Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim history guide to Damascus covers Caliph Muawiyah I's tomb, the Prophet's Companion, early Islamic history, and Muslim heritage.

This article organizes key points from the original text about visiting the tomb of the scripture scribe and companion of the Prophet, Caliph Muawiyah I. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for topics like Shia, Sunni, and Ramadan.

Bab al-Saghir Cemetery in the south of the old city of Damascus is a very ancient graveyard. It holds the graves of many companions of the Prophet, such as Bilal, as well as several children of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein. Near these graves is a tomb tightly enclosed by layers of iron railings. It is inscribed with the name Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan, the first caliph of the Umayyad Dynasty. This is the burial place of a highly controversial caliph in religious history. He is both respected and hated, but he was a key figure who shaped early religious history: Muawiyah I.

During Ramadan in 2025, the Saudi MBC studio aired a series called Muawiyah. With a production cost of 100 million US dollars, it is the most expensive television series in Arab history. The show caused huge controversy and sparked massive discussion as soon as it aired. Iraq and Iran directly banned the series, and Al-Azhar University in Egypt issued a fatwa calling on people not to watch it.

In the Sunni narrative, Muawiyah's sister Ramla married the noble Prophet in 628. Muawiyah converted to the faith in 630. Because he was literate, the noble Prophet appointed him as a scribe, making him a scripture scribe. After Abu Bakr was elected caliph in 632, Muawiyah became a commander in the conquest of Syria. He followed Caliph Umar into Jerusalem in 637 and was later appointed governor of Damascus. He served as governor of Syria during the time of Caliph Uthman and organized the first naval battle in religious history. Sunnis believe he made a great contribution to the unity of the Caliphate and recognize his status as a companion of the Prophet and a scripture scribe.

In the Shia narrative, Muawiyah opposed the election of Ali as caliph, which triggered the first civil war in the faith. After Ali was assassinated, he forced Hasan to abdicate. Shia Muslims deny Muawiyah's status as a companion of the Prophet and a scripture scribe, and even consider him a disbeliever.

Muawiyah I died of illness in Damascus in 680 and was buried in the Bab al-Saghir cemetery. Several documents from the 9th and 10th centuries mention the tomb of Muawiyah I, including records that Ibn Tulun, a ruler of Egypt and Syria, built four porticos for the tomb in the 9th century. The current tomb of Muawiyah I was renovated in modern times. For a long time, this site was attacked by Shia visitors from places like Iran and Iraq, who damaged the fences and threw stones and shoes.













Next to the tomb of Muawiyah I is another tomb enclosed by iron railings, where the fifth Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik (reigned 685-705) and the sixth Caliph al-Walid I (reigned 705-715) are buried.

In his early years, Abd al-Malik lived a pious life in Medina and was a Tabi'un, meaning a follower of the Prophet's companions and one of the first generation born into the faith. In 683, the people of Medina opposed the rule of Muawiyah I's son, Yazid I, and expelled all Umayyads from the city, forcing Abd al-Malik to flee to Damascus. After the direct descendants of Muawiyah I passed away, Abd al-Malik, his distant cousin, was elected Caliph in 685. During his 20-year reign, Abd al-Malik constantly quelled internal divisions within the Umayyad Caliphate while resisting attacks from the Byzantine Empire. In the final years of his rule, the country was peaceful and his power was secure. His main achievements include introducing a unified currency to replace Byzantine and Sassanid coins, and replacing Greek and Persian with Arabic as the official language. He ordered the construction of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, which is the oldest surviving Islamic building.

During the reign of Al-Walid I, the Arab Empire conquered Morocco, the Iberian Peninsula, the Sindh region of South Asia, and Transoxiana in Central Asia, reaching its largest territorial extent in history. He used the massive wealth from these conquests to build and expand many mosques, most the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina. He also built the famous ancient city of Anjar in Lebanon and the Umayyad Mosque in Baalbek. He was the first caliph to implement a social welfare system, which earned him great respect among the poor and the disabled. Under his rule, the Umayyad Dynasty was prosperous and reached its peak.







Umayyad coins on display at the 'Forging Narratives: The Coinage Heritage of Saudi Arabia' special exhibition at the National Museum of Saudi Arabia.

First are the gold coins from the time of Caliph Muawiyah I. The front shows the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius (reigned 610-641) and his two sons, Constantine III and Heraclonas, while the back features Latin text. Unlike Byzantine gold coins, the Umayyad gold coins lack crosses on the emperor's crown and scepter, and the cross on the steps on the back has only a vertical bar without a horizontal one.

Umayyad gold coins from this period reflect the early culture of the Umayyad Dynasty, which continued to inherit Byzantine culture. When Bedouin nomads from the Arabian Peninsula poured into the magnificent city of Damascus, they saw a rich and colorful Byzantine culture everywhere. Because of this, they continued to use Byzantine culture in areas outside of religion, such as music, art, and architecture, becoming the heirs to Byzantine culture.







In 693, Caliph Abd al-Malik minted gold dinars in Damascus, and in 696, he removed human figures, keeping only Arabic text. During the same period, Abd al-Malik also promoted the replacement of Greek with Arabic in Syria, eventually making Arabic the sole official language of the Umayyad Dynasty. From this point on, the Umayyad Caliphate stopped being just an inheritor of Byzantine and Sassanid cultures and turned into a true Arab civilization.









I visited Qasr Kharana in Jordan, which was built in 710 during the reign of Caliph al-Walid I.

The most special thing about Qasr Kharana is how it blends Byzantine and Sassanid architectural styles. The palace is built with plaster and rubble, and the second floor features barrel vaults supported by transverse arches, which is a typical Sassanid style, though it still differs from Sassanid buildings in Iran. The arches at Qasr Kharana do not connect to the load-bearing walls but rest on corbels, and they use new types of wooden lintels to make the building more flexible and earthquake-resistant.







Hammam al-Sarah in Jordan was built in the early 8th century during the reign of Caliph Abd al-Malik or al-Walid I.

The bathhouse was built using neatly cut, medium-sized stones and decorated with intricately carved fluted moldings. Inside the main hall, there is a beautifully designed fountain supplied with water from an elevated water tower on the east side. There is also a walled garden site nearby, which is known as the oldest Islamic garden site.







The Umayyad Mosque in Damascus was built under the direction of Caliph al-Walid I in 706. He kept the outer walls of the Roman mosque's inner sanctuary and moved the Corinthian columns and arcades from inside the mosque to the main hall, finishing the new mosque in 715 and making it a 'wonder of the world' in the writings of medieval Muslim scholars.

Before the Great Mosque of Damascus was built, traditional mosques were all flat-roofed halls. The Great Mosque of Damascus uses a basilica-style layout, featuring three wide, long halls and a central nave topped by a tall dome.









The Great Mosque of Damascus is world-famous for its rich Umayyad-era mosaic decorations. These mosaics show various natural landscapes and buildings in a late Roman style, following a classic naturalistic approach.

Some Arabic historical records suggest the craftsmen and materials for the mosaics came from the Byzantine capital of Constantinople, but a 2022 chemical analysis study showed that most of the mosaics were actually made in Egypt. Although these mosaic images show traces of Byzantine style, some scholars believe their craftsmanship is more consistent with mosaic techniques from Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.

The meaning of the mosaic images has been a subject of long-standing debate. Some believe they represent the known world at that time, others think they depict Damascus and the Barada River, and some argue they show scenes of Paradise. Currently, there is more evidence for the Paradise theory, as the landscapes without human figures fit the idea of an empty Paradise waiting for people to arrive after the Day of Resurrection.













The ancient city of Anjar in Lebanon was built by al-Abbas, the son of Caliph al-Walid I, between 714 and 715. This place has been an important route connecting Beirut and Damascus since ancient times, and it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.

It is believed that the ancient city of Anjar likely used many captives brought back by Prince al-Abbas from his campaigns against the Byzantine Empire as laborers, which is why the stone carvings have a strong Byzantine style. The entire ancient city is based on a Roman city plan, with a rectangular layout surrounded by thick walls, where two main roads intersect at four gates to divide the city into four sections. The main road is lined with columns and rows of shops that look like Roman tabernae, while a classic four-sided Roman gate known as a tetrapylon stands at the intersection. The city is divided into four functional areas: the southeast holds the grand palace and mosque, the northeast contains the small palace (harem) and bathhouse, and the northwest and southwest are residential zones.















The Umayyad Mosque in Baalbek, Lebanon, was also built by the Umayyad Caliph al-Walid I in 715, the same year as the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. These two mosques stand together as the oldest surviving masjid buildings in the world.

Compared to the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, the Baalbek Umayyad Mosque is simpler, but its overall style is very similar. Some stone parts inside the main hall may have been taken from the nearby Roman-era Baalbek Citadel, and the column capitals show a strong Roman-Byzantine style.











Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim history guide to Damascus follows Sufi sage Ibn Arabi, mosque-area travel, shrine history, and Islamic heritage from the original article.

This article summarizes the key points of visiting the Sufi sage Ibn Arabi in Damascus. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for content on namaz, Hajj, and Ramadan.

Salihiyah, located at the foot of Mount Qasioun, is the most important historic district in Damascus outside the old city. Historic buildings from the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman dynasties stand along both sides of the Friday market (Jumu'ah market). Some look plain from the outside but are hundreds of years old.

After the Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, many scholars, jurists, and civilians fled to Damascus for refuge. In 1156, the famous Hanbali scholar Ibn Qudamah moved from the West Bank to Damascus to escape the Crusaders and later settled in Salihiyah. He once admired this land and said, 'This is a place of barakah (blessing).'

Saladin, the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty, wanted to provide a safe and stable environment for the scholars and immigrants who fled from Jerusalem to Damascus. Because Ibn Qudamah's home at the foot of Mount Qasioun in the north of the city had become an academic center for the Hanbali school, Saladin decided to build the Salihiyah community at the foot of Mount Qasioun.

The most famous landmark in Salihiyah is the Shaikh Mohiddin Mosque (Masjid Shaikh Mohiddin), which houses the tomb of the famous Sufi sage Ibn Arabi.

Ibn Arabi was born in 1165 in what is now southern Spain, which was then called Al-Andalus. Starting at age 28, he traveled throughout the Middle East for many years, performed Hajj multiple times, and lived in Tunisia, Morocco, and Mecca. At age 58, he finally chose to settle in Damascus to focus on teaching and writing. He passed away in Damascus in 1240 at the age of 75. After Ibn Arabi passed away, his works were translated into Persian, Turkish, and Urdu. They had a great influence on the entire Muslim world, and he is known as a founder of the development of Sufism.

The shrine (gongbei) of Ibn Arabi was originally quite small. In 1518, Ottoman Sultan Selim I ordered its reconstruction during his visit to Damascus, which showed how much the Ottoman Empire valued Sufis at the time. After it was built, the shrine was first named the Selimiye Mosque after the Sultan. Because Ibn Arabi’s title, Muhyiddin, means 'reviver of the faith,' the mosque is also known as the Sheikh Muhyiddin Mosque. On the first Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan after the mosque was finished, the Sultan personally visited to attend prayers and gifted the mosque a pair of silver socks.

The mosque blends architectural styles from the late Mamluk and early Ottoman periods. The shrine is located below the mosque, and you enter it by taking the stairs on the east side of the courtyard. Inside the shrine, besides Ibn Arabi himself, lie his two sons and his followers.

















The tiles on the walls of the shrine were laid in 1760.







The Sheikh Muhyiddin Mosque follows a traditional Damascus layout, with a courtyard surrounding the front of the main prayer hall and an Ottoman-style minaret built above the main gate. The walls are covered in yellow and white marble, and there is a Damascus-style pool in the middle of the courtyard. The wall decorations mix Ottoman and Mamluk styles, and the Corinthian capitals on the stone pillars of the main hall feature beautiful carvings. The two large candlesticks in front of the mihrab are also very characteristic of the Ottoman style.



















When I first arrived at the Sheikh Muhyiddin Mosque, I happened to catch a funeral prayer (janazah) for a sheikh, and I could really feel the strong religious atmosphere here.







Not far to the east of the Sheikh Muhyiddin Mosque is the Hanabila, another famous mosque in the Salihiya district. Hanabila Mosque is a famous early Ayyubid dynasty mosque in Syria. It was founded between 1208 and 1210 by the famous Hanbali scholar Ibn Qudama. He was born in Jerusalem and settled in Damascus in 1197, which became his main center for scholarship.

The mosque follows the Ayyubid architectural style. It centers on a courtyard, and the main prayer hall follows the layout of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, though its structure is more compact. The mosque still has a beautiful pulpit (minbar) and window carvings that are over 800 years old.





















Rukniyah Madrasa is located on the far east side of the Salihiyah district in Damascus. It was built in 1224 by the Ayyubid governor of Damascus, Rukn al-Din Mankurs al-Falaki, who is also buried there. Rukniyah Madrasa is the first Ayyubid building with a courtyard covered by a dome. The building consists of two square sections: the larger part is the madrasa, and the smaller part is the tomb. The minaret was added later.

Because the Ayyubid dynasty was busy fighting the Crusades, the architectural style of this period is known for being simple, sturdy, and durable. Rukniyah Madrasa belongs to the Hanafi school of law. It has now been converted into a mosque, and the main hall is not open except during the five daily namaz prayers.









Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi Mosque was built in 1764 by Sheikh Mustafa al-Nabulsi, the grandson of the famous Syrian Sufi sheikh and poet Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi. Both Sheikh Abd al-Ghani al-Nabulsi and Sheikh Mustafa al-Nabulsi are buried there. Unfortunately, since most mosques in Damascus do not open their doors except for the five daily namaz prayers, I could not go inside.

Sheikh Abd al-Ghani's family came from the Banu Jama'a. For generations, they served as chief judges and great Sufi sheikhs during the Mamluk dynasty. One branch of his family settled in Damascus after the Ottoman Empire conquered the Mamluk dynasty in 1516. They continued to hold positions such as the Shafi'i Grand Mufti of Damascus and teachers at the Umayyad Mosque.

