrab with Thuluth script inscriptions. This mihrab is definitely one of the best pieces on display at the National Museum of Iran.
14th-century Ilkhanate period, Saveh, Lajvardina glazed molded inscription tile. Saveh is located southwest of Tehran and was an important city during the Ilkhanate period. Lajvardina is an overglaze technique known for its lapis lazuli-like blue base glaze, often seen on building facades from the Ilkhanate period.
14th-century Ilkhanate period, Sultanabad, glazed pottery bowl with mythical bird and deer patterns. The bowl depicts the Simurgh, a mythical bird from Persian legends. During the Sassanid Empire, the Simurgh was depicted with a dog's head and a peacock's tail, but it transformed into a peacock-like image under Chinese influence during the Ilkhanate period.
Timurid Dynasty
14th-15th century Timurid period, Borujerd, silver-inlaid bronze stemmed bowl.
14th-century Timurid period, Khorasan region, mosaic tile with checkerboard Kufic script.
16th-17th century Shahsavar, overglaze painted tile with human figures.
Safavid Dynasty
16th-17th century Isfahan province, stucco panel with calligraphic inscriptions.
17th-century Amol, blue glazed pottery bowl with floral patterns. Amol is located on the Caspian Sea coast. It was a major trading hub in history and continued to grow during the Safavid Dynasty, becoming a favorite residence of the Safavid King Abbas II, who reigned from 1632 to 1666.
16th-century Amol, blue and white porcelain plate.
17th-century glazed pottery plate with underglaze floral patterns from northern Iran.
16th-century bronze incense burner with a dragon head from Yazd Province.
16th-century bronze plate with floral patterns and inscriptions from Kermanshah Province.
16th-century bronze candlestick from Isfahan. In 1598, Safavid King Abbas I (reigned 1588-1629) made Isfahan his capital. He rebuilt it into a prosperous and beautiful city, and Isfahan entered a golden age of culture. Collapse Read »
Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 2)
Reposted from the web
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Iranian Art, Forbidden City, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Collapse Read »
Summary: Islamic Art Guide: Iranian Artifacts at Beijing Forbidden City (Part 2) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear, natural English. The account focuses on Iranian Art, Forbidden City, Islamic Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, photos, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Collapse Read »