Beijing Mosques
Mosque Near Beijing Anheqiao: Anheqiao Mosque, Friday Prayer and Hui Muslim Memories
Articles • Hasan09 posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo. view all
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo.
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo.
China Mosque Travel Guide: 709 Mosques, Beijing Mosque List and Global Muslim Footprint Map
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 28 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Muslim Travel Guide Beijing Winter Diary: Mosques, Halal Food and Hui Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 17 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Muslim Travel Guide Beijing Winter Diary: Mosques, Halal Food and Hui Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 18 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
China Mosque Travel Guide: 709 Mosques, Beijing Mosque List and Global Muslim Footprint Map
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 6 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 31 views • 6 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims. view all
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims.
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims.
Beijing Ramadan 2026 Diary: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Sudan Embassy Iftar and Hui Meals
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 35 views • 2026-05-21 06:45
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012. view all
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012.
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week Three at Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 42 views • 2026-05-20 09:38
Reposted from the web
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge. view all
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge.
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week Two at Sanlihe and Xihui
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 33 views • 2026-05-20 09:37
Reposted from the web
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other. view all
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other.
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week at Dongsi, Balizhuang and Yangzha
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 33 views • 2026-05-20 09:25
Reposted from the web
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai). view all
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai).
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai).
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque and Daji Lane Teahouse
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 22 views • 2026-05-20 08:14
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound. view all
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound.
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound.
Halal Travel Guide: Ramadan Weekend in Beijing Qianmen & Balizhuang
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 26 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr). view all
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr).
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr).
Halal Travel Guide: Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units. view all
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units.
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Madian, Sudan Embassy & Tianjin Tianmu
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 23 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi). view all
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi).
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi).
Muslim Culture Guide: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 24 views • 2026-05-19 21:21
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi view all
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 32 views • 2026-05-19 21:20
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious. view all
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious.
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 20:26
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size. view all
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size.
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size.
Halal Travel Guide: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 26 views • 2026-05-18 08:38
Reposted from the web
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details. view all
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 38 views • 2026-05-18 06:54
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma.
Halal Travel Guide: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 34 views • 2026-05-18 06:13
Reposted from the web
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. view all
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon.
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 20 views • 2026-05-18 03:19
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 19 views • 2026-05-18 03:19
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Halal Travel Guide: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 29 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details. view all
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details.
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details.
Halal Travel Guide: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source. view all
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Halal Travel Guide: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 28 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir. view all
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir.
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 02:39
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens. view all
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens.
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens.
Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 31 views • 2026-05-18 01:58
Reposted from the web
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937. view all
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937.
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 24 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 3)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 23 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing.
Mosque Near Beijing Anheqiao: Anheqiao Mosque, Friday Prayer and Hui Muslim Memories
Articles • Hasan09 posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo. view all
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo.
Summary: This Beijing mosque note recalls a Friday visit to Anheqiao Mosque after a trip toward the Summer Palace in September 2023. It preserves the personal memory, route choice, mosque details, and Hui Muslim context from the source.
I visited Beijing in late September 2023. September 29th was a Friday, and I headed out early with a friend to the Summer Palace. By noon, this was the closest mosque.
When I first heard the name Anhe Bridge, I immediately thought of the song Anhe Bridge by Song Dongye. I never expected to be so close to it at that moment.
I remember the elderly man in the wudu room had a thick Beijing accent, just like the characters in those old Beijing TV dramas. We visitors from out of town couldn't quite mimic it. The imam was quite young and spoke standard Mandarin.
There seemed to be an event that day, so the mosque fried some deep-fried dough (youxiang) and put them in bags by the door for anyone visiting to take. It was a pity I had to keep moving and couldn't take any.
This prayer hall is actually quite unique. Most traditional mosques in China have a hip-and-gable roof (xieshan ding), often connected to a shed-style roof (juanpeng xieshan ding). Some smaller mosques just have a simple gable roof (yingshan ding). But this one has an octagonal, three-tiered spire roof (zuanjian ding).
The lighting inside is good because the second and third levels of the roof are fitted with glass to let the sunlight in. The ceiling is also decorated with stained glass and calligraphy.
Before coming here, I actually visited Niujie. The small hexagonal-roofed building at the entrance of the Niujie Mosque was undergoing repairs at the time, so I missed my chance to see it. It was covered up, so I couldn't take a photo.
China Mosque Travel Guide: 709 Mosques, Beijing Mosque List and Global Muslim Footprint Map
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 28 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Muslim Travel Guide Beijing Winter Diary: Mosques, Halal Food and Hui Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 17 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Muslim Travel Guide Beijing Winter Diary: Mosques, Halal Food and Hui Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 18 views • 5 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
China Mosque Travel Guide: 709 Mosques, Beijing Mosque List and Global Muslim Footprint Map
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 6 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Summary: This China mosque travel guide records the author's mosque footprint map as of August 2024, including 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, more than 200 cities, a long Beijing mosque list, reflections on memory, travel, friendship, and the goal of visiting 1,000 mosques.
In 2017, I counted the mosques I had visited, and the number was 200. A Muslim community website in the UK even reported on it. By 2022, that number reached 454, which you can see in my list of 454 mosques visited. As of August this year, I have visited a total of 709 mosques across 16 countries and regions, spanning over 200 cities. I am getting closer to my goal of 1,000 mosques.
Traveling over these years has given me so much insight. It has broadened my horizons so much that I am no longer surprised by strange or unusual things. When you adopt a solar system perspective, you realize that the issues back home are really not a big deal. You stop looking at any authority with a halo. Of course, the prerequisite for improving your understanding is to have a certain amount of reading, otherwise, travel just becomes a superficial glance.
I think it is very necessary to record my travel experiences. I have found that as I get older, my memory gets worse. To put it nicely, I have a broad mind and do not take things to heart, but the truth is that if I do not write down many people and events, I might forget them after a while. I look back at articles I wrote in the past from time to time. Some content actually feels strange to me, and I cannot seem to remember how I recorded those words and photos at the time.