Sheikh Abd al-Ghani was born in Damascus in 1641. His father switched from the Shafi'i school to the Hanafi school after a debate with Hanafi students. This was the mainstream school of the Ottoman Empire at the time. Abdul-Ghani began studying Islamic law as a child. He joined the Qadiriyya and Naqshbandiyya Sufi orders and spent seven years in quiet retreat at home. He traveled widely across the Middle East and wrote over 200 books. He was especially known for his deep research into the Sufi sage Ibn Arabi.

Before Sheikh Abdul-Ghani, the Salhiyya district of Damascus followed the Hanbali school of law. He was the first to bring Hanafi and Shafi'i ideas to the area and hosted many Hanafi students in his home.







The Jharkasiya Madrasa is on the market street in the Salhiyya district of Damascus. It was built in 1237 by the Ayyubid general Salim al-Din al-Hattra for his teacher, the Ayyubid general Jharkas ibn Abdullah. Both Jharkas ibn Abdullah and Salim al-Din al-Hattra are buried inside.

Jharkas was a commander in Saladin's personal guard and witnessed all of Saladin's military campaigns. The Jharkasiya Madrasa has a very rare double-domed tomb. Historically, the school taught both Hanafi and Shafi'i law, but today it serves as a mosque.





The Mershadiyeh Madrasa is on the west side of the Salhiyya district in Damascus. It was built in 1252 with funding from Khadija Khatun, the daughter of the Ayyubid Emir of Damascus, Al-Mu'azzam Isa. She is buried in the courtyard after her passing.

The square minaret of the madrasa is the only surviving example of 13th-century Ayyubid architecture in Damascus. The madrasa is currently closed. You must contact the Syrian Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums to enter.







The Takrityya Madrasa is on the far west side of the Salhiyya district in Damascus. It was built in 1298 by the Emir Taqi al-Din al-Takriti, who is buried inside. This building dates back to the Mamluk period, but it keeps the strict and simple architectural style of the Ayyubid dynasty. The Mongol army destroyed this place in 1300, but it was rebuilt later.









Rabia Khatun, the sister of Ayyubid founder Saladin, built the Sahiba Madrasa in 1233, and her tomb is inside. People call this madrasa a model of Ayyubid architecture because of its thick walls and beautiful carvings that only use simple geometric shapes.

This madrasa once taught the Hanbali school of thought, which was the mainstream school at the time. Today, it is a primary school for girls, and generations of local residents have studied here.





Juma Market, the main road of the Salihiya historic neighborhood in Damascus.

The market in Salihiya grew quickly during the Ayyubid dynasty as more people moved here from Jerusalem. The Juma Market in front of the gongbei of the Sufi sage Ibn Arabi only sold goods after Friday namaz at first, but it eventually became a permanent market while keeping the name Juma Market. It is still a great place for nearby residents to shop today.



















Handwritten signs at the market.

























Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide covers Guyuan stewed snacks, Tianjin tea soup, Nanjing chicken soup, halal food in China, and food festival details.

This article summarizes the key points of the Beijing Exhibition Center International Food Fair, covering Guyuan stewed snacks (huixiaochi), Tianjin tea soup (chatang), and Nanjing chicken soup. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for content related to Uyghur culture, Guyuan stewed snacks, and Tianjin tea soup.

Summer is here, and there are more and more food streets in Beijing, with several popping up every weekend.

I went to the Beijing Exhibition Center International Food Fair at night. There was so much good food that I could eat specialties from Ningxia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Beijing, Tianjin, and Nanjing. I was stuffed by the end of the night. The food festival runs until Sunday and is well worth a visit.



As soon as you enter the west entrance, you see the Ningxia stalls. From inside to outside, there is Yuanzhou Impression Guyuan Taste from Moshikou Street in Shijingshan, Baicao Tan Lamb from Lianhua Bridge, Jingyu Yanyu from Guomao, and the Ningxia Building from Andingmen.





I did not expect to find Guyuan food here! We tried the Guyuan specialty stewed snacks (huixiaochi), which is one of the ten classic bowls of the Hui Muslims in Guyuan. This is similar to the noodle soup (fentang) of Northwest China, which is usually cooked in a big pot during dry, cold weather and eaten with fried dough (youxiang).

The core of Guyuan stewed snacks is egg-stuffed meat slices (jiaban), meatballs, and mung bean jelly (liangfen), all stewed together with a rich, fresh broth and vegetables. However, this stall did not have meatballs; they used egg-stuffed meat slices and meat slices instead. Egg-stuffed meat slices are made by mixing eggs, starch, and flour into a batter, spreading it thin, sandwiching it with lamb filling, steaming it, and cutting it into diamond-shaped pieces. They are soft and chewy with a meaty aroma, and you can add side dishes like wood ear mushrooms, vermicelli, tofu, and spinach.







I then bought some hand-grabbed meat (shouzhuarou) and served it with chive flower sauce, onions, and sweet garlic. It tasted pretty good.



After eating, I bought some fermented oat drink (tianbeizi) and homemade xylitol yogurt at a stall in the Ningxia Building. Drinking tianbeizi in the summer is very refreshing.







I was pleasantly surprised to find two Hui Muslim snack stalls from Tianjin at this Beijing International Food Festival held at the Beijing Exhibition Center: Yuansuzhai Old-Style Fried Rolls (juanquan) from Honghuli and Chatang Hui from the Northwest Corner.

Yuansuzhai sells old-style fried rolls, curry chicken rolls, and peppercorn duck rolls, all served with homemade dark plum juice (wumeitang). The old-style fried rolls are vegetarian and filled with bean sprouts. The curry chicken roll skin is thicker and crispier, tasting a bit like a South Asian samosa. Traditionally, these rolls should be wrapped in a large flatbread (dabing), but they provided small thin pancakes instead so festival guests could try more varieties. I thought that was a great idea. I really love their homemade dark plum juice. I bought some when I visited Honghuli last time. It contains mulberries, osmanthus, roselle, dried tangerine peel, hawthorn, dark plum, licorice, and mint. It is very cooling and quenches thirst.

Yuansuzhai has a hundred-year history and has been passed down through four generations. They started selling fried rolls at a stall in North Zhulin near the Sancha River estuary in the 1920s. North Zhulin was originally a low-lying river beach along the Ziya River. It became solid land in the late Qing Dynasty. By the late Qing and Republican eras, it became a settlement for fishermen, boatmen, and dock workers living in makeshift shelters. Many Hui Muslim snack stalls gathered there, selling items like fried rolls, savory crepe strips (guobacai), and fried cakes (zhagao). The Tongyizhuang Mosque in North Zhulin was built during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty. It is 150 years old and is the only historical building preserved after the North Zhulin area was demolished.

In the late 1980s, Tianjin began large-scale urban renewal. Old districts like North Zhulin, Tongyizhuang, Xiyuzhuang, Hebei Street, and Beidaguan were demolished, and residents were relocated to Jiayuanli in the Beichen District. In the early 1990s, Yuansuzhai moved to the Jiayuanli commercial street along with the demolition of Beizhulin, becoming a landmark snack spot in Jiayuanli. The Jiayuanli shop closed in 2017, and the fourth-generation owner moved Yuansuzhai again to the Honghuli food street on Honghu South Road, starting with a breakfast cart before opening a formal storefront.













Chatang Hui is an old shop at the entrance of the South Mosque (Nandasi) in the Northwest Corner of Tianjin, with a century of history and four generations of heritage. Chatang (tea soup) first came to Tianjin via the Grand Canal. It was originally made with broomcorn millet flour, but later red sorghum flour was added, giving it a unique red color. Making chatang requires a large dragon-spout copper pot and the 'phoenix three nods' technique, a smooth motion that ensures not a drop spills when pouring. Traditional toppings include brown sugar, white sugar, sesame, crushed peanuts, raisins, and candied fruit shreds (qinghongsi), making it sweet and tangy.







At the Beijing International Food Festival, the Xinjiang stall featuring big plate chicken (dapanji), pilaf (zhuafan), and lamb skewers (yangrouchuan) from the Xinjiang Building is very popular.







Before leaving, I was surprised to find a stall for the old Nanjing halal brand, Lvliuju! They sell various traditional Nanjing snacks, honey lotus root (mizhi ou), green sticky rice balls (qingtuan), water chestnut cake (mati gao), as well as hot osmanthus sugar taro seedlings (guihua tang yumiao) and chicken broth tofu (jizhi huilu gan). Even though we were full, we ordered a bowl of chicken broth tofu. The bean curd soaked in chicken broth was incredibly fresh, and the broth with bean sprouts and wood ear mushrooms was delicious. Chicken broth tofu gets its name because the fried tofu puffs are repeatedly simmered in broth. To make it, the chicken broth must be simmered for six hours and cooked with bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, and winter bamboo shoots, making the tofu soft and full of chicken flavor.

Lvliuju was founded in 1912 at Taoye Ferry along the Qinhuai River in Nanjing. It was named Lvliuju because of the shady green willow trees along the riverbank. Lvliuju started as a high-end vegetarian restaurant. Famous figures like Kong Xiangxi, Chiang Ching-kuo, Bai Chongxi, and the Soong sisters often dined here. After 1949, Lvliuju closed for a period. It reopened in 1963 on Yanggongjing, Taiping South Road, where they hired the famous chef Chen Bingyu to continue serving authentic vegetarian dishes. A major specialty of Lvliuju is vegetarian dishes that taste like meat. Their vegetarian chicken and vegetarian duck, made from tofu skin, gluten, and dried bean curd sticks seasoned with traditional Chinese herbs, are delicious. In 1987, Lvliuju added halal dishes to its vegetarian menu and became a halal restaurant. It still keeps vegetarian food as its specialty and is now recognized as a national-level intangible cultural heritage.









Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim history guide to Damascus covers Bilal's tomb, the first muezzin, the Prophet's Companion, and Muslim heritage in the original travel account.

This article summarizes the key points of visiting the tomb of Bilal, the first muezzin and companion of the Prophet. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps those searching for content on Shia Islam, Hajj, and marriage and family.

While in Damascus, I made a special trip to the ancient Bab al-Saghir cemetery in the south of the city to visit the tomb of Bilal, the first muezzin chosen by the Prophet and the first African convert. I went to pay my respects to this companion (Sahaba) of the Prophet.

Bilal's tomb is just inside the north gate of the cemetery, and the tomb structure was rebuilt by later generations. The cemetery is open to people of all faiths and offers free dates and sesame cookies (Barazek).

Bilal was born in Mecca in 580. His mother was a slave from Abyssinia in East Africa, so he worked hard from a young age for the Umayyad family, who were nobles of the Quraysh tribe. When the Prophet began his mission, Bilal chose to give up idol worship and became one of the earliest converts to the faith. When his master Umayyad found out, he punished and tortured him severely. He whipped him, tied him to the sand, placed hot stones on his chest, and dragged him around Mecca while children mocked him. But Bilal only repeated, "Ahad, Ahad..." which means "The One, The One..." When the Prophet heard about this, he sent Abu Bakr to buy Bilal's freedom, and Bilal was then able to follow the Prophet closely. Because he had a loud and clear voice, Bilal was chosen by the Prophet to be the first muezzin.

In Medina, the Prophet appointed Bilal as the treasurer, and he distributed relief funds to widows, orphans, and the poor. After the reconquest of Mecca in 630, Bilal gave the first call to prayer (adhan) at the Kaaba. This act is remembered as a key moment in the history of the faith, symbolizing the establishment of the religion as the core belief of Mecca.

After the Caliphate conquered Syria in 634, Bilal moved to Damascus to live, and he eventually passed away there.

In a sermon (wa'z) given by Imam Sha in Dujiangyan, he shared the most famous story about how, after the Prophet passed away, he could not bear to see anything in Medina that reminded him of the Prophet. So, he moved to Damascus to live.

One day, he dreamed that the Prophet asked him, 'Have you abandoned us and abandoned Medina?' After waking up, he returned to Medina. At the repeated request of Hasan and Husayn, he performed the call to prayer (adhan). While reciting, he remembered every detail of his life with the Prophet. Overcome with grief, he fell from the high platform. He returned to Damascus and passed away shortly after.



















People say during the Assad regime in Syria, the tomb of Bilal (Bilali mu) was closed for over ten years. It was not until after Assad fell in December 2024 that the tomb of Bilal reopened to visitors.

An inscription in the cemetery shows that the Sadaf Foundation from Konya, Turkey, renovated the site in 2009.

















Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Sichuan follows Dujiangyan during Ramadan, old mosque visits, and China mosque travel details from the original road trip.

This article summarizes the key points of 'Driving to Sichuan for Ancient Mosques during Spring Festival (Part 15): Dujiangyan during Ramadan.' It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for topics like Ramadan, Part 15, and Dujiangyan during Ramadan.

I had heard for a long time that the Ramadan atmosphere at the Dujiangyan mosque in Sichuan was excellent, and I finally got to experience it this time.

At the mosque, we had beef stewed with lotus root (niurou dun ou), cold chicken with sauce (liangban ji), steamed beef with rice flour (fenzheng niurou), twice-cooked beef (huiguo niurou), steamed eggs (zheng jidan), stir-fried garlic sprouts (chao suantai), lettuce stems braised with meat (wosun shaorou), and home-style tofu (jiachang doufu). These were all authentic Sichuan dishes.

Dujiangyan truly lives up to its reputation as the pearl of the Islamic community in western Sichuan. Many people came for the iftar meal. Chairman Sha said that in previous years they served eleven dishes and often had leftovers. This year, he specifically asked to simplify it to seven dishes and one soup. I felt the amount of food was just right.



















The Hui Muslims in Dujiangyan come from diverse backgrounds. The Hai family moved from Shaoyang, Hunan, during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. The Guanxian Ma family moved from Shaanxi in the mid-Ming Dynasty. The Lan family moved from Tuqiao, Chengdu, during the Qing Dynasty. The Su family moved from Xiaojin County, Sichuan, in the early Qing Dynasty. The Songpan Zhang family moved from Songpan, Sichuan, in the early Qing Dynasty. The Hebei Zhang family moved from Pidu District, Chengdu, during the Tongzhi period. The Shaanxi Ma family moved from Weinan, Shaanxi, during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty. The Qi family moved from Weinan, Shaanxi, during the Daoguang period. The Li family moved from Huihuiying in Pidu District, Chengdu, in the late Qing Dynasty. The Maogong Ma family moved from Xiaojin County, Sichuan, in the early years of the Republic of China. The Shandong Jiang family moved from Yanting, Sichuan, in the early years of the Republic of China. The Taiyuan Cai family moved from Xiaojin County, Sichuan, in the first year of the Republic of China.

The ancestor of the Dujiangyan Hai family, Hai Mengshi, was from Shunyi, Beijing. In the first year of the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, he was appointed as a commander of the Imperial Guard. His grandson, Hai Chaofan, moved from Shaoyang, Hunan, to Sichuan during the Ming Wanli period.

The 'Hebei Zhang' family's ancestral home was Zhangjiawan in Tongzhou, Beijing. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, three Zhang brothers moved to Lianglukou in Pidu District, Chengdu, and led the construction of the Zhang Family Mosque (Zhangjia Si). During the Tongzhi period, Zhang Yongchun ran a Muslim restaurant on West Street in Dujiangyan and settled there.

The 'Maogong Ma' family's ancestral home was Tianbei Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. They entered Sichuan during the Qianlong period and settled in Xiaojin County. In the first year of the Republic of China, they moved to Huangchengba in Chengdu due to the Railway Protection Movement. In the sixth year of the Republic of China, their house was destroyed during the warlord chaos, and they moved to Dujiangyan again. Ma Rucong, an imam from this family, served as an imam at the Dujiangyan mosque for 33 years and passed away in 1962.

The Li family of Hui Muslims moved here from Tangyuan Town in Pidu District, Chengdu, during the Tongzhi reign. Li Guangming, a member of the family, was known as one of the Three Heroes of Guan County. He served as the magistrate of Xiaojin County during the Republic of China era, stood up to powerful figures, and was later killed by bandits.

The ancestors of the Shaanxi Ma family came from Qiaotian Village in Weinan, Shaanxi. In the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign, Ma Yingxian moved to Dujiangyan because of the White Lotus and Tianli uprisings. In the 6th year of the Daoguang reign, he bought a piece of land on South Street in Dujiangyan and opened the Daxing Mule and Horse Inn, which operated until 1949.





















Next to the mosque is the Jiang Jiuxiang Pickles Workshop. Their five-kernel pine mushroom (wuren songrong) is delicious. It tastes great on its own and is a perfect match for porridge.













Dujiangyan Guan County Ancient City at night.









Starting the fast (suhur) at the Dujiangyan mosque in the morning is a special experience when everyone does it together.







Imam Sha Fuquan has been employed at the Dujiangyan mosque for 32 years. Imam Sha is from Xichang. His ancestors were descendants of Yelu Timur, the grandson of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. Yelu Timur served as the Pingzhang Zhengshi of Jianchang Road at the end of the Yuan Dynasty. He submitted to the Ming Dynasty in 1382 (the 15th year of the Hongwu reign) and was appointed as the Commander of Jianchang Guard. In 1392 (the 25th year of the Hongwu reign), he rebelled again, led an army of ten thousand to attack the city, and was captured and executed after failing. His descendants scattered. One branch fled to Huangcaoping in Miyi County, Panzhihua, where they hid their identities and changed their surname to Sha. By the third generation, they moved to Xichang, where they have lived ever since.

In 1987, Imam Sha studied under the famous Imam Yang Hua in Shaguoying, Xichang. He received his graduation robe (chuanyi guazhang) in 1990 and was admitted to the China Islamic Institute that same year. After graduating in 1994, he was hired by the Dujiangyan mosque, where he has worked ever since. Over the past thirty years, Imam Sha has taught hundreds of students (hailifan) and made significant contributions to the faith in Sichuan and the entire Southwest region. After the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, Imam Sha led the restoration of the Dujiangyan mosque, giving it a brand-new look.

Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide focuses on mosque plaques, couplets, Islamic calligraphy, Muslim heritage, and the original 151-200 item sequence.

This article summarizes the key points of "Appreciation of Islamic Plaques and Couplets (151-200)". It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps people search for namaz, Islamic plaque and couplet appreciation, and guides for mosques and prayer.

151. "Mastering Heaven and Man" at Niujie Mosque in Beijing.

An auspicious day in the early tenth lunar month of the Jiaxu year, the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign.

Respectfully erected by Ma Rulong, Imperial-bestowed Yellow Jacket wearer and Commander-in-Chief of Hunan Province, titled Fashishang'a Baturu.

Ma Rulong was a Hui Muslim from Jianshui, Yunnan. He started as a military scholar and served as Commander-in-Chief of Yunnan and later Hunan.



152. "Governing the Principles of Numbers" at Niujie Mosque in Beijing.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter, the Jiaxu year, the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign.

Respectfully erected by Ma Rulong, Imperial-bestowed Yellow Jacket wearer and Commander-in-Chief of Hunan Province, titled Fashishang'a Baturu.



153. "Governing the Two and Five" at Nanxiapo Mosque in Beijing.

The third lunar month of the Renyin year (1902).

Calligraphy by Prince Qing.

The plaque is a replica. Yikuang was named Prince Qing in 1894 and served as a high official in the late Qing Dynasty.

Liu Zhi wrote in the Rites of Islam (Tianfang Dianli) that 'revering the five pillars fulfills the way of heaven;' 'upholding the five social relationships fulfills the way of man.' The five pillars are the declaration of faith, namaz, fasting, charity, and the pilgrimage, while the five relationships are ruler and subject, father and son, husband and wife, brothers, and friends.



154. Arabic plaque at Haopan Mosque in Guangzhou

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the seventh year of the Republic of China

Respectfully presented by the Jiangnan Tongshan Hall

During the Ming and Qing dynasties, many Hui Muslims from the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai regions came to Guangzhou for business. They often chose to live near the foreign trading houses on Haopan Street and the shops in the Xiguan area, which had a significant impact on Haopan Mosque.



155. Arabic plaque at Xiaodongying Mosque in Guangzhou

Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth lunar month of the Bingyin year, the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign

Respectfully inscribed by Li Chengyi from Dingyuan County, Fengyang Prefecture, Jiangnan



156. 'The Hundred-Word Eulogy to the Most Holy written by Emperor Taizu of Ming' at Xiaodongying Mosque in Guangzhou

Mid-third lunar month, spring of the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Great Qing Dynasty, during the festival.

Respectfully written and erected by Zixiang Yang Yongchun after ritual cleansing.



157. Xiaodongying Mosque in Guangzhou, "The Teaching Has an Authentic Lineage."

An auspicious day in the eleventh lunar month, the thirty-fourth year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty, which is 1,324 years after the passing of the Prophet.

Erected by Liao Shouqi, a member of the faith from Jiangxia County, Hubei, led by his son Dalian.



158. Wutong Mosque in Guilin, "All Things Reveal the Truth."

The second year of the Xuantong reign, Gengxu year, on an auspicious day.

Respectfully erected by Peng Jiahua.



159. Wutong Mosque in Guilin.

Praising Muhammad to honor the ancient teacher, through the ages keeping the true purpose.

Seeing the mosque filled with plaques and couplets praising the Prophet, I felt inspired by the literature and, despite my limited knowledge, dared to compose a couplet as a memento.

Respectfully inscribed by Su Zonghan, former commissioner of Longteng County and acting magistrate of Yining County.

Yining County was located around Wutong Town in the Lingui District of Guilin, Guangxi. It was abolished and merged into Lingchuan in 1951. In the early Republic of China period, it had a county magistrate.



160. Chongshan Mosque (Chongshan Si) in Guilin: "Rectify the heart and be sincere."

An auspicious day in the sixth lunar month of the jiashen year, the tenth year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by local resident Zhang Weicheng.





161. Binju Mosque (Binju Si) in Dali: "The true source of all things."

An auspicious day in the last month of summer in the guihai year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully written by Yang Liren from Nancheng.



162. Binju Mosque (Binju Si) in Dali.

Only one, only pure, the essence of the teaching encompasses all phenomena.

Not two, not mixed, the way of the truth connects heaven, earth, and humanity.

An auspicious day in the summer of the twelfth year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully written by Yang Liren from Nancheng.



163. Dawumaolin Mosque in Dali

Broaden your vision and open your heart, break through the void and clear away worldly appearances, explore the divine and understand transformation to reach the original source.

Leave behind worldly feelings with sincere will, forget the distinction between self and objects to unite humanity and heaven, return to the truth and align with the profound mystery.

Respectfully presented by Ma Yuanshan, principal of Yanzhen School, along with all his students.

An auspicious day in the middle of winter, the 25th year of the Republic of China.



164. Daoyuan Qingzhen Mosque of the Mi family in Mami Factory, Dali.

Respectfully erected by the imperial guard wearing a peacock feather, acting major of the Menghua Right Battalion, and commander of the second battalion of the Yunnan provincial patrol force...

The first month of spring, the first year of the Xuantong reign.



Everyone is welcome to read and leave comments.



165. Chengyi Buer Mosque in Donglianhua, Dali.

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the Bingyin year, the 15th year of the Republic of China.

Qing dynasty appointed General Zhenwei, acting deputy brigade commander, specially conferred as colonel of the Weiyuan Battalion in Yunnan.

Respectfully erected by Republic of China Army Major General Yang Shengqi.



166. "Universal Mercy and All-Encompassing" (Puci Wanyou) at Tuogu Mosque in Zhaotong.

The first month of winter in the 11th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Ye Daxiong, Imperial-appointed Commander of Zhaotong and Dongxiong in Yunnan, Hereditary Cavalry Commandant.



167. "Pure Truth and Elegant Transformation" (Qingzhen Yahua) at Tiejiawan Mosque in Zhaotong.

Respectfully erected by Tie Chengjin, acting officer of the second company of the left vanguard, Zhaotong Garrison, Yunnan, with a one-rank promotion.

An auspicious day in the last ten days of the eighth lunar month, 24th year of the Daoguang reign.



168. "Great Virtue and Simple Transformation" (Dade Dunhua) at Tiejiawan Mosque in Zhaotong.

An auspicious day in the third month of autumn, 15th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully inscribed by Ye Daxiong, Imperial-bestowed Commander-in-Chief of Zhaotong, Dongxiong, and surrounding areas, Hereditary Cavalry Commandant.



169. "Mysterious Wonder and Great Power" (Xuanqi Daneng) at Chachong Mosque in Zhaotong.

Respectfully erected by Sa Depin, Vice-General authorized to wear the peacock feather and expectant Assistant Regional Commander.

An auspicious day in the first month of the Bingwu year, the 32nd year of the Guangxu reign.



170. "Eternal Breath" at Fengming Mosque in Dali.

An auspicious day in the spring of the 11th year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Ding Guotai of Shaanxi.



171. "Shining on Everything" at Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan.

An auspicious day in the second month of the 11th year of the Guangxu reign.

... Erected by Ma Weiqi of the Suiyuan Left Battalion Training Army.

Ma Weiqi was a Hui Muslim from Dazhuang, Kaiyuan, Yunnan. He was skilled in calligraphy, following the style of Yan Zhenqing, with powerful brushwork and grand momentum. In the 9th year of the Guangxu reign, Ma Weiqi was ordered to Vietnam to resist the French. He defeated the French army many times and was promoted to the rank of vice-general for his military achievements, receiving the title "Boduo Huan Baturu".



172. "Nurturing All Things" at Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Jiachen year, the 24th year of the Daoguang reign.

Respectfully erected by Ma Dingbang, the top-ranked military graduate in the imperial examinations of the 15th year of the Daoguang reign.



173. Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan, 'Praise be to Allah without end' (Yu Mu Bu Yi)

An auspicious day in the middle of winter, the third year of the Daoguang reign (1823)

Respectfully erected by Xu Yaozong, acting commander of the Linyuan and Chengjiang military districts



174. Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan

Reason is not found in sleep; to complete the beginning and the end, one must seek the one true Master

The Way is based on sincerity and uprightness; to emulate the virtuous and the holy, one must strictly observe the five daily prayers (namaz)

Respectfully erected by Xu Yaozong





175. Dazhuang Mosque in Kaiyuan

Analyzing ancient doubts and confusion in only thirty volumes

Including the scriptures of the former saints, a great collection of the Way

Inscribed by Ma Chuqing, a successful candidate in the imperial examinations during the Dingyou year of the Qing dynasty



176. 'Imperial Edict Platform' (Shengyu Tai) at Liren Mosque in Kunming

Erected in the 34th year of the Republic of China.



177. Tangzi Mosque in Xundian, Yunnan: "Ten Thousand Things from One Source" (Wanshu Yiben).

New Year's Day, 30th year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully gifted by Yunnan Army Major General Ma Deming.



178. Tangzi Mosque in Xundian, Yunnan: "The Only and the Pure" (Weiyi Weijing).

New Year's Day, 30th year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully gifted by Yunnan Army Lieutenant General Ma Cong.



179. Tangzi Mosque in Xundian, Yunnan: "Promote Religion and Build the Nation" (Xingjiao Jianguo).

New Year's Day, 30th year of the Republic of China.

Inscribed by Bai Chongxi.



180. Beiyingjie Mosque in Xundian, Yunnan: "The Original Source of All Things" (Wanyou Yuanzong).

Respectfully inscribed by Jin Huaijin, a palace graduate (jinshi) and imperial guard, serving as deputy commander of the military camp with a rank promotion of three levels.

The first year of the Yongzheng reign, the year of Guimao, in the middle of the sixth lunar month, on an auspicious day.



181. Beiying Street Mosque in Xundian, Yunnan: 'The Only True Faith' (Qingzhen Bu'er).

Respectfully inscribed by Qian Dengxi, the Circuit Intendant of the Eastern Yunnan Military Defense.

Erected in the summer of the 24th year of the Guangxu reign.