My number of WeChat friends has also expanded 10 times, but the vast majority can only be considered as stranger-friends. Even for people I have met offline, after a while, if I did not add a note, I might not remember where I met them. After all, a person's social capacity is limited. If any friends feel that I am cold because of this, please forgive me. I just have limited brain capacity, but I prefer to make friends with people who resonate with me. I am not the Chinese currency (renminbi), so I cannot make everyone like me.
1. Dongsi Mosque, Dongcheng District, Beijing; 2. Andingmen (Daguan) Mosque; 3. Nandouya Mosque; 4. Dongzhimenwai Mosque; 5. Hua'ershi Mosque; 6. Shazikou Mosque; 7. Qingzhen Pushou Mosque, Xicheng District; 8. Dewai Fayuan Mosque; 9. Sanlihe Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque; 10. Zhengyuan (Beigouyan) Mosque; 11. Niujie Mosque; 12. Houheyan Mosque; 13. Huihuiying Mosque; 14. Qianmen Mosque; 15. Nanhxiapo Mosque, Chaoyang District; 16. Changying Mosque; 17. Kangying Mosque; 18. Yangzha Mosque; 19. Xihui Mosque; 20. Wanziying Mosque; 21. Guanzhuang Mosque; 22. Balizhuang Mosque; 23. Songyu Mosque; 24. Haidian Mosque, Haidian District; 25. Madian Mosque; 26. Qinghezhen Mosque; 27. Landianchang Mosque; 28. Anheqiao Mosque; 29. Shucun Mosque; 30. Siwangfu Mosque; 31. Nanyuan Mosque, Fengtai District; 32. Fengtaizhen Mosque; 33. Changxindian Mosque; 34. Huangcun Mosque, Daxing District; 35. Cuizhihuiying Mosque; 36. Liushizhuang Mosque; 37. Xueying Mosque; 38. Dongbaita Mosque; 39. Qingyundian Mosque; 40. Tongying Mosque; 41. Xihongmen Mosque; 42. Langgezhuang Old Mosque; 43. Langgezhuang New Mosque; 44. Tianying Mosque; 45. Lixian Old Mosque; 46. Lixian New Mosque; 47. Xin'anzhuang Mosque; 48. Caiyu Mosque; 49. Yufa Mosque; 50. Nanyanfa Mosque; 51. Majuqiao Mosque, Tongzhou District; 52. Fatoucun Mosque; 53. Tongzhou Town (Nandasi) Mosque; 54. Xiguan Mosque; 55. Yujiawu Mosque; 56. Zaolinzhuang Mosque; 57. Zhangjiawan Mosque; 58. Yongledian Mosque; 59. Beiguan Mosque; 60. Xiguanshi Mosque, Changping District; 61. Nanyicun Mosque; 62. Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque; 63. Changping Town Mosque; 64. Heying Mosque; 65. Nankou Town Mosque; 66. Nankoucun Mosque; 67. Doudian Mosque, Fangshan District; 68. Changzhuang Old Mosque; 69. Changzhuang New Mosque; 70. Xinjie Mosque; 71. Chengguan Mosque, Miyun District; 72. Mujiayu Mosque; 73. Gubeikou Mosque; 74. Chengzi Mosque, Mentougou District; 75. Huiminying Old Mosque, Shunyi District; 76. Huiminying New Mosque; 77. Niulanshan Mosque; 78. Gaoliying Old Mosque; 79. Gaoliying New Mosque; 80. Yangzhen Mosque; 81. Chadao Mosque, Yanqing District; 82. Moshi Kou Mosque, Shijingshan; 83. Hongqiao Mosque, Tianjin; 84. Jinjiayao Mosque; 85. Chenjiagou Mosque; 86. Gexindao Mosque; 87. Yuchang Mosque; 88. Wanxin Mosque; 89. Dazhigu Mosque; 90. Hexi Mosque; 91. Great Mosque; 92. Tianmu Liuhe Mosque; 93. Xiningdao Mosque; 94. Shijiazhuang Mosque, Shijiazhuang, Hebei; 95. Zhengding Mosque; 96. Chengde East Mosque, Chengde; 97. Chengde West Mosque; 98. Baoding North Mosque, Baoding; 99. Dingzhou Mosque; 100. Cangzhou North Great Mosque, Cangzhou; 101. Cangzhou East Great Mosque; 102. Botou Great Mosque; 103. Botou East Mosque; 104. Tangshan Lunan Mosque, Tangshan; 105. Xingtai Mosque, Xingtai; 106. Handan Mosque, Handan; 107. Qinhuangdao Haigang Mosque, Qinhuangdao; 108. Yanjiao Mosque, Langfang; 109. Dachang Mosque; 110. Dachang Beiwu Mosque; 111. Damazhuang Mosque; 112. Luzhuang Mosque; 113. Huogezhuang Mosque; 114. Xiaochang Mosque; 115. Liangzhuang Mosque; 116. Yangxinzhuang Mosque; 117. Nanwangzhuang Mosque; 118. Nansitou Mosque; 119. Xiadian Mosque; 120. Xiadiancun Mosque; 121. Chenxinzhuang Mosque; 122. Weizizhuang Mosque; 123. Manxingying Mosque; 124. Dongchang Mosque; 125. Xinhua Street Mosque, Zhangjiakou; 126. Xiguan Mosque; 127. Xuanhua Middle Mosque; 128. Xuanhua South Great Mosque; 129. Dongguan Mosque; 130. Tu'ergou Mosque; 131. Zhulu Mosque, Zhulu County; 132. Taiyuan Old Mosque, Taiyuan, Shanxi; 133. Datong Mosque, Datong; 134. Shuozhou Mosque, Shuozhou; 135. Yuanqu County Mosque, Yuncheng; 136. Changzhi North Mosque, Changzhi; 137. South Mosque; 138. Middle Mosque; 139. Luze Mosque; 140. Huanan Mosque; 141. Southwest City Mosque; 142. Wuyi Road Mosque; 143. Hohhot Great Mosque, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia; 144. Hohhot Small Mosque; 145. Hohhot East Mosque; 146. Hohhot Northeast Mosque; 147. Hohhot South Mosque; 148. Hohhot West Mosque; 149. Hohhot Xianghe Mosque; 150. Hohhot Tuanjie Mosque; 151. Jining Mosque, Ulanqab; 152. Baotou Qingkun Mosque, Baotou; 153. Baotou Great Mosque; 154. Baotou Middle Mosque; 155. Baotou West Mosque; 156. Chifeng Jingpeng Mosque, Chifeng; 157. Chifeng South Great Mosque; 158. Chifeng North Great Mosque; 159. Ordos Dongsheng Mosque, Ordos; 160. Haibowan Mosque, Wuhai; 161. Huajue Lane Mosque, Xi'an, Shaanxi; 162. Xiaopiyuan North Great Mosque; 163. Sajinqiao Old Mosque; 164. Daxuexi Lane Mosque; 165. Dapiyuan Mosque; 166. Beiguangji Street Mosque, Xi'an; 167. Qingzhen Yingli Mosque; 168. Middle Mosque; 169. Xicang Mosque; 170. Lvshan Mosque; 171. Hongbu Street New Mosque; 172. West Mosque; 173. Dongxin Street Mosque; 174. Jianguo Lane Mosque; 175. Yuanjiacun Mosque, Xianyang; 176.