182. Jinniudao Mosque in Kunming: 'The Way Spread from the West' (Dao Zi Xi Chuan).

The middle of the fourth lunar month, in the Yiwei year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty, on an auspicious day.

Written by Ma Weiqi, the acting Regional Commander of the Linyuan and Chengjiang areas in Yunnan, who holds the title of Boduohuan Baturu.

Respectfully erected by Zhang Mingming, the top scholar (zhuangyuan) of the Jiaxu year, first-rank imperial guard, and specially appointed acting Deputy General of the Chuxiong Garrison in Yunnan and Deputy General of the Yunnan-Guizhou Governor's Command.



Everyone is welcome to add more information.



183. Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu: 'Ascending to the Shore of the Way' (Dao An Dan Deng).

An auspicious day in the first lunar month of the Bingshen year of the Guangxu reign.

Tang Chuanyou from Dongzou.

Tang Chuanyou was a Qing Dynasty calligrapher whose art was famous throughout the capital. His son, Tang Chenglie, worked as an official in Sichuan, so he brought his father there to spend his final years in comfort. The plaque text comes from the Book of Songs (Shijing) phrase 'first climb to the shore,' and Liu Zhi also wrote in Five Watch Moon (Wugeng Yue): 'From here, step by step forward, climb to the shore of the path to see the mystery.'



184. Tuqiao Shang Mosque in Chengdu: 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' (Shishou Lianggui)

Jiayin year of the Yongzheng reign

29th year of the Guangxu reign

Inscribed by Prince Guo

Respectfully erected by Ma Zhonglong, a third-rank guard with a peacock feather from Guizhou Province

In 1734 (the 12th year of the Yongzheng reign), Prince Guo Yunli, the 17th son of Emperor Kangxi, was ordered to go to Kangding to handle the return of the 7th Dalai Lama to Tibet. Before reaching Kangding, he inspected troops in Chengdu and gifted two plaques to Gulou Mosque: 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' (Shishou Lianggui) and 'Origin of Worldly Laws' (Shifa Yuanliu). The original 'Uphold Good Rules Forever' plaque was kept at Huangcheng Mosque but was destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s. The one at Tuqiao Mosque was made during the Guangxu reign.



185. Chengdu Tuqiao Shang Mosque: 'Wonderful Origin of Islam' (Miaoyuan Qingzhen)

Imperial-appointed Commander-in-Chief of Yunnan Province, Left Metropolitan Commander, Hereditary Cavalry Captain, recorded six times for military merit, oversaw the construction of the Great Hero Hall.

Imperial-appointed Commander-in-Chief of Yunnan Province, General-in-Chief, recorded five times for military merit, erected by Ma Hua.

An auspicious day in the middle of winter, in the year of Jisi, the 27th year of the Qianlong reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.



186. Chengdu Tuqiao Upper Mosque, 'Like Timely Rain'.

An auspicious day in the last ten days of the third month of autumn, in the year of Guisi, the 13th year of the Daoguang reign.

Respectfully inscribed by Ma Tenglong, the Imperial-appointed Regional Commander of Chongqing, Sichuan.



187. Chengdu Tuqiao Upper Mosque, 'Boundless Nurturing'.



188. Chengdu Tuqiao Upper Mosque, 'Revere the Righteous and Expel the Evil'.

The third month of spring, the first year of the Republic of China.

The humble followers of the community.



189. Chengdu Dujiangyan Mosque, 'Uphold Good Traditions for Generations'.

The last month of winter, in the year of Jiayin, during the Yongzheng reign.

Inscribed by Prince Guo

Prince Guo was the seventeenth son of the Kangxi Emperor. 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 wrote a plaque for Gulou Mosque. The Dujiangyan Mosque also made a copy of the plaque to keep inside the building.



190. Dujiangyan Mosque in Chengdu: "Origin of Worldly Dharma"

The last month of winter, in the year of Jiayin, during the Yongzheng reign.

Inscribed by Prince Guo



191. Dujiangyan Mosque in Chengdu: "Success Through Non-Action"

Early summer of the Guimao year, the twenty-ninth year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully written and erected by Ma Weiqi, Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan.

Ma Weiqi was a Hui Muslim from Dazhuang, Kaiyuan, Yunnan. He was skilled in calligraphy, following the style of Yan Zhenqing, with powerful brushwork and grand momentum. In the 9th year of the Guangxu reign, Ma Weiqi was ordered to Vietnam to resist the French. He defeated the French army many times and was promoted to the rank of vice-general for his military achievements, receiving the title "Boduo Huan Baturu". While serving as Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan, Ma Weiqi led troops to suppress a rebellion by lamas and local chieftains in Batang, Tibet. He overcame snowstorms, dangerous terrain, and food shortages to restore peace to the entire region. He was rewarded with a first-rank button and granted the title of General Jianwei. During his time as Commander-in-Chief of Sichuan, 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.



192. Dujiangyan Mosque in Chengdu: "Promote Religion and Build the Nation"

An auspicious day in the mid-autumn of the 35th year of the Republic of China.

Inscribed by Bai Chongxi.

Bai Chongxi wrote this in 1946 while visiting his in-law, Ma Jianqing, in Sichuan. Bai Chongxi was the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of China at the time. Bai Chongxi cared deeply about ethnic education. He built Northwest Middle School in Chengdu, Sichuan, and Jiansheng Middle School in Xichang.



193. Dujiangyan Mosque in Chengdu: "Originality and Unique Respect"

An auspicious day in the seventh month of the lunar calendar in the seventh year of the Xianfeng reign.

Presented by Chen Tianzhu, a fifth-rank official with a blue feather and a battalion commander of the Anfu Camp in Sichuan, who held the priority rank of thousand-man commander.



194. Dujiangyan Mosque in Chengdu: "The Religion Flourishes in True Unity"

An auspicious day in the last month of winter in the 14th year of the Qianlong reign (the year of Jisi).

The signature section was destroyed in the 1960s and 1970s. In 2019, I photographed it without the signature. When I returned in 2026, I found the signature had been added: Presented by Ha Panlong, an imperial-appointed top scholar, first-rank imperial guard, and commander of the Songpan Garrison.

Ha Panlong was a Hui Muslim from Suning, Hebei. He passed the provincial civil service exam in the 10th year of the Yongzheng reign and earned the top rank in the martial arts imperial examination in the second year of the Qianlong reign, after which he was appointed as a first-rank imperial guard. In the 13th year of the Qianlong reign, Ha Panlong was ordered to Jinchuan. As the commander of the Songpan garrison, he led troops to attack Meinuo Valley, Kezu Village, and Qiushui City, winning every battle. In the second month of the 14th year of the Qianlong reign, the Jinchuan campaign ended. Ha Panlong was promoted by three ranks and received two additional merit records.





195. Dujiangyan Mosque, Chengdu, "Ancient Mosque (Qingzhen Gusi)"

An auspicious day in the tenth lunar month of the Xinwei year of the Tongzhi reign.

The West Mosque of Guan County in Dujiangyan was located on Shaanxi Lane inside the ancient city of Guan County. 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 Guan County and pooled their money to build the West Mosque of Guan County.

In 1959, the West Mosque of Guan County was torn down to build the Guan County People's Hospital. Today, the second gate of the Dujiangyan mosque displays a plaque from the tenth year of the Tongzhi reign that reads "Ancient Mosque (Qingzhen Gusi)." This is the original plaque that hung on the gate of the West Mosque.



196. Qinggang Mosque, Meishan, Sichuan, "Ancient Faith of the Beginning (Kaitian Gujiao)"

An auspicious day in the first ten days of the eleventh lunar month of the Guihai year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully presented by Ma X Yan, a soldier of the Left Garrison of the Chengdu City Guard stationed at the Renshou outpost, who received a two-rank promotion for military merit and a one-rank promotion for imperial favor, plus a two-rank promotion from the Emperor.



It is not very clear, so please feel free to correct me.



197. The "one and only" plaque at Qinggang Mosque in Meishan, Sichuan.

Respectfully presented by Ma Pengcheng, a battalion commander (qian zong) overseeing the Renshou garrison.

A lucky day in the second month of the 25th year of the Daoguang reign.



198. The "utmost silence and stillness" plaque at Qinggang Mosque in Meishan, Sichuan.

A lucky day in the fifth month of the eighth year of the Republic of China, respectfully presented.

In celebration of the mosque reconstruction.

Erected by nine members of the Cai family from the Kai generation.



199. The "a world apart" plaque at Qinggang Mosque in Meishan, Sichuan.

Respectfully presented.

In celebration of the mosque reconstruction.

Congratulations from the Han people of Qingshi.



200. Qinggang Mosque (Qinggang Si) in Meishan, Sichuan.

Erected by the mosque leaders in the third month of the eighth year of the Republic of China (1919).



Appreciating mosque plaques and couplets (items 101-150).

Appreciating mosque plaques and couplets (items 51-100).

Appreciating mosque plaques and couplets (items 1-50). Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim traveler guide to Beijing covers the Africa Day event, local Muslim community scenes, and travel culture details from the original Chinese article.

This article summarizes the key points of the lively Africa Day event in Beijing. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles, as well as those searching for halal food in China.

May 25 is Africa Liberation Day, a day to remember the national liberation of Africa. It started on May 25, 1963, when 32 African countries signed the Charter of the Organization of African Unity. African countries hold celebrations around May 25 every year. This year, the embassies of various African countries in Beijing held a lively Africa Day event at Chaoyang Park.



As soon as I entered, I heard happy African drumming. I walked over and saw some men from Tanzania in East Africa playing drums and singing in Swahili. The most famous song was the one from The Lion King, 'Hakuna Matata,' which means 'no worries.' Everyone was very happy. My son, Suleiman, joined in and played an African drum, and he had a great time.





I kept walking inside and reached the music stage for Sierra Leone in West Africa. Besides African drums, I saw the beaded shaker (shegbureh) of the Mende people. It is made of a hollowed-out gourd handle inside a cotton net, with wooden beads or hard seeds strung into the net. When playing it, you hold the knot of the rope in one hand and shake the gourd with the other, making the gourd hit and rub against the net.





The third area was the drumming and music stage for Cameroon. I saw the classic Tam-tam drum used by Cameroonians during celebrations. It is played with two drumsticks and has a very powerful sound.





After listening for a while, I saw Dosdani from Sudan also playing the drums and singing. Sudanese Arabs have lighter skin, while the Nubian and Fur people have darker skin. Because of long-term intermarriage and integration, you can see that the appearance of the Sudanese people is very diverse, and their culture is very multicultural.





The last thing I listened to was the singing and dancing of people from Liberia in West Africa. Since the 19th century, many freed American slaves were settled in Liberia, so their music is a blend of African and American styles. Liberian dancing is very bold and uses large, sweeping movements.



The snacks at Africa Day in Beijing started with Barakawy dates from Sudan and Deglet Nour dates from Algeria. The Sudanese ones are drier, while the Algerian dates on the branch are oilier. Both are very sweet. The Sahara oases in North Africa are major date producers. Algeria's Deglet Nour dates are known as the "queen of dates." The flesh is soft and chewy with a honey-like flavor, hints of caramel and nuts, and a high sweetness that isn't cloying. Sudanese dates are mainly grown along the Nile and in northern oases. The Barakawy variety is the most common; it is dark brown, quite dry, firm, and very sweet.









Next, I tasted the beef jerky (kilichi) from Niger. Kilichi is a traditional food of the Hausa people in the West African Sahel region. It was originally invented to preserve meat during nomadic travel and trade, and it has since become a national snack in countries like Niger and Nigeria. The secret to kilichi is the roasted peanut powder, along with ginger, garlic, and onion powder. This makes it richer and more fibrous than regular beef jerky. Kilichi comes in three spice levels, and I tried all of them at the event. The spiciest version is Kilichi Rouge, which uses a lot of red chili and is very popular. The regular version is Roumouzou, which is mild and fragrant, making it perfect for those who don't like spicy food. There is another type called Tessaoua that is just wrapped in spices and sun-dried without smoking, giving it a fresher taste.







I also ate a flaky pastry made by a sister from Mali that tasted like a cookie. Mali is in the heart of West Africa and once built the wealthy Mali Empire, but it later became one of the poorest regions in the world. Right now, various riots are still breaking out across Mali, and the society is very unstable.







Ethiopian coffee, Djiboutian incense, Tunisian mosaics, and a Somali booth.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and coffee is named after its place of origin, Kaffa. Local shepherds reportedly noticed their sheep were excited and sleepless after eating coffee beans, so they tried them and felt energized, and later the villagers started eating them too. However, early coffee in Ethiopia was only chewed or used in medicinal meals, and it was only after Yemeni merchants brought it across the Red Sea that commercial planting began.







Djibouti is located in the Horn of Africa in the northeast, guarding the throat of the Red Sea, and the vast majority of its citizens belong to the Shafi'i school. Djiboutian incense centers on frankincense and myrrh, mixed with jasmine, amber, and agarwood, and burned using a traditional incense burner (dabqaad). The frankincense comes from the resin of the frankincense tree and has a warm, woody, and slightly sweet scent with fresh citrus notes, making it the soul of Djiboutian incense. Myrrh has a deep, smoky, and slightly bitter scent and is often mixed with frankincense.











Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This halal food guide to Tianjin covers Hui Muslim tea restaurants, handmade burger shops, halal food in China, and local Muslim dining details.

This article covers two new tea restaurants and one handmade burger shop opened by Hui Muslims in Tianjin. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it perfect for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing, as well as those searching for halal food in China.

I heard about two new tea restaurants and an American-style burger shop in Tianjin, so I went to try them out this weekend.

I took the intercity train to Tianjin West Station, then transferred to Line 4 to reach Tianmu. The new subway line was very empty. After leaving the Tianmu subway station, I crossed the street and saw the newly opened Cantonese tea restaurant, Hanmei, at the intersection. They used to sell rice noodle rolls (changfen) at the Shunyi Road night market before opening their own shop.

Their main dishes are roast goose and rice noodle rolls (changfen). We ordered half a roast goose, mushroom and shrimp rice noodle rolls, Cantonese-style beef rice noodle rolls, curry fish balls, tiger skin chicken feet, and radish beef offal. The roast goose tasted good, but the skin was quite fatty and felt more like the skin of Beijing roast duck. The shrimp tasted great, and the Cantonese-style beef tasted similar to the beef stew we Hui Muslims make, just a bit sweeter. The rice noodle roll skin was very thin and had a mild flavor. The curry fish balls were delicious, but the chicken feet felt a bit dry. The radish beef offal was not well-made, and the flavor was completely off. If you want to try Cantonese flavors, you can come here, but it still falls short compared to the Hui Muslim restaurants in Guangzhou or the restaurant in the Aiqun Hotel in Hong Kong. Next time I have a chance, I will come back to try their claypot rice (baozai fan).



















North of Tianmu in Tianjin is Tianzhong, which used to be the compound for the Tianjin Heavy Machinery Factory, and it has many different restaurants. A new Hong Kong-style tea restaurant called Xiao Chu Jie opened on Tianzhong Road. We ordered iced lemon tea, Hong Kong-style pulled milk tea, and passion fruit tea, and we ate the 'rich mudslide' dessert and the 'leaky milk' French toast (lounaihua). Their iced lemon tea is very refreshing, and the milk tea has a strong tea flavor that is very satisfying.

The leaky milk French toast is a viral dessert in Hong Kong-style tea restaurants, essentially a luxurious, exploding version of French toast (xiduoshi). To make it, they press a small dent into the top of two thick slices of toast and pour over a thick milk sauce made from milk, condensed milk, and butter, then sprinkle a thick layer of malt cocoa powder on top. When you cut into it, the milk sauce flows out like a mudslide. Because the malt cocoa powder used in Hong Kong-style tea restaurants is the Swiss brand Ovaltine, the dish gets its name 'leaky milk' (lounaihua).



















In the evening, I walked around the night market on Shunyi Road in Tianmu and ate shaved ice. Since Metro Line 4 opened, it is much easier to get to Tianmu, so I probably won't go to the Northwest Corner as often. I ate at this Ciertou Shaved Ice shop in Tianmu last year, and I came back to eat here again this time. I always order the old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) I love, topped with sour hawthorn paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, red hawthorn berries, and red beans. It really whets the appetite. They also have fresh lychee milk ice, which is only sold during lychee season. When we arrived, the owner was just opening a crate of fresh lychees, and they looked very fresh indeed.













Shunyidao Night Market now has barbecue on one side and snacks on the other. It is great to walk around, with options like sweet soup (tangshui), teppanyaki squid, duck snacks, and octopus balls (takoyaki) available.







We kept walking through the Tianmu Shunyidao Night Market and bought some egg waffles (jidanzi). We got chocolate, beef floss, and original flavors. The egg and milk aroma was very strong. They were very hot when freshly made, so we had to let them cool down before eating. Suleiman really liked the chocolate flavor.







Then we bought some teppanyaki hot dogs, which were also very affordable.













We came to the Honghuli Food Street in Tianjin on the weekend to try a newly opened American-style burger shop. Honghuli is an old-fashioned residential area built in the 1980s. It is only one subway stop away from Tianjin West Railway Station, making it very convenient to reach. There are many Hui Muslim restaurants here, both traditional and modern. Unlike the Northwest Corner, it is not very commercialized, and most of the customers are locals.

Hello Handmade Burger Shop is on Honghu South Road, surrounded by many other food spots. The owner is a relative of the imam at Fuxingzhuang Mosque, so the food is halal and the quality is guaranteed. We had the American-style double beef burger and the black truffle black tiger shrimp burger. Both were huge. Their burger buns are unique. The green ones are made with spinach powder and the black ones with squid ink. They are custom-made and have absolutely no preservatives.

The beef patties are fresh and firm. After pan-frying, they are rich, fragrant, and juicy. The double patties give a great meaty texture, and with the sauce and toppings, the flavors build up and get better with every bite. The black tiger shrimp in the black truffle burger is plump and bouncy with a distinct sweet, fresh taste. It blends perfectly with the rich aroma of black truffle, creating a delicate yet chewy texture.

The shop is quite small, so you might have to wait for a table during meal times. If it is not too sunny, you can also eat outside by the door and chat while you eat.

















Next to the burger shop is Yuansu Zhai Lao Wei Juanquan. They sell homemade dark plum drink (wumeitang) and dried tangerine peel passion fruit pear juice. Both are all-natural and cannot be kept overnight. The dark plum drink contains licorice, mint, roselle, dried tangerine peel, hawthorn, mulberry, and osmanthus. The dried tangerine peel passion fruit pear juice contains lemon, lotus seeds, and lily bulbs. Both taste great. Cold drinks go really well with burgers.



















Previous Tianjin food shares:

Taking the kids to Tianjin in the summer to see the sea and eat seafood.

Tianjin's halal food is so comprehensive: pasta, yakitori, Yemeni flatbread, Swiss cheese fondue, and rice balls.

Autumn food tour in Tianjin: Syrian food, giant river prawns (luoshi xia), yellow broth ramen, Turkish restaurants, and Xinjiang fresh milk ice cream.

Taking kids out to eat in Tianjin: Yemeni food, Algerian desserts, rice noodle rolls (changfen), Japanese food, and water caltrop soup (lingjiao tang).

Eating Arabic food in Tianjin: Syrian, Yemeni, Tunisian, and Algerian.

Between the mountains and the sea: from Huairou farmhouses to seaside Western restaurants. Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim traveler guide to Beijing follows an Africa Day food experience at Beihang University, with campus culture and local food details preserved.

This article summarizes the key points of tasting food from Africa's smallest country at Beihang University. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it suitable for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps with searching for content on Ramadan, history, and social observations.

Since May, major universities in Beijing have held international culture festivals. International students showcased their home cultures, which was very interesting. Unfortunately, most school festivals were on weekdays, and some were not open to the public. On May 24, I finally made it to the Beihang University international culture festival.

Although it was a culture festival rather than a food festival, I could still taste specialty drinks and snacks from several countries. We first drank Turkish black tea and Moroccan mint tea, then ate the Pakistani specialty noodle milk dish Pheni, which is also a classic Ramadan snack for Pakistanis.











The highlight was eating spicy peanuts, Wonjo hibiscus tea, and the milk dessert Chakery from the Gambia. This was my first time tasting snacks from this country. The Gambia is located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It is the smallest country in all of Africa and one of the least developed countries in the world. As early as a thousand years ago, Arab merchants crossed the Sahara Desert to trade in the Gambia and brought Islam to the country in the 9th century. Today, 96% of Gambians belong to the Maliki school of Sunni Islam.



Wonjo is an iced drink made by soaking hibiscus flowers and adding sugar and mint. It is a classic summer chilled beverage for Gambians. The Gambia is one of the original homes of the hibiscus flower, and drinking hibiscus tea here has a very long history. Chakery is a milk dessert made with millet. It is a classic West African after-dinner treat. People of different faiths share Chakery with their neighbors after festivals, showing friendships that cross religious lines.







A young man from Bangladesh sang with deep emotion, a friend (dosti) from Senegal was full of energy, and brothers from Ghana played the drums. My son, Suleiman, also grew to love the African drums.



















After leaving the Beihang International Culture Festival, we went to the fourth floor of the Seventh Canteen for dinner. They were hosting a Food Voyage Culture Festival and invited Zhang Shuanqiang, the executive chef of the Ningxia Building in Beijing, to guide the cooking. We ate stir-fried beef, garlic fish fillets, and big plate chicken (dapanji). Overall, it was very affordable. The stir-fried beef went great with rice, and the garlic fish fillets were very appetizing. I really envy the students and teachers at Beihang.

















Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Beijing halal food guide covers Moroccan iftar snacks, Tunisian Mawlid sweets, halal food in China, and Muslim campus dining at Beiyou.

This article summarizes the key points of the original text about eating Moroccan iftar snacks and Tunisian Mawlid sweets at BUPT. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps people search for content on Ramadan, history, and Chinese halal food.

Since May, major universities in Beijing have been holding international culture festivals. Last week, I attended the one at Beihang University (tasting food from the smallest African country at Beihang), and this week I went to the one at BUPT. A friend (dosti) asked how to find this information. I just browse online platforms often and follow the news when I see it.

The BUPT international culture festival was held in the gymnasium, and the temperature was very pleasant. Although it was not very large, many stalls had special foods that are usually hard to find in Beijing.



First, I ate Moroccan chicken pie (bastilla) and small pancakes (baghrir). Beijing has not had Moroccan food for many years since the owner of the Camel Caravan restaurant on Guanghua Road left in 2020. I previously ate at a place in Guangzhou, and this time I finally had it again in Beijing.







There are many theories about the origin of bastilla. It is generally believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire. After the French invaded Algeria in 1830, Algerian immigrants brought it to northern Morocco. To this day, many people in northern Morocco still consider this dish to be Turkish. In Morocco, bastilla usually comes with three types of fillings: pigeon, chicken, and seafood. The chicken filling is salty, fragrant, crispy, and layered. Before cooking, the chicken is stewed until soft with various spices including chopped onions, parsley, and saffron. Then it is deboned and shredded, and eggs are added to the thick chicken broth to make a sauce.



Baghrir is made with semolina and is full of tiny holes. Algerians and Moroccans like to soak them in honey and butter. It is a classic iftar snack.



Then I ate Tunisian steamed semolina (couscous), Fatma's fingers spring rolls (swabaa fatma), and Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou). The Tunisian stall had the widest variety of food this time.





Steamed semolina (couscous) is the national dish of Tunisia, and I ate it almost every day when I visited Tunisia before.



Fatma's fingers (swabaa fatma) are a classic Tunisian snack for breaking the fast. They are fried spring rolls made with thin pastry (malsouka) and filled with ground beef, shrimp, or minced tuna, with options to add mashed potatoes, eggs, and cheese.



Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) is a classic Tunisian dessert that Tunisians eat every year for the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid). Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) is made from Mediterranean pine powder, flour, milk, and sugar, topped with pine nuts and crushed pistachios. Mediterranean pine pudding (assidat zgougou) originated during the great Tunisian famine between 1864 and 1867. At that time, residents in northwestern Tunisia discovered that local Mediterranean pine nuts could be ground into powder and mixed with wheat flour to satisfy hunger, which later developed into a classic dessert for the Prophet's birthday.



Bambalouni is a type of Tunisian doughnut that is very common in street food shops and tourist areas in Tunisia. Tunisians like to sprinkle sugar and honey on their bambalouni.



At the Pakistan booth, I drank the classic South Asian fast-breaking beverage, mint rose syrup (Rooh Afza). Rooh Afza was invented in 1906 in British India by Hakim Hafiz Abdul Majeed based on traditional Arab-Persian Unani medicine. He picked a variety of herbs and fruit syrups to make a concentrated drink for heatstroke, which really helps with dehydration during fasting. After the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, his descendants opened companies in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, making Rooh Afza popular all over South Asia.









Pakistani dancing





I had a strawberry syrup soda at the Indonesian stall.





Suleiman tried the Cambodian gongs and drums and was very happy.



Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This halal food guide to Hunan highlights halal food in China, Hui Muslim food in Longhui, Shaoyang, and local snacks from the original travel account.

This article summarizes the key points of why there is so much Hui Muslim food in Longhui, Shaoyang, Hunan. It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing, and it helps people search for halal food in China.

Traveling from downtown Shaoyang to Longhui County, you reach the area with the highest concentration of Hui Muslims in Hunan.

The first Hui Muslims to settle in Longhui were those with the surname Ma. The ancestor of the Ma family, Ma Cheng, was originally from Taixing, Jiangsu. During the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty, he served as the Commissioner of the Privy Council. After the start of the Hongwu era in the Ming Dynasty, Ma Cheng resigned from his official post and moved to Shaoyang, Hunan to settle down. During the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Ma Cheng's third son, Ma Zhi, moved from Shaoyang to Majia Ferry in Longhui. He became the first Hui Muslim in Longhui, and his family has lived there for over 600 years.

Hui Muslims in Longhui mainly live in Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township, but those who run restaurants and noodle shops are mostly in the Longhui county seat, especially near the south side of Longhui Bridge. If you need a place to stay, the area near Daqiao Road is the most convenient. You can eat noodles at various shops there in the morning.

On our first morning, we ate at the Laoshanjie Hui Muslim Noodle Shop at the entrance of Limin Street. We ordered beef noodle soup with large slices of beef and wood ear mushroom with tofu noodle soup. I really love Shaoyang beef noodles. The broth is rich, spicy, and savory. The beef is well-seasoned, and the thick rice noodles are smooth and chewy. The red chili oil smells amazing. Slurping them down is so satisfying; the more you eat, the more you want. The wood ear mushroom with tofu here is also delicious. It soaks up all the broth and is very flavorful.

When eating noodles in Shaoyang, you cannot miss the mountain pepper oil (shanhujiaoyou). The mountain pepper (shancangzi) has a special scent that is like a mix of mint and lemon, making it cool and refreshing.



















The next day, I went to another Hui Muslim noodle shop on Daqiao Road called Lanlan. I had the stir-fried beef rice noodles and beef wontons. I added 2 yuan of tofu and wood ear mushrooms, plus 2 yuan of eggs to both bowls, which made the texture much better. The stir-fried beef rice noodles were rich in beef flavor, and the noodles were smooth and well-seasoned with an authentic spicy kick. The beef wontons had thin skins and plenty of filling, and the meat was firm and bouncy. You can order a small portion if you have a smaller appetite.



















At the intersection of Daqiao Road in Longhui, there is a Hui Muslim restaurant called Xiangyijiaren. It is a great place to try authentic Hunan Hui Muslim farmhouse cooking. The owner is a man named Ma from the Dong Mosque in Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township. There is no menu in the shop. They focus on seasonal dishes, cooking whatever is harvested from the fields.