Hanzhong Mosque, Hanzhong 177
Luling Mosque, Xixiang County 178
Xixiang County South Mosque 179
Xixiang County North Mosque 180
Dingbian Mosque, Yulin 181
Ankang North Mosque, Ankang 182
Ankang West Mosque 183
Nansi Mosque in Ankang, Ningning, 184
Xingwen Mosque in Ankang 185, Huayuan Street Mosque in Zhengzhou, Henan 186, Yuyuanli Mosque in Zhengzhou 187, Xiaolou Mosque at Erqi Square in Zhengzhou 188, Beixia Street Mosque in Zhengzhou 189, Qingpingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 190, Wuyingli Mosque in Zhengzhou 191, Fuminli Mosque in Zhengzhou 192, Beida Mosque in Zhengzhou 193, Jiaozuo Mosque in Jiaozuo 194, Beida Mosque in Qinyang 195, Shuinanguan Mosque in Qinyang 196, Qingzhen Laonan Mosque in Qinyang 197, Xiguan Mosque in Bo'ai County 198, Erjie Mosque in Bo'ai County 199, Huaiqing Mosque in Jiaozuo 200, Sangpo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 201, Sangpo Qingzhen Zhangsi Mosque 202, Sangpo Xida Mosque 203, Sangpo Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 204, Xiajie Mosque in Jiyuan 205, Qingzhen Nansi Mosque in Jiyuan 206, Dongda Mosque in Kaifeng 207, Zhuxian Town Mosque in Kaifeng 208, Chaoyangmen Mosque in Yuzhou, Xuchang 209, Pingdingshan Mosque in Pingdingshan 210, Nanyang Mosque in Nanyang 211, Nanguan Mosque in Xinyang 212, Dongguan Mosque in Xinxiang 213, Dengzhou Mosque in Dengzhou 214, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Yinchuan, Ningxia 215, Najiahu Grand Mosque 216, Yuehai Mosque 217, Yongning Mosque 218, Minning Mosque 219, Mingxin Mosque 220, Pingluo Mosque in Shizuishan 221, Zhongjie Mosque 222, Shizuishan Mosque 223, Dawukou Mosque 224, Zhongwei Dongguan Grand Mosque 225, Zhongwei Grand Mosque 226, Xingren Grand Mosque 227, Hongganggangzi Gongbei 228, Tongxin Grand Mosque in Wuzhong 229, Siqiliangzi Gongbei 230, Honglefu Gongbei 231, Shagou Gongbei in Guyuan 232, Jingyuan Chengguan Grand Mosque 233, Yejiacun Mosque 234, Guyuan Xiyuan Mosque 235, Guyuan Jiulong Road Mosque 236, Xiguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou, Gansu 237, Wulipu Mosque in Lanzhou 238, Gengjiazhuang Mosque in Lanzhou 239, Yuzhong Street Mosque in Lanzhou 240, Nanguan Grand Mosque in Lanzhou 241, Wuxingping Lingmingtang Gongbei 242, Xinguan Mosque 243, Lanzhou Qiaomen Mosque 244, Lanzhou Dongchuan Grand Gongbei 245, Lanzhou Wenzquantang 246, Lanzhou Water Mosque 247, Tiejiazhuang Mosque in Linxia 248, Linxia Laohua Mosque 249, Linxia Xinhua Mosque 250, Linxia Nanguan Grand Mosque 251, Linxia Qianheyan Mosque 252, Linxia Grand Gongbei 253, Linxia Zheqiaowan Mosque 254, Chuimatian Qianzhuang Mosque 255, Linxia Grand Gongbei 256, Beiguan Mosque in Tianshui 257, Houjie Mosque 258, Zhangjiachuan Nanchuan Daotang 259, Zhangjiachuan Xuanhuagang Grand Gongbei 260, Zhaochuan Mosque 261, Labuleng Mosque in Gannan 262, Hezuo Grand Mosque 263, Hezuo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 264, Lintan Qingzhen Shangsi Mosque 265, Lintan Qingzhen Hua Grand Mosque 266, Galutian Big House 267, Lintan Xidaotang 268, Longnan Wudu Grand Mosque in Longnan 269, Yumen Mosque in Yumen 270, Wuaisi Gongbei 271, Jiayuguan Mosque in Jiayuguan 272, Jiuquan Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 273, Wuwei Mosque in Wuwei 274, Dongguan Grand Mosque in Xining, Qinghai 275, Xining Nanguan Grand Mosque 276, Xining Yudaiqiao Mosque 277, Xining Jianguo Road Mosque 278, Xining Xiadu Avenue Mosque 279, Beimo'eryuan Mosque 280, Nanshan Gongbei 281, Guangdemen Gongbei Mosque 282, Xianmen Gongbei 283, Xining Beiguan Mosque 284, Hualong Kangyang Mosque in Haidong 285, Hualong Shangjiahe Mosque 286, Xunhua Jiezi Mosque 287, Xunhua Caotanba Mosque 288, Mengdashan Village Mosque 289, Quhuxiang Village Mosque 290, Hongshuiquan Mosque 291, Xunhua Zanbuhu Mosque 292, Qunke Grand Mosque 293, Hualong Yisha'er Mosque 294, Imam Mosque 295, Guoshitan Mosque 296, Qingshuihe East Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 297, Qingshuihe East Mosque 298, Mengda Mosque 299, Kewa Mosque 300, Zhangga Mosque 301, Suzhi Mosque 302, Ahetan Mosque 303, Tashapo Mosque 304, Chengguan Mosque 305, Jiezi Gongbei 306, Ladongtai Village Mosque in Haibei Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 307, Jianzha Maketang Mosque in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 308, Hexi Mosque in Delingha 309, Delingha Grand Mosque 310, Jinfeng Middle Road Mosque in Golmud 311, Shimen Mosque 312, Hedong Grand Mosque 313, Hexi Grand