As a Hunan Hui Muslim restaurant, their signature dish is definitely stir-fried yellow beef. We had been eating beef for a few days, so we wanted to try chicken. Unfortunately, at these local Hui Muslim restaurants, you have to order chicken in advance. They go to the village to slaughter the chicken fresh and cook the whole bird. So, we ended up eating river food. The owner recommended stir-fried small fish and shrimp, which were caught from the pond that same day.

The vegetables and rice in the shop are grown by the owner's family. We ordered snow peas (caidou), which were very crisp and tasty, though Hunan vegetable dishes tend to use quite a bit of oil. The owner explained that they grow two rice crops a year in Hunan. The first crop grows with a smaller temperature difference, so the taste is average. The second crop grows with a larger temperature difference, making it more fragrant. The rice in their shop is the second crop they grew themselves.

The owner was very talkative and even gave us some pickled vegetable soup for free. Shaoyang pickled vegetables (yancai) are a homemade jarred dish made from bok choy that is dried and then pickled. It is dry, fragrant, and sour. It is perfect with rice when stir-fried with chili and minced meat, and it also makes a great soup. In the end, the owner even gave us two bundles to take home and cook ourselves.



















There are four Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurants on both sides of Longhui Bridge. We previously ate at Xiangyijiaren and another Hui Muslim restaurant, which both focus on small stir-fry dishes. The other two, Minzufengweilou and Yihesheng, specialize in banquet meals. We ate at Minzufengweilou this time. It seems to be the main place where Hui Muslims in Longhui host their banquets.

The restaurant has a great view overlooking the river, though it does not get many casual diners on a regular day. We ordered toothpick beef (yaqian niurou), specialty duck (fengwei ya), and yam with wood ear mushrooms (shanyao mu'er). The toothpick beef was quite salty, the specialty duck was delicious, and the yam with wood ear mushrooms was very fresh. It was a pity we still did not get to eat chicken, as you have to order it in advance to have it freshly slaughtered and cooked.



















You can find traditional Hui Muslim noodles and pastries at the entrance of Taohuaping Mosque in the county town. This pastry shop is run by Hui Muslims from Shanjie. Their handmade sponge cakes (jidan gao) and sesame flatbreads (zhima bing) are excellent, with authentic milk and egg flavors. Since they contain no additives, you must eat the sponge cakes quickly, and the sesame flatbreads must be kept away from moisture.













Besides the county town, Shanjie Hui Ethnic Township is also a great place to taste Hui Muslim food. At noon, we ate braised beef steak (hongshao niupai) and vegetable dishes at Laowu Restaurant, located at the entrance of the Shanjie East Mosque. They do not have a menu, so you just discuss what to order directly. The vegetables are all fresh from the field, and you have to order the chicken ahead of time so it can be freshly slaughtered. The steak is cooked in advance, and it tastes just like the kind you make at home.















Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This China mosque travel guide follows Haoxi Hui Muslim Township in Qingchuan, Guangyuan, the Guanghui gongbei shrine, and Sichuan Muslim heritage without changing the original travel details.

This article summarizes the key points of a self-driving trip to ancient temples in Sichuan during the Spring Festival (Part 13), focusing on Haoxi Hui Muslim Township in Qingchuan County, Guangyuan, and the Guanghuiting gongbei. It keeps the original paragraph and image order, making it suitable for readers interested in Muslim life, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic articles. It also helps with searching for content related to Part 13 and Chinese halal food.

We left the ancient town of Qingxi in the morning and arrived at another Hui Muslim township in Guangyuan—Haoxi Hui Muslim Township. We first visited the Guanghuiting gongbei, which belongs to the Qadiriyya Sufi order (menhuan).

Guanghuiting is the burial place of Ma Chunyi, a disciple of the Qadiriyya leader Huazhe Abdullahi. Later generations call him the 'Fifth Great Ancestor'. The Fifth Great Ancestor began studying under Huazhe in 1674 (the 13th year of the Kangxi reign). The following year, he followed his teacher's orders to accompany his senior fellow student Qi Jingyi to Hanzhong, and later traveled to Qingyang Palace in Chengdu. Legend says that while returning to Hanzhong, the Fifth Great Ancestor followed his teacher's instructions to buy two bolts of white cloth in Zhongba, Jiangyou. After leaving Jiangyou, he fell ill with dysentery. He passed away (gui zhen) in 1684 (the 23rd year of the Kangxi reign) while passing through Haoxi Mosque. Later generations built a gongbei for him, naming it 'Guanghuiting'.

In 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), Ma Longyun from Hezhou oversaw the construction of the brick pavilion at Guanghuiting and donated land to it. A front hall was added during the Xianfeng reign, and it has been renovated many times since. In 1935, Red Fourth Front Army leaders like Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao directed the Battle of Xuanmaguan from Guanghuiting. The imam (ahong) stationed at the mosque at the time, Su Shichang, provided them with great assistance. Before leaving, Xu Xiangqian gifted him items like white sugar. After 1966, Guanghuiting became a commune hospital. It was restored in 1980 and rebuilt into its current structure in 1984.



















Historical plaques at the Guanghuiting gongbei:

The 'Huiji Qunli' (Benefiting the Masses) plaque from the 21st year of the Guangxu reign, presented by Chen, the magistrate of Pingwu County, Long'an Prefecture, who held a third-rank title as an imperial guard and was granted the title of Tongzhi. It was also signed by She Deshou, Ma Desheng, Hu Jun, She Ren, and Hu Congfeng.



The 'Wangu Zhanyi' (Venerated for All Time) plaque from the 28th year of the Guangxu reign, presented by Shan Diankui, who held a first-rank title and served as the Commander-in-Chief of the Sichuan Provincial Military, also holding the title of Commander of the Jianchang Garrison and the title of Sheng-Sheng Baturu.

Shan Diankui was a Qing dynasty military officer from Changping, Beijing. He was passionate about Islamic affairs. He wrote plaques for the Puhading Cemetery in Yangzhou, the Great Mosque in Tianjin, the Hexi Mosque in Xichang, and the Guanghui Pavilion (guanghuiting) gongbei. He funded the woodblock printing of the Shan family edition of the Precious Scripture of Life (baoming zhenjing) in Songjiang Prefecture, which is the 'Haitie' commonly used by Hui Muslims. He also established an elementary school at the Changping Mosque in his hometown.



The 'Zhimiao Qingzhen' plaque from the fifth year of the Republic of China mentions He Bingkuan, battalion commander of the first battalion of the front five units of the Western Route of the Han Army, who received a second-class medal and was credited with seven major merits. It also lists Feng Zhaosheng, Ma Junming, Ma Wanfa, and Li Ze, who were patrol officers of the right guard of the fifth battalion of the front five units of the Western Route of the Han Army and were credited with three major merits.



Inside the gongbei is the 1924 'Stele Record of the Reconstruction of Wulong Mountain and Xulong Mountain' written by La Yonggui. The text records that in 1833 (the 13th year of the Daoguang reign), Ma Nengyun from Hezhou brought silver to Haoxi to build a brick pavilion. He did not finish the work, so he went to Hezhou and Songpan to raise 270 taels of silver to complete it, and purchased a plot of land behind the pavilion and a section of mountain land. During the Xianfeng reign, Ma Daoxiang and local Muslims from Songpan and the surrounding area built a front hall (baoting) in front of the pavilion, which was rebuilt during the Tongzhi reign. In the early Guangxu reign, elders from Songpan invited Ma Dao'an, the abbot of Xulong Mountain (Haoxi gongbei), to renovate the pavilion and guest hall, and to repair one room at Wulong Mountain (Guanghui Pavilion). During the Guangxu reign, successive earthquakes tilted the Haoxi gongbei. When Mi Yongling was the abbot of Guanghui Pavilion, he went to Songpan and the local area to raise funds to rebuild the pavilions, front halls, guest halls, mountain gates, and courtyard walls of both mountains.



The two cypress trees inside the gongbei are 450 and 350 years old, respectively, and are listed as ancient and famous trees in Qingchuan County.











The prayer hall of the Guanghui Pavilion gongbei. The prayer hall (daotang) of a Qadiriyya grand gongbei usually contains both a gongbei and a prayer hall, so it is also called a gongbei mosque.



















Haoxi Hui Ethnic Township is located at the border of Sichuan and Gansu. It is an important stop for people traveling from Qingchuan County to Wudu and Wenxian in Gansu to sell Sichuan tea. Most Hui Muslims in Haoxi moved here from the northwest. The Ma family is said to have come from Jingyang, Shaanxi, and the Zhe family is said to have come from Wudu and Wen County in Gansu. The Haoxi Mosque is said to have been built in the early Qing Dynasty. It was renovated many times and rebuilt into its current structure in 2017.

Haoxi Mosque is one of the most steeply situated mosques I have ever seen. The main prayer hall towers over the hillside, while the washroom and offices are at the bottom, connected by a set of steep stairs. However, a gentle asphalt road has been built now, which must be much more convenient than it was for those before us.

It is a pity that the main hall was locked when I visited, so I could not go inside.



















Looking at the street scene in Qingguang Village, Haoxi, there are Hui Muslim restaurants, snack shops, and beef shops. The local yellow beef (tuhuang niurou) here is very famous. Village life is leisurely and quiet, and every day moves very slowly.



















Next to Haoxi Hui Ethnic Township is the Giant Panda National Park. A sign by the road warns, 'Black bears are active in the forest area, please pay attention to your safety.' You can tell the ecology here is excellent and suitable for animals to live.

















Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Muslim travel guide to Sichuan is also a China mosque travel guide for readers following old mosque routes, Hui Muslim heritage, and Fenghuangshan Mosque in Chengdu.

This article summarizes the key points of a self-driving trip to ancient mosques in Sichuan during the Spring Festival (Part 14: Chengdu Fenghuangshan Mosque). It keeps the original paragraph and image order. It is for readers interested in the lives of Hui Muslims, Islamic culture, and Chinese Islamic writing. It also helps people search for content related to Part 14 and the Chengdu Fenghuangshan Mosque.

The Chengdu Hui Muslim cemetery was originally located near the Old West Gate, in the areas of Diba, Tongchegeng, and Wanfu Mosque. In 1952, it was forced to move to Fenghuang Mountain to make room for railway department offices and staff dormitories. The Fenghuangshan Hui Muslim cemetery officially opened in 1952. The Fenghuangshan Mosque was built to serve the people visiting the graves, and it has been there for over 70 years.







The Fenghuangshan Mosque currently preserves a pair of Qing Dynasty drum-shaped stone bases (baogushi) from the Chengdu Huangcheng Mosque, as well as a pair of broken Qing Dynasty pillar couplets from the Chengdu Qisi Mosque.

The Huangcheng Mosque was located in the middle of Yongjing Street at Huangchengba in Chengdu. It was first built in 1666 (the fifth year of the Kangxi reign) with funds raised by a man named Qibaba from Yunnan. It was rebuilt in 1858 (the eighth year of the Xianfeng reign). In 1917, it was mostly destroyed during fighting between Sichuan and Yunnan warlords, but it was rebuilt that same year. In 1998, the Huangcheng Mosque was moved and rebuilt on the southwest side of Tianfu Square to make room for the square's construction.





The Chengdu Qisi Mosque was located on Donghua South Street at Huangchengba in Chengdu. It was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign. It was the seventh mosque built for Hui Muslims in Chengdu, which is how it got its name. The Qisi Mosque was rebuilt in 1866 (the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign). In 1930, it was set back due to street renovations and later rebuilt. After 1950, it became a women's mosque, but it no longer exists today. The Qisi Mosque originally had four stone pillars with couplets. They were all stored at Fenghuang Mountain. Later, some were set up in a mosque on South Street in Dujiangyan (Guanxian). The Fenghuangshan Mosque now holds two of these broken pillars.

The text on the broken pillars at the Fenghuangshan Mosque reads: 'Who is the master, who is the guide, one must think of oneself... respectfully erected by Gui Fengming, a military officer of the Tiabiao Central Battalion, and his son Xin.' When connected with the other parts in Dujiangyan, the complete text is:

The Way cannot be left for even a moment. Whether manifesting or reflecting, it all exists in a place without sound or smell.

People each have an inherent nature. Who is the master, who is the guide? One must think of the origin of all things and their principles.

Respectfully erected in the second month of the Bingyin year, the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign, by Gui Fengming, a military officer of the Tiabiao Central Battalion, and his son Xin.

Summary:

The great path of truth must never be left behind. Whether you are honoring Allah or reflecting on your own character, this inner sincerity exists in a quiet, hidden, and subtle state.

Everyone is born with a kind heart. Who controls all things in the world, and what keeps the order? We should trace this back to the source where everything has its own essence and laws.

Gui Fengming was a Hui Muslim general during the Qing Dynasty. He was from Xiushan County, Sichuan. He fought in the Opium War and served as a military officer in Mianzhou, Chengdu, and other areas. He paid to publish the book Explanation of the Five Pillars (Wugong Shiyi) by Liu Zhi.









At the Fenghuang Mountain Hui Muslim Cemetery, you can see tombstones from the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era. Unfortunately, because the stone is quite brittle, many people have placed new tombstones in front of the old ones, so the original stone carvings can no longer be seen.





















Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: Best Halal Food in Beijing: Muslim-Friendly Restaurants and Hui Muslim Street Food Map (Issue 57) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Muslim Travel, Middle Eastern Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Here is the information for the restaurants I visited this time:

1. Wanhe Beef

2. Manpengxuan

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot

4. Xiting Xiuse, Xiangyun Town Branch

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers

7. Laikebi Happy Pizza

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant

1. Wanhe Halal Beef



This beef hot pot restaurant is on Longfusi Food Street. They use beef from Zhangye, Gansu. The shop is 2,000 square meters, has many private rooms, and offers good service. They mainly sell beef.



The beef set meal I bought online was only 200 yuan. Two people couldn't even finish it. The meat quality is really good.



This is the sea cucumber (liaoshen) included in the set, along with plenty of vegetables and noodles as the staple food.





You can choose a single-person small pot to try different soup bases. I like this pickled cabbage (suancai) soup base. You can mix your own dipping sauce. I like to make mine with a spicy and sour Yunnan flavor.



Address: 3rd Floor, Building A, Nanfang, No. 1 Longfusi Qianjie, Dongcheng District.

2. Manpengxuan



This is a new high-end halal restaurant under the Nanmen Shuanrou brand, located on the 4th floor of the North Area of the China World Mall.



The authentic Nanmen Shuanrou brand is the one at the Temple of Heaven; all other Nanmen restaurants are just copycats trying to ride on their popularity. There is also a Nanmen Xiaoguan in the China World Mall, which is another brand under Nanmen that serves Beijing-style stir-fry at affordable prices.



The restaurant has a beautiful layout and a spacious interior, making Manpengxuan a great choice for business dinners.



Remember to park in the North Area and take the North 2 elevator to the 4th floor, or you might get lost.



They serve complimentary pickled vegetables before the meal, and they all taste quite good.



When the server talked about the chef's knife skills, they mentioned a dish called celery with phoenix tail in sauce (laozhi fengwei xiqin). I was curious, so I ordered it. The celery arrived without the sauce poured over it; it looked beautiful and tasted very crisp and tender.



They serve fusion cuisine, mainly Beijing and Cantonese dishes. I specifically chose a Cantonese dish called lotus leaf and dried tangerine peel Zhanjiang chicken (hexiang chenpi zhanjiang ji), which comes with the chicken already deboned.



This dish is called dried scallop and shrimp with fresh bean curd skin and apple loofah (yaozhu xiagan xianfuzhu zhu pingguo sigua). The name lists all the ingredients. It is very light, the server helped us portion it out, and you can even get refills on the soup.



I ordered the crispy skin roast chicken. I originally wanted the crispy squab, but a large group had already finished all of them that day. The skin on this roast chicken was just as crispy.



For the threadfin salted fish and eggplant claypot (mayou xianyu qiezi bao), the salted fish was indeed a bit salty.



The appetizing kale and bamboo shoots (kaiwei jielan sun) is a savory dish. The kale was cut into a shape that made it hard to pick up with chopsticks, but the server was very thoughtful and said they would improve the presentation.



The manager gave us some complimentary Beijing-style desserts, including pea flour cake (wandou gao) and aiwowo (steamed rice flour cakes with sweet filling). They were small and bite-sized.

3. Love Yourself Halal Skewer Hot Pot



A new skewer hot pot restaurant serving Guizhou sour soup has opened near the residential area of Daxing Airport.



The warm reminder at the entrance shows the owner is very thoughtful. While waiting for a table, I chatted with the owner and learned he is from Chengdu.



Skewers are 0.8 yuan each. After eating, they count the sticks to settle the bill. You can buy a group-buying set, and the average cost per person is under 70 yuan.



You still have to wait in line on weekend nights. The place is small, with fewer than ten tables inside.



Although the owner recommended the spicy clear oil hot pot, I specifically chose the Guizhou sour soup hot pot.



They have a huge variety of skewers, and they are already seasoned, so they taste great even without dipping sauce.



Address: 2nd Floor, Building 1, Kangtai Street, Yufa Town, Daxing District.

4. Xiting Xiuse (Xiangyun Town Branch).



The Xiting Xiuse branch in Shunyi's Xiangyun Town is their largest and most luxurious store in Beijing.



The restaurant has two floors, and there is an open-air garden at the entrance on the first floor. It is very pleasant to sit in the courtyard during the summer.



The second floor has several private rooms, each with a different style, and there is even a dedicated room for smoking cigars.



The large private rooms can hold thirty to forty people, making them perfect for parties and birthday banquets.



It is also a great experience to stop by for coffee and afternoon tea. This is one of the more authentic Turkish restaurants, and the colors of their dishes are a feast for the eyes.



Address: Shop 107, Building 11, North District, COFCO Xiangyun Town, Antai Street, Shunyi District.

5. Flame & Feast Pakistani Steak



A newly opened Pakistani steakhouse in Shunyi. Their signature dish is grilled steak, and they also sell burgers and fried chicken.



The small shop has two floors. The newly renovated environment is very clean, and the service is quite warm.



I found a portrait of a pharaoh hanging in the bathroom, which carries a bit of metaphor for our Pakistani friends.



This is French-style fried chicken with a sweet and salty flavor, but I still prefer salty fried chicken.



The burger is also quite ordinary; this place's burger is not as good as the ones on Niujie.



However, their steak tastes good. Because the price is cheap, it feels quite a bargain to get this quality of steak. The waiter asked how I wanted it cooked, and I like it medium-well. I suggest you only eat the steak when you come here.

Address: Yixin Jiayuan, Shengli Subdistrict, Shunyi District.

6. Yilan Liyuan Handmade Burgers



The Yilan Liyuan Beef and Mutton Shop on Niujie added a new window to sell handmade burgers. The owner's son returned from studying in the United States and wanted to bring authentic American burgers to Beijing using their own beef.





This is the handsome guy, cooking in person with the meat patties fried on the spot. They currently only have two types of burgers, divided into single and double layers. The young man's skills are good. The shape and style of this burger are basically the same as what I ate in the United States, even the wrapping paper is the same.



7. Laikebi Happy Pizza



Laikebi is an old shop that has reopened. I ate at their shop near the China University of Political Science and Law before 2018. At that time, the owner was still single and from Yunnan. This year, the owner reopened the shop and married a Uyghur wife. We happened to run into them when we arrived at the shop.



It is a pity that this shop will close at the end of the month. International students used to visit often, but now there are far fewer students in the area, making it hard to keep the business going.



Their dishes offer great value for money. I was deeply impressed when I visited in 2018. We had four people this time and ordered a four-person set meal for only 200 yuan. We actually couldn't finish it because it was just too affordable.



Their pizza and grilled meat rice are both delicious. They are excellent among halal Western-style fast food in Beijing.



I don't know if there will be another chance to eat at such an affordable Western restaurant in the future. I hope the owner can get back on his feet.









Maybe when you see this message, the shop will already be closed, so let's just leave this as a memory.

8. Xiangyu Homestay Halal Restaurant



A new halal farmhouse inn has opened in Huairou. There are now at least three halal homestays in the area, and this one is not far from the Mutianyu Great Wall.



The setting here is quite nice, with a small bridge and flowing water at the entrance.



We booked our meal in advance. The owner is a Hui Muslim from Tongzhou and is a great cook.





Since we had children with us, I specifically asked the owner to use less salt and keep the flavors light. Otherwise, following the traditional taste of Tongzhou Hui Muslims, the dishes would definitely be salty.



The food here is generally home-style. I suggest sticking to traditional Beijing dishes to be safe and avoid disappointment. Don't order the Sichuan dishes; after all, a chef is always more comfortable cooking the food from their own hometown.











When you come to Huairou, you must eat the grilled rainbow trout (hongzunyu). Rainbow trout is a cold-water fish with tender meat and few bones.





The spicy chicken (lazi ji) in the photo above and the boiled beef (shuizhu niurou) in the photo below are not recommended as they are not the chef's specialty. Everything else is fine. There were 10 of us, and it cost 50 per person.







Address: Lianhuachi Village, Yanqi Town, Huairou District.

End of article.

— Author: Yahya —

Author of the bestseller 'Guide to Avoiding Insurance Pitfalls'.

Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) member.

IMA International Insurance Expert.

Scan the QR code below to add the author on WeChat.



Previous posts:

To find other halal food in Beijing, please check the links to previous posts. Closed restaurants are noted. The content is as follows:

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 1) (Note: Baodu Wai is closed, Yangji Beef Pie is closed, Halal Spicy Hot Pot is closed, Yuanxie Shuanrou Restaurant is closed, Dafengshou Fish Restaurant is closed, Hongliushu Roasted Lamb Scorpion is closed, Weidao Xinjiang Restaurant is closed, Shashi Castle Restaurant is closed, Badang Restaurant is closed, Bakeli Caspian Western Restaurant is closed, Sukhothai Thai-Malaysian Restaurant is closed, Cheese Molecule Pizza is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 2) (Note: 1001 Nights Blue Harbor branch is closed, Haitian Yise Chinese Restaurant is closed, Changying Seafood BBQ is closed);

[Beijing Halal Dining Guide (including the most complete list of foreign restaurants)] (Part 3) (Note: Changji Zhizi BBQ is closed, Yiding Shandouji Private Kitchen is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 4) (Note: Features soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) and Yunnan cuisine. Xuezhan Big Plate Chicken is closed, Islam Lan Hot Pot is closed, Xingyuege Muslim Restaurant is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 5) (Note: Features Yunnan cuisine and Shanxian lamb soup (yangtang))

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 6) (Note: Features Chongqing hot pot. Moroccan Restaurant is closed, Yijinglan Restaurant is closed, Weidao Seafood Restaurant is closed, Lao Ma Lamb Scorpion Potstickers has been renamed Xiaohailuo Seafood BBQ);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 7) (Note: Features Turkish kebab. Chinese tea house is closed, Yijinyuan is closed, Laoduiyuan is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 8) (Features soup dumplings (guantangbao). Fangchengshun Shuanrou is closed, Father's New Style Western Region Cuisine is closed);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 9) (Note: Features ox head feast. Qinghai Hot Pot is closed, Halimei Kitchen is closed, Meisi Coffee is closed, Yilaobaiwei Dipping Sauce Hot Pot has been renamed Huaxiding New Style Halal Hot Pot);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 10) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup, Western fast food, pita bread soaked in soup (paomo), octopus balls (takoyaki), and Yunnan cuisine);

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 11) (Note: Features Sichuan-style hot pot, spicy dry pot (mala xiangguo), seafood buffet, and Henan pan-fried buns (shuijianbao));

Beijing Halal Dining Guide (Part 12) (Note: Features Henan braised noodles (huimian) and spicy soup (hulatang). Erjie Diguo Stew is closed, HI HELLO Western-style iron plate rice is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 13) (Note: Features Huaiyang cuisine and Jingdong meat pie);

Beijing Halal Food Map (Part 14) (Note: Features beef tendon hot pot and Palestinian restaurant. Japanese restaurant Hecai Shidang is closed);

Beijing Halal Food Map (15) (Note: Features Hohhot halal cuisine and Indian-Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (16) (Note: Features Xiaolou Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (17) (Note: Manshuo Eel Rice is closed; Lao Yinchuan is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (18) (Note: Features Tanli broth lamb hot pot; Xu Yiwan Braised Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (19) (Note: Rumi's Secret is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (20) (Note: Ji'anzhai Crab Roe Noodles is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (21) (Note: Features Samarkand (Hamai'erhan))

Beijing Halal Food Map (22) (Note: Features Xunji and Lanjiushiqi)

Beijing Halal Food Map (23) (Note: Features Turkish Qubbe Restaurant)

Beijing Halal Food Map (24) (Note: Features Niububi; Longxianghui is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (25) (Note: Anhui board noodles and crayfish are closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (26) (Note: Chongqing chicken pot is closed)

Beijing Halal Food Map (27) (Note: Features Syrian Cafe)

Beijing Halal Food Map (28) (Note: Features Qiqihar barbecue)

Beijing Halal Food Map (29) (Note: Features Huainan beef soup and Henan spicy soup; Chongqing hot pot restaurant is)

Beijing Halal Food Map (30) (Note: Featuring Ma Family steamed dumplings (shaomai), Taiba Shawarma, and Jinyunxuan Lanzhou beef noodles)

Beijing Halal Food Map (31) (Note: Featuring Lianghuo Lanzhou twisted fried dough barbecue (fanhua shaokao) and Henan Xiefeng steamed bun shop)

Beijing Halal Food Map (32) (Note: Featuring Mulu Malaysian Restaurant and Hongxiaolu Chongqing hot pot)

Beijing Halal Food Map (33) (Note: Featuring Chicken Tender Master (Jiliu Daren) and Jingyi Farmhouse)

Beijing Halal Food Map (34) (Note: Featuring Yuejing Japanese buffet and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications Ethnic Restaurant snail rice noodles (luosifen))

Beijing Halal Food Map (35)

(Note: Featuring Xunji Qingnian Road Courtyard)

Beijing Halal Food Map (36) (Note: Featuring Samosa Pakistani buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (37) (Note: Featuring Shixiang Japanese barbecue buffet)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 38) (Note: Featuring Achuiji Stinky Fried Skewers)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 39)

Beijing Halal Food Map (40)

Summary of specialty halal restaurants in Beijing by district

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 41)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 42)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 43)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 44)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 45)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 46)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 47)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 48)

2024 Must-Eat Beijing Style Halal Restaurants List

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 49)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 50)

Beijing Halal Food Map (51)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 52)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 53)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 54)

Beijing Halal Food Map (55)

Beijing Halal Food Map (Issue 56) Collapse Read »

Reposted from the web

Summary: China Mosque Travel Guide: Hui Muslim Plaques, Couplets and Islamic Calligraphy (101-150) is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Tian Rui was a Hui Muslim from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He was the son of Tian Yongtong, a military jinshi scholar from the 28th year of the Qianlong reign. The account keeps its focus on Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

101. 'Think No Evil' (siwuxie) plaque at Hexia Mosque in Huai'an.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn, the 10th year of the Daoguang reign.

Inscribed by Tian Rui, Prefect of Huai'an.

Tian Rui was a Hui Muslim from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He was the son of Tian Yongtong, a military jinshi scholar from the 28th year of the Qianlong reign. He served as Prefect of Huai'an and Yangzhou and wrote a poetry collection called 'Yigai Pavilion Poetry Drafts' (Yigaiting Shichao).



102. Plaque in Arabic, Persian, and Xiao'erjing script at Yancheng Mosque.

Completed on an auspicious day in the eighth lunar month, the 17th year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Abdullah Yang Lüji.



103. 'Mosque' (Qingzhensi) plaque at Gaoyou Mosque.

Respectfully inscribed by Jingxiu, Magistrate of the Zhili Department of Gaoyou.

Rebuilt in the middle of winter, the 2nd year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty.



104. 'Utmost Sincerity Never Ceases' (zhichengwuxi) plaque at Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou.