Mosque 314, Huatugou Mosque in Mangya 315, Guangyuan Mosque in Guangyuan, Sichuan 316, Langzhong Baba Mosque in Nanchong 317, Langzhong Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 318, Mianyang Mosque in Mianyang 319, Jiangyou Mosque 320, Xiaoquan Mosque in Deyang 321, Tangjia Mosque in Chengdu 322, Tuqiao Mosque in Chengdu 323, Gulou Mosque in Chengdu 324, Huangcheng Mosque in Chengdu 325, Dujiangyan Mao'gong Mosque 326, Dujiangyan Nanjie Mosque 327, Songzhou Qingzhen Beisi Mosque in Aba 328, Songpan Chengguan Mosque 329, Guangzhaoting Gongbei Mosque 330, Xichang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Xichang 331, Xichang Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 332, Hetaocun Mosque in Panzhihua 333, Huihuicun Mosque 334, Heying Mosque 335, Miyi Guabang Mosque 336, Chongqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 337, Chongqing Grand Mosque 338, Chongqing Fengjie Mosque 339, Hechuan Mosque 340, Urumqi Tatar Mosque in Xinjiang 341, Urumqi Shaanxi Grand Mosque 342, Urumqi Erdaoqiao Mosque 343, Urumqi White Mosque 344, Urumqi Guyuan Grand Mosque 345, Urumqi Nanda Mosque 346, Urumqi Shanxi Lane Mosque 347, Urumqi Shaanxi Laofang Mosque 348, Turpan Sugong Pagoda Mosque 349, Yining Shaanxi Grand Mosque 350, Liuxing Street Mosque 351, Khanaka and Saitikamale Mosque 352, Kashgar Id Kah Mosque 353, Abakh Khoja Mausoleum 354, Fragrant Concubine Garden Jiaman Mosque 355, Saheya Community Youbazha Mosque 356, Yusuf Khass Hajib Tomb 357, Wuerdasike Mosque 358, Taxkorgan Xiabazha Mosque 359, Shache Jiaman Grand Mosque 360, Altun Mosque 361, Azini Micheti Mosque 362, Kuqa Grand Mosque 363, Mulan Eshidong Mausoleum 364, Yutian Id Kah Mosque 365, Ruoqiang Mosque 366, Hotan Jiaman Mosque 367, Atushi Wusitang West Road Mosque 368, Zhanqian Mosque 369, Aksu Gulebage Mosque 370, Turpan Tuyugou Mausoleum 371, Hami Gaise Tomb 372, Shaanxi Grand Mosque 373, Zhongshan South Road Mosque 374, Huicheng Town Jianguo Village Tuguluk Buzuerrega Mosque 375, Hami Lingmingtang Branch Hall 376, Shenyang Sujiatun Mosque in Liaoning 377, Shenyang South Mosque 378, Dalian Mosque 379, Changchun Songjia Mosque in Jilin 380, Changchun Shuangyang Mosque 381, Changchun Changtong Road Mosque 382, Jilin City Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 383, Jilin East Mosque 384, Jilin Shipyard Gongbei 385, Jilin Qingzhen Beisi Mosque 386, Harbin Daowai Mosque in Heilongjiang 387, Harbin Tatar Mosque 388, Harbin Acheng Mosque 389, Harbin Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 390, Qiqihar Bukui West Mosque 391, Bukui East Mosque 392, Taicheng Mosque in Tai'an, Shandong 393, Taicheng Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 394, Xijie Mosque 395, Xijie Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 396, Beidaquan Mosque 397, Xihuangcun Mosque 398, Fajialing Mosque 399, Xiawang Mosque 400, Shangwang Mosque 401, Ershilibu Mosque 402, Changjiazhuang Mosque 403, Daxinzhuang Mosque 404, Dasuozhuang Mosque 405, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 406, Zhoujiapo Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 407, Jiajiagang Village Mosque 408, Majiayuan Mosque 409, Nigou Village Mosque 410, Longshan Guanzhuang Mosque 411, Fanjia Anfu Mosque 412, Dawenkou Xinghua Street Mosque 413, Dongshen East Village Mosque 414, Dongshen West Village Mosque 415, Dongjie Village Mosque 416, Houhuangcun Mosque 417, Qianhuangcun Mosque 418, Shengjiazhuang Mosque 419, Beiqiu Mosque 420, Songzhuang Mosque 421, Chahedian Mosque 422, Fenghuangcun Mosque 423, Dawangzhuang Mosque 424, Chenjiabu Mosque 425, Xiaojiabu Mosque 426, Xitaili Mosque 427, Liujiazhuang Mosque 428, Nanyicun Mosque 429, Houlvguan Mosque 430, Zhoucheng Mosque 431, Xicun Mosque 432, Lisuocun Mosque 433, Jinan Luokou Mosque 434, Jinan Xiaojinzhuang Mosque 435, Jinan Qingzhen Nanda Mosque 436, Jinan Beida Mosque 437, Jinan Nanguan Mosque 438, Qingzhou Zhenjiao Mosque in Weifang 439, Qingzhou City Mosque 440, Weifang Mosque 441, Jining Dongda Mosque 442, Jining Liuhang East Mosque 443, Heze Xiguan Mosque 444, Heze Nanguan Mosque 445, Cao County Dongguan Xida Mosque 446, Cao County Dongmenli Mosque 447, Cao County Dongguan Mosque 448, Liaocheng Linqing Mosque 449, Linqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 450, Liaocheng Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 451, Dezhou Beiying Mosque 452, Dezhou Nanying Mosque 453, Nanjing Jingjue Mosque in Jiangsu 454, Nanjing Caoqiao Mosque 455, Jizhaoying Mosque 456, Hushu Mosque 457, Zhenjiang Shanxiang Mosque 458, Lianyungang Mosque 459, Huai'an Qingjiang Ancient Mosque 460, Taizhou Mosque 461, Nantong Mosque 462, Yangzhou Lingtang Mosque Ancient Mosque 463, Lingtang Grand Mosque 464, Yangzhou Xianhe Mosque 465, Xuzhou Mosque 466, Wuxi Mosque 467, Suzhou Mosque 468, Hefei Mosque in Anhui 469, Huainan Shou County Mosque 470, Anqing Nanguan Mosque 471, Chuzhou Mosque 472, Wuhan Qiyi Street Mosque in Hubei 473, Minquan Road Mosque 474, Ma Si Baba Gongbei 475, Wuhan Jiang'an Mosque 476, Xiangyang Mosque 477, Laohekou Mosque 478, Shiyan Mosque 479, Yichang Mosque 480, Shanghai Huxi Mosque 481, Xiaotaoyuan Mosque 482, Pudong Mosque 483, Songjiang Mosque 484, Jinshan Mosque 485, Jiangwan Mosque 486, Fuyou Road Mosque 487, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque in Zhejiang 488, Hangzhou Mosque 489, Jiaxing Mosque 490, Ningbo Yuehu Mosque 491, Shaoxing Keqiao Mosque 492, Kuba Mosque 493, Lishui Mosque 494, Huzhou dua Site 495, Nanxun dua Site 496, Quzhou Mosque 497, Taizhou Huangyan dua Site 498, Wenzhou Dongyu Village dua Site 499, Yiwu Grand Mosque in Jinhua 500, Xiamen Mosque in Fujian 501, Quanzhou Qingjing Mosque 502, Nanchang Grand Mosque in Jiangxi 503, Jiujiang Mosque 504, Shaoyang Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque in Hunan 505, Shaoyang Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 506, Longhui County Taohuaping Mosque 507, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Ancient Mosque 508, Longhui County Shanjie Hui Township Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 509, Shaoyang County Qingcao Mosque 510, Shaoyang County Jiugongqiao Mosque 511, Changde Mosque 512, Changde Fengshu Township Mosque 513, Changsha Han-Hui Mosque 514, Changsha Mosque 515, Guiyang Mosque in Guizhou 516, Zunyi Mosque 517, Weining Xiaba Mosque 518, Kunming Shuncheng Mosque in Yunnan 519, Kunming Chongde Mosque 520, Kunming Yixigong Mosque 521, Kunming Dabanqiao Mosque 522, Kunming Yongning Mosque 523, Dali Xiaguan Mosque 524, Dali Ximen Mosque 525, Dali Nanmen Mosque 526, Dali Nanwuliqiao Mosque 527, Dali Xiadui Mosque 528, Dali Zhihua Mosque 529, Dali Fengyi Mosque 530, Xizhou Mosque 531, Shipang Mosque 532, Yousuo Mosque 533, Jiming Mosque 534, Yangbi Xiajie Ancient Mosque 535, Weishan Xiaoweigeng Mosque 536, Huihuideng Mosque 537, Donglianhua Mosque 538, Yanqichang Mosque 539, Daweigeng Mosque 540, Mamichang Mi Surname Mosque 541, Mamichang Ma Surname Mosque 542, Weishan City Mosque 543, Xundian Yuping Mosque 544, Kedu Dangui Mosque 545, Kedu Huihui Village Mosque 546, Ludian Tuogu Mosque 547, Zhaotong Baxian Mosque 548, Zhaotong Maohuojie Ancient Mosque 549, Mojiang Talang Mosque 550, Jianshui Ancient Mosque 551, Kaiyuan Dazhuang Mosque 552, Xinzhai Mosque 553, Gejiu Shadian Grand Mosque 554, Shadian Xiying Mosque 555, Shadian Jinjizhai Mosque 556, Laojijie Mosque 557, Mengzi City Mosque 558, Dehong Ruili Mosque 559, Yuxi Daying Mosque 560, Yuxi City Mosque 561, Najiaying Mosque 562, Najiaying Ancient City Mosque 563, Xishuangbanna Jinghong Mosque 564, Xishuangbanna Mansai Hui Mosque 565, Xishuangbanna Manluan Hui Mosque 566, Xishuangbanna Menghai Mosque 567, Lhasa Grand Mosque in Tibet 568, Lhasa Small Mosque 569, Duodi Mosque 570, Lhasa Kaqilinka East Mosque 571, Lhasa Kaqilinka West Mosque 572, Shigatse Mosque 573, Guangzhou Huaisheng Mosque in Guangdong 574, Guangzhou Haopan Street Mosque 575, Guangzhou Xiaodongying Mosque 576, Guangzhou Xianxian Mosque 577, Dongguan Wanjiang dua Site 578, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Xisi Mosque 579, Zhaoqing Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 580, Shenzhen Mosque 581, Nanning Mosque in Guangxi 582, Guilin Qianjing Mosque 583, Liutang Mosque 584, Shanweicun Mosque 585, Jiucun Mosque 586, Xixiang Mosque 587, Women's Mosque 588, Maping Mosque 589, Chongshan Road Mosque 590, Daxu Mosque 591, Beihai Mosque 592, Kowloon Mosque in Hong Kong 593, Islamic Union Mosque 594, Wan Chai Islamic Centre 595, Jamia Mosque 596, Macau Mosque 597, Haikou Mosque in Hainan 598, Sanya Huixin Nankai Mosque 599, Huixin Qingzhen Nansi Mosque 600, Huihui Qingzhen Dongsi Mosque 601, Huihui Qingzhen Beida Mosque 602, Huihui Qingzhen Xibei Mosque 603, Huihui Qingzhen Ancient Mosque 604, Tokyo Camii in Japan 605, Tokyo ASSALAAM Mosque 606, Nagoya Mosque 607, Osaka Mosque 608, Sapporo Otaru Mosque 609, Sapporo Mosque 610, Phuket ISSATUL