An auspicious day in the middle of summer, the Wuyin year, the 4th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully erected by Zhu Huaisen, a nominated provincial commander-in-chief and regional commander of the Huai-Yang garrison, who held the title of Shangyong Baturu.



105. 'The Holy Religion is Entirely True' (shengjiaoquanzhen) plaque at Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou.

An auspicious day in the spring month, the Dingchou year, the 3rd year of the Guangxu reign.

Inscribed by Zhu Huaijun, a guerrilla commander of the Qianshan Battalion in Anhui, who held the rank of provincial commander-in-chief and was in charge of the New Army of the Liangjiang Governor-General.



106. Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou: 'Obey the decree of heaven and follow the holy word'

Early summer, the year of Xinhai in the Qianlong reign

Respectfully erected by the Sanwei Hall of the Muslim community



107. Xianhe Mosque in Yangzhou: 'Heaven is close at hand'

The tenth month of the Dingyou year (the 42nd year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty)

Calligraphy by Yang Enpei



108. Jingjue Mosque in Nanjing: 'Only pure, only one'

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the Gengyin year, the 16th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing Dynasty

Commander of the Jiujiang Garrison in Jiangxi



109. Jingjue Mosque in Nanjing: 'Rectify the heart and be sincere'

June, the 11th year of the Republic of China

Respectfully erected by the president and members of the Nanjing Islamic Association



110. Nanmen Mosque in Liuhe, Nanjing

Cherish purity and walk in cleanliness as if in the afterlife

Return to the truth and simplicity just like this

An auspicious day in the tenth lunar month, the 10th year of the Republic of China

Wang Jianli of Gengdu Hall



111. Mosque (qingzhensi) at Zhuzhen Mosque in Nanjing

Erected in the seventh lunar month of the Xinchou year of the Guangxu reign

Built by Zhu Dun



112. "Pivot of My Way" at the tomb of Liu Zhi in Nanjing

Mid-summer of the Xinchou year (27th year of the Guangxu reign)

Written by Jin Pengshou of Jiangning



113. "A Model for Posterity" at the tomb of Liu Zhi in Nanjing

Reprinted by the public in the Dingwei year (33rd year of the Guangxu reign)

Respectfully written by Liu Dekun of Jingjue Mosque



114. Arabic plaque at the ancient mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Restored by Zhang Yunsheng in the Xinwei year

Rebuilt Qingshen Mosque

An auspicious day in the fifth lunar month of the Yiwei year of the Jiajing reign of the Great Ming Dynasty

The stele was erected in the Yiwei year of the Ming Jiajing reign (1535). The restoration by Zhang Yunsheng took place in a Xinwei year. It is confirmed that there is no 'Xinwei' year in the Jiajing era. Therefore, the renovation of the mosque likely took place in the sixth year of the Zhengde era (1511).

The inscription refers to the mosque as 'Qingshen Mosque,' which is a unique occurrence.



115. Ancient Mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Purity brings clarity, focus on pure cultivation to show a pure heart, and directly explore the origin of pure majesty.

Truth is without falsehood, nurture a true nature and cultivate true learning, only by returning to the root can one find true sincerity.

An auspicious day in the eighth lunar month of the Jia-Chen year, the 24th year of the Daoguang era.

Renovated in the ninth lunar month of the Ding-Mao year, the sixth year of the Tongzhi era, by Li Lügan, a follower of the faith from Jinchang, and his son Yaokui.

Inscribed by Ma Fujing, a presented scholar (jinshi), imperial guard, acting commander of the left battalion of the Jiangnan military, and garrison commander of the Ninghou battalion.





116. 'Ancient Faith from the Beginning' at the Ancient Mosque in Songjiang, Shanghai

Ding-Mao year.

Calligraphy by Ma Songting.

Ma Songting (1895–1992) is known alongside Wang Jingzhai, Ha Decheng, and Da Pusheng as one of the four great modern imams of China.



117. Mosque in Lishui, Zhejiang

Sincere and respectful, the Way is rooted in the middle, encompassing all things.

Silent and scentless, the ritual originates from the two energies that permeate the three realms.

An auspicious day in the autumn of the Bingxu year, the 12th year of the Guangxu reign.

Erected by Ma Huanzhang, the imam (zhangjiao) from Western Sichuan.



118. The Yongzheng Imperial Edict at the Lishui Mosque in Zhejiang.

An auspicious day in the middle of the second month of autumn in the Bingxu year, the 12th year of the Guangxu reign of the Great Qing.

Respectfully supervised and erected by the mosque's imam, Ma Huanzhang.



119. Donation plaque at the Lishui Mosque in Zhejiang.

Auspiciously erected in the seventh month of the Xinhai year, the third year of the Xuantong reign.



120. The 'Ten Thousand Differences, One Origin' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

The first month of the Wuyin year, the 23rd year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing dynasty.

The Land Forces Command of Fujian Province.

Respectfully erected by Ma Jianji, the Zhangzhou Garrison Commander.

Ma Jianji was a Hui Muslim from Sichuan. While serving in Fujian during the Jiaqing reign, he renovated the Qingjing Mosque and the Lingshan Sacred Tomb, and carved an inscription on the Wind-Moving Rock at Lingshan.



121. The 'Recognize the Oneness of Allah' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

Respectfully presented in the eighth month of the 11th year of the Republic of China.

Written by Tang Kesan, Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, after ritual washing.



122. The 'Three Fears and Four Admonitions' plaque at the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou.

An auspicious day in the latter part of the sixth month of the thirteenth year of the Republic of China.

Second-class Golden Grain Medal recipient, Intendant of the Jinan Circuit in Shandong, and former Superintendent of the Xiamen Customs, Tang Kesan respectfully wrote this.

The original plaque was destroyed between the 1960s and 1970s; this is a replica.



123. Fuzhou Mosque, 'Promoting the Holy Teachings'.

An auspicious day in the tenth month of the tenth year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Tang Kesan, Superintendent of Xiamen Customs.

After Tang Kesan became the Superintendent of 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. He also encouraged the descendants of local Fujian scripture readers to return to the faith and serve in the mosques.



124. Zhaoqing West Mosque, 'Always Remember the Lord's Grace'.

An auspicious day in mid-summer of the Wuxu year of the Daoguang reign.

Respectfully carved by Li Xianyang, acting Lieutenant Colonel of the Guangdong and Guangxi Governor's Front Battalion.



125. Zhaoqing West Mosque.

Why look for visible signs when in the five daily prayers, one feels as if Allah is truly present?

Do not say the traditions are distant, for within the thirty volumes of the Quran, the true teachings are found.

An auspicious day in the lucky month of the Jiaxu year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully written by Vice Commander Liu Hu after washing his hands.



126. Zhaoqing East Mosque, 'The Only One'.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn in the Yiwei year of the Qianlong reign.



127. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'The Emperor's Grace Lasts Forever'.

An auspicious day in the second month of the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Respectfully written by Gai Rixin, an imperial guard appointed by the Emperor, who was granted the status of Jinshi and promoted by one rank.



128. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Rectify the Heart and Be Sincere'.

An auspicious day in the second month of the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Respectfully written by Tie Fanjin, a Jinshi degree holder and bachelor of the Hanlin Academy.



129. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Great Mercy for the Whole World'.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring in the Wuyin year of the Kangxi reign.

Erected by Yang Guolin, a director of the Guangdong Department of the Ministry of Revenue, who was promoted by three ranks.



130. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Utmost Sincerity Never Ceases'.

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn in the Xinchou year, the 60th year of the Kangxi reign of the Great Qing Dynasty.

Respectfully erected by Yan Guangwu, a deputy commander in charge of the Guangdong Chunjiang, Kaiping, Nafu, and Enping regions, who was awarded one merit record.



131. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: 'Follow the Past and Inspire the Future'.

Erected on an auspicious day in the first month of summer in the Jiaxu year, the 19th year of the Qianlong reign.

Respectfully inscribed by Li Xianxiang, an imperial guard and commander-in-chief of the Guizhou military, who served as the acting deputy commander of the Pingyuan garrison.



132. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Sharing in Allah's Blessings"

An auspicious day in the first month of winter, 26th year of the Daoguang reign.

Erected by the committee members together.



133. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Abundant Blessings from the Lord"

An auspicious day in the second month of spring, 6th year of the Tongzhi reign, year of Dingmao.

Erected by Bao Yingxiong, acting Guangzhou Brigade Commander, holding the rank of Assistant Brigade Commander and awarded the peacock feather.



134. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Grace Shines Upon All"

An auspicious day in the second month of winter, 26th year of the Guangxu reign, year of Gengzi.

Erected by Yang Shu, acting Guangdong Circuit Intendant for Gaozhou and Lianzhou, holding a second-rank button and awarded the peacock feather, and Yang Xun, a defense officer of the Plain Red Banner Han Army, holding a fourth-rank button and awarded the peacock feather.



135. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Merciful Clouds and Nourishing Rain"

An auspicious day in the middle of the first month of summer, 31st year of the Guangxu reign, year of Yisi.

Respectfully dedicated to celebrate the joy of Imam Ma.

Offered by the officials, gentry, elders, and committee members of the Lighthouse Mosque (Guangta Si).

Calligraphy by Yang Zeng.



136. Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou: "Carrying Forward the Past and Opening Up the Future"

National Day, 35th year of the Republic of China.

Erected respectfully by the first committee members and all the followers of the faith.



137. The 'Holy Path to the South' plaque at Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou.

Erected on an auspicious day in the winter of the 20th year of the Republic of China.

The venerable Sahaba Waqqas followed the Prophet's command to spread the faith in China. He left his mark in Guangzhou and built a tower that has stood for over a thousand years. All of us Muslims follow the ancient traditions and uphold the great principles of the Quran. We truly carry this path in the south and will never forget it for as long as we live.

Respectfully inscribed by Yang Mengling of Panyu, along with his sons Youfang, Guifang, Qunfang, Shifang, Yinfang, Lianfang, Qifang, and his grandsons Bingyi, Bingchang, Bingren, Bingshu, Bingquan, Bingtao, and Bingjun.



138. The 'Boundless Grace Bestowed' plaque at Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Dingwei year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by follower Yuan Hongmo, his younger brother Hongquan, and his son Changzhen.



139. Arabic plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

The second month of autumn in the first year of the Xuantong reign.

The members of the Tongxie Hall at Huaisheng Mosque.



140. Arabic plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of winter in the Gengxu year of the second year of the Xuantong reign.

Erected together by the members of the Guangta Heyi Hall.



141. 'Guard Our Pure Truth' plaque at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in June, the fourth year of the Republic of China.

Since our ancestors from the West (Wanheshi) arrived in the East over a thousand years ago, we have followed our religious rules and never dared to break them. Recently, some young people have misunderstood the idea of freedom of belief, and their marriages and diets have started to ignore our religious rules. I fear that people's hearts are worsening and our holy faith is fading away. I have carefully chosen these four characters to write on the plaque as a reminder to our community. I hope everyone carefully follows the teachings of the scriptures and respects the examples set by our ancestors. If we do this, we will not be sinners against our people, and our faith will be fortunate.

Respectfully inscribed by Cai Chunheng from Wanbei, Major General of the Army, Director of the Guangdong Water Police Department, and recipient of the Third Class Order of the Golden Grain.



142. The plaque 'Zhengjue Xizong' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in the first month of summer, the tenth year of the Jiaqing reign (Yichou year).

Erected by Xu Wenmo, a hereditary brave official with the title of Admiral, Jiyong Baturu, and Commander of the land and water forces in the Gao, Lian, and Luo regions of Guangdong, who has received military honors twenty-two times.



143. The plaque 'Chanyang Shilai' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

An auspicious day in March, the second year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by Ma Bonian and others.

Respectfully written by Ma Yongkuan.



144. The plaque 'Kaitian Gujiao' at the Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

The first ten days of the second month of spring, the Jiazi year of the Republic of China.

Respectfully erected by the humble members of the faith.



145. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'The Law Extends to the Origin of Wonders' (Fa Chui Yuan Miao).

The sixth lunar month of the Xinsi year in the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by Sha Jing of Qingyu Hall.



146. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

He was the first to spread the scriptures, a sign of returning to the truth, encompassing the profound meanings of the 140 ancient volumes.

He personally received the teachings to transform and educate, with great achievements and noble virtues, following in the footsteps of the 124,000 past saints.

Respectfully inscribed by Zhang Cheng, the Imperial-appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Youjiang Town in Guangxi, after ritual purification.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring in the Jisi year of the Jiaqing reign.





148. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'Looking Up to High Virtue' (Gao Feng Yang Zhi).

Respectfully erected on the Winter Solstice of the first year of the Yongzheng reign.



148. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

He spread the holy teachings in the southern lands, passed down through generations, strictly following the 30 volumes of sacred instructions.

He established a virtuous reputation in eastern Guangdong, standing tall and independent, admired by all for thousands of years as a model.

Built in the summer of the Jiawu year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully inscribed by Cai Jinzhang, the Imperial-granted Commander-in-Chief of the Guangdong Land Forces, titled Kengsenge Batulu.

149. The Ancient Tomb of the Worthies in Guangzhou, with the inscription 'Looking Afar to the Long Journey' (Chang Zhan Yuan Xing).

An auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Yiwei year of the Guangxu reign.

Respectfully erected by Xu Yingzhong, head of the Huaisheng Mosque, together with Ma Shikui of the Diegan Hall and others.



150. Ancient Tombs of the Worthies in Guangzhou.

Receiving the holy teachings in the West, the spiritual lineage has been passed down for fifty generations.

Upholding the heavenly scriptures in the East, the tradition remains for thousands of years.

An auspicious day in the second month of spring, in the Bingyin year, the eleventh year of the Jiaqing reign.

Respectfully written and composed by Hu Changqing from Guilin, a presented scholar (jinshi) by imperial decree, former bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, and official of the first rank.



Appreciating plaques and couplets from the faith (1-50 pieces).

Appreciating mosque plaques and couplets (51-100 pieces) Collapse Read »