Mosque in Thailand 611, Phuket YAMEAY Mosque 612, Sultan Mosque in Singapore 613, Omar Mosque 614, National Mosque in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 615, Jamek Mosque in Kuala Lumpur 616, Federal Territory Mosque 617, Tabung Haji Mosque 618, Selangor Royal Mosque 619, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque 620, Putrajaya Mosque 621, Ash-Shakirin Mosque 622, Terengganu Crystal Mosque 623, Redang Island Mosque 624, Malacca Chinese Mosque 625, Malacca State Mosque 626, Tranquerah Mosque 627, Kampung Hulu Mosque 628, Kampung Kling Mosque 629, Malacca Straits Mosque 630, Sabah State Mosque 631, Sabah Floating Mosque 632, Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia 633, Yogyakarta Nurul Iman Mosque 634, Nurul Falah Mosque 635, Baitussalam Mosque 636, Single Pillar Mosque 637, Jogokariyan Mosque 638, Gedhe Kauman Mosque 639, Yogyakarta Royal Grand Mosque 640, Mataram Mosque 641, Surabaya Broadway Shopping Center Mosque 642, Al-Akbar National Mosque 643, Sunan Ampel Mosque 644, Cheng Ho Mosque 645, Labuan Bajo Agung Nurul Falah Mosque 646, Saigon Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 647, Rahim Mosque 648, Vladivostok Mosque in Primorsky Krai, Russia 649, Christchurch Mosque in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand 650, Manhattan Mosque in New York, USA 651, Atlanta Mosque in Atlanta, Georgia 652, Idris Mosque in Seattle, Washington 653, Holiday Inn dua Room in Dubai, UAE 654, Desert Safari Camp dua Site 655, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi 656, Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo, Egypt 657, Imam Hussein Gongbei 658, Nasir Muhammad Mosque 659, Muhammad Ali Mosque 660, Ibn Tulun Mosque 661, Al-Fattah Al-Aleem Mosque 662, Sulayman Agha al-Silahdar Mosque 663, Al-Hakim Mosque 664, Sultan Barquq Mosque 665, Al-Rifa'i Mosque 666, Masjid Al-Malik Faisal bin Abdulaziz 667, Luxor Abu Haggag Mosque 668, Al-Iman Mosque 669, Jeddah Floating Mosque in Saudi Arabia 670, Airport dua Room 671, Prophet's Mosque in Medina 672, An-Nam Mosque 673, Abu Bakr Mosque 674, Umar ibn al-Khattab Mosque 675, Ali Mosque 676, Uhud Martyrs Mosque 677, Mustaraha Mosque 678, Qiblatain Mosque 679, Fatah Mosque 680, Fatah Ali Mosque 681, Salman al-Farsi Mosque 682, Umar Mosque 683, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh Mosque 684, Quba Mosque 685, Jumu'ah Mosque 686, Masjid al-Haram in Mecca 687, Namirah Mosque 688, Jinn Mosque 689, Aisha Mosque 690, Fiumicino Airport dua Room in Rome, Italy 691, Ottawa Mosque in Ottawa, Canada 692, Toronto Chinese Muslim Community 693, Masjid Qurtabah 694, Islamic Institute of Toronto 695, Islamic Foundation of Toronto 696, Jame Abu Bakr Siddique 697, Islamic Center of Quebec in Montreal 698, Alsalam Mosque 699, Masjid Al Salaam in Vancouver 700, Muslim Association Richmond Branch Sadaqa 701, Ismaili Centre 702, Vancouver Jamea Mosque 703, Az-Zahraa Islamic Centre 704, Baitur Rahman Mosque 705, London Central Mosque in London, UK 706, Heathrow Airport dua Room 707, Crawley Islamic Centre 708, NOOR MOSQUE 709, Sri Lanka Mosque
Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage
Articles • yusuf908 posted the article • 0 comments • 31 views • 6 days ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims. view all
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims.
Summary: Mosque Near Me in Beijing: Existing and Lost Mosques, Niujie History and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a clear English account for Muslim readers, starting with this scene: This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the. It keeps the original names, food details, mosque details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Beijing Mosques, Niujie Mosque, Muslim Heritage.
This article counts 109 mosques in the Beijing area. There are 82 mosques currently standing in Beijing, 63 of which I have visited. I have identified 27 mosques that once existed but have since disappeared. I have added the Jiaozi Hutong Mosque and Mishi Hutong Mosque to the list, and included photos I took with my phone for some of the mosques.
Attached are photos and brief introductions for some of the mosques.
Niujie Mosque
The Niujie Mosque is the oldest and most historically significant mosque in Beijing. It was first built in 996 AD, during the second year of the Zhidao reign of the Northern Song Dynasty. It is now a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level.
Dongsi Mosque
Based on the arch-shaped, beamless architecture of its rear hall, a hand-copied Quran from the fifth year of the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty kept in the mosque, and a wooden plaque from the Niujie Mosque, the Dongsi Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. Another theory suggests it was built during the Ming Dynasty, making it one of the four major mosques in the capital at that time.
Anwai Mosque
It was first built during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty. In 1990, when Beijing hosted the 11th Asian Games, Andingmen Street needed to be widened, so the mosque was relocated to the Shanglong Xili residential area outside the east gate of Qingnianhu Park.
Nandouyacai Mosque
It was first built in the third year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1798). The storefront at the entrance is rented out to help fund the mosque's operations.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque
Also known as the Erlizhuang Mosque, it was first built during the Yuan Dynasty. The original site was one kilometer away from the current location. Shougang Group funded the move to the current site to build diplomatic apartments on the original land. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by the Dongcheng District.
Huashi Mosque
The Huashi Mosque was first built in the 12th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1414). The current architecture dates back to the Qing Dynasty, and the colorful paintings on the main hall's beams are original works from that time. The hall also contains two beams made of peacock wood, a fragrant timber that keeps insects and birds out of the hall.
Shazikou Mosque
The Shazikou Mosque was first built in the early 1950s, originally converted from a cart inn.
Qingzhen Pushou Mosque
The Pushou Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated many times during the Ming Dynasty. An Arabic inscription inside the mosque faintly shows the words, 'Rebuilt after bathing in the sixth year of the Tianqi reign of the Great Ming Dynasty.' The north courtyard of the mosque once housed the Muhua Primary School. In 1955, at the invitation of Imam Da Pusheng, a Syrian sheikh passing through Beijing came here to lead the Friday prayer.
Qingzhen Yongshou Mosque
There was a cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Sanlihe area during the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty (1456). The mosque was built in the 33rd year of the Wanli reign (1605). The scholar Wang Daiyu was once buried here, but the grave has since been moved.
Zhengyuan Mosque
Originally called the Beigouyan Mosque, it was first built during the Daoguang reign. It moved to its new location in 1997 during urban redevelopment. Above the door, the words Zhengyuan Mosque (Zhengyuan Qingzhensi) are written in the calligraphy of Hei Boli, the former chairman of the Ningxia Autonomous Region.
Houheyan Mosque
Houheyan Mosque was first built in 1948. This area is outside the southwest corner of Beijing's inner city but inside the outer city. Outside Xuanwumen, Hui Muslims lived along the south bank of the moat. Many worked in transport or ran halal restaurants. They built this mosque to make it easier to attend namaz.
Qianmen Mosque
Qianmen Mosque is also called Saozhu Hutong Mosque. It was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. Chang Yuchun ordered its construction at the same time he built the Changping and Huashi mosques.
Tongzhou Grand Mosque
Songyuli Mosque
Songyuli Mosque was built in 2018 as a replacement for the demolished Nanshangpo Mosque.
Nanxiapo Mosque
Nanxiapo Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. There were originally four mosques outside Chaoyangmen: Nanshangpo Mosque, Nanxiapo Mosque, Shuimenguan Mosque, and Shegutang Mosque. The funeral for the martyr Ma Jun was held at Nanxiapo. The Beijing municipal government erected a tombstone for him in the nearby Ritan Park and built a memorial hall.
Fayuan Mosque
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was first built in the early Kangxi era. Liu Geping, the former party secretary of the Ningxia Autonomous Region, wrote the plaque for Fayuan Mosque in 2001.
Changying Mosque
Changying Mosque was first built during the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Changying was the military camp of the Ming founding general Chang Yuchun. Changying Mosque was once the largest mosque in Beijing and had two main halls, though it was later surpassed by Doudian Mosque. The mosque has a small library where you can borrow books for free with a deposit.
Kangying Mosque
Kangying Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated in 2010. The mosque's name was written by Chen Guangyuan, the former president of the China Islamic Association.
Yangzha Mosque
Yangzha Mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. It was designated as a cultural relic protection site of Chaoyang District in 1984.
Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque was first built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It is now a key cultural relic protection site in Chaoyang.
Wanziying Mosque
It was first built during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. Li Hongzhang required the Huai Army to wear uniforms with numbered badges. The army was stationed here, so the place was formerly called Wanziying (Ten Thousand Character Camp), which became Wanziying today.
Guanzhuang Mosque
Guanzhuang Mosque was first built during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty and underwent a major renovation in 2003.
Balizhuang Mosque
Balizhuang Mosque was first built during the Qianlong period. There used to be a large cemetery here, and the mosque started as a building for guarding the Hui Muslims' public cemetery before gradually turning into a mosque.
Landianchang Mosque
I attended Jumuah prayer at Landianchang Mosque in Haidian District. This is an ancient mosque from the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. It has an ancient cypress tree that is over 400 years old, planted when the mosque was built. The mosque's three treasures are a handwritten Quran, a carved brick with the Basmala (tasimiyie), and the tree. There are more Uyghur people here for Jumuah.
Haidian Mosque
First built in the Ming Dynasty, Haidian Mosque lost some land when Suzhou Street was widened. The government approved the construction of a three-story building on the east side of the mosque facing the busy street, and the rent from the shops there helps support the mosque.
Qinghe Mosque
Qinghe Mosque was first built in the 45th year of the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. It was originally located at the south end of the old Qinghe Bridge, but because the area was low and prone to flooding, it was moved to the north side of the bridge in the 6th year of the Guangxu period (1881 AD). The mosque is very clean and well-kept.
Anheqiao Mosque
Anheqiao Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty. In the early Qing Dynasty, when Emperor Kangxi was building the Three Hills and Five Gardens, the local Hui Muslims used this prosperous time to expand the old mosque. The overall architectural style echoes the nearby Summer Palace (Yiheyuan).
Shucun Mosque
Beijing Shucun Mosque was first built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. With the construction of the royal Three Hills and Five Gardens, the Bordered Yellow Banner barracks of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) guard force were set up west of Shucun, and the Plain White Banner barracks were set up to the east, which led to the formation of the Shucun trading street. According to the records of the "Three Outer Banners of the Capital," the trading street had 270 shops during its peak, with many, such as mutton shops and jade shops, run by Hui Muslims.
Siwangfu Mosque
Located at the foot of Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan) in Beijing, Siwangfu Mosque was built during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. Siwangfu is a fair-sized village at the foot of the southeast side of Fragrant Hills. It was originally a burial ground for Ming Dynasty royal infants who died young. During the Qing Qianlong period, the name was changed to "Siwangfu" because it sounds like the word for "four" and avoids the word for "death." Over eighty years ago, Imam Yang Chun (the father of 82-year-old Yang Jing'an and 77-year-old Yang Jingyi) came to Beiping from Cangzhou, Hebei. Recommended by Imam Hei Fengyi, he served as the imam at Siwangfu Mosque.
Nanyuan Mosque
Nanyuan Mosque is a newly built mosque right next to Nanyuan Airport. It is a ten-minute walk to the airport terminal. The imam told me that this mosque will be relocated further west, and the new site has already been chosen and is under construction.
Changxindian Mosque
Fengtai Changxindian Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated during the Guangxu period. The mosque is currently being refurbished. When I arrived, workers were spray-painting, and the plaque with the mosque's name was written by Ma Guochao, the son of Ma Benzhai.
Fengtaizhen Mosque
Fengtai Mosque was originally built alongside the Lugou Bridge. In the 21st year of the Guangxu reign (1895), the mosque moved to Zhengyang Bridge due to the construction of Fengtai Railway Station, and in 1990, it moved again to Yongshan Residential Community.
Cuizhihuiying Mosque
The Cuizhihuiying Mosque in Daxing District was first built during the Qing Dynasty. Cuizhihuiying is the southernmost point of Beijing and is a village for Hui Muslims. Most of the village is currently being demolished to make room for support facilities for the Daxing Airport rail transit.
Liushizhuang Mosque
This is a cultural heritage site protected by Daxing District. It was first built in the Qing Dynasty and renovated in 1992. Liushizhuang is a village for Hui Muslims.
Xueying Mosque
The mosque in Xueying Village, Panggezhuang Town, Daxing District, Beijing, was first built in the second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1574). It covers 1,500 square meters. The roof of the main hall is decorated with yellow and green glazed tiles, and there are two pillars in the front corridor. Inside the hall, there are eight wooden white-painted pillars. There is a wooden arched gate with floral patterns painted on the lintel.
Xihongmen Mosque
The new Xihongmen Mosque was built next to the old one. The original mosque dates back to the 26th year of the Kangxi reign (1687). In the old mosque, men and women could pray together in the main hall, separated by a curtain. The new main hall is open for Friday Jumu prayers.
Langgezhuang New Mosque
The new Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was completed in 2008. With this mosque, Beijing reached a total of 77 mosques. Langgezhuang is also a village for Hui Muslims, where 70 percent of the residents are Hui Muslims.
Langgezhuang Old Mosque
The Langgezhuang Mosque in Daxing District was first built in the fifth year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1740). It was damaged many times by floods from the Yongding River throughout history and has undergone many repairs. It is now a cultural heritage site protected by Changping District.
Xin'anzhuang Village Mosque
Hui Muslims have lived in Xin'anzhuang Village since the Ming Dynasty. The mosque was originally just a few adobe houses. In 1996, the construction of the Beijing-Jiulong Railway caused cracks in the mosque walls because the rail bed was too close. The railway department paid 50,000 yuan in compensation, and the village raised funds to build a new mosque.
Maqiao Mosque
Maqiao Mosque was first built in the early Ming Dynasty. When the 1976 Tangshan earthquake hit Beijing, the mosque was damaged. The Niujie Mosque agreed to dismantle its women's mosque and donate all the materials to help rebuild the Maqiao Mosque.
Fatou Mosque
The mosque in Fatou Village, Zhangjiawan Town, Tongzhou District, was first built in the Ming Dynasty. There is a 400-year-old locust tree in the mosque that is as old as the building itself. It was renovated in the second year of the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty and rebuilt again in 2001.
Zhangjiawan Mosque
Zhangjiawan Mosque was first built between the end of the Yuan Dynasty and the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. Zhangjiawan is a village for Hui Muslims. The mosque has a 500-year-old locust tree and an ancient vat in the courtyard where goldfish are kept.
Yongledian Mosque
Yongledian Mosque in Tongzhou District was built in 1911. It started with a prayer hall of only three rooms. It was expanded on June 1, 2002, and finished on October 31 of that year.
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque
Tongzhou Beiguan Mosque was built in the first year of the Yuanyou era. It sits on the north bank of the Yuan Dynasty Grand Canal. It is the second oldest mosque in Beijing, after the Niujie Mosque. The mosque was destroyed during the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance and later rebuilt under the leadership of Elder Gao, Imam Lan, and others.
Xiguanshi Mosque
Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping was built in the seventh year of the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty. Empress Dowager Cixi stayed here briefly when she fled the capital.
Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque
There is a Xiaoxinzhuang Mosque next to the Pingxi Prince Mansion in Changping District. It is said to have been built in the Qing Dynasty and is over 200 years old. It was repaired in 1951, but was occupied many times after 1958. It was renovated and returned to normal use in 1982. The original mosque was not in this location, and it was rebuilt here in 1997.
Nanyicun Mosque
Nanyicun Mosque in Shahe, Changping, was built in the ninth year of the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty (1530). It is a protected cultural site in Changping District. Several ancient stone tablets are well-preserved inside. The upper part of the couplet on the main hall door pillars reads: All things move by the will of Allah. The lower part reads: The value of life lies in seeking knowledge and doing good deeds.
Heyingcun Mosque
Heying Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty next to the tomb of Bo Ha Zhi. When I arrived, the door was locked, but there was a phone number on it. I called, and the caretaker came to open it shortly after. I learned that the caretaker and his wife manage the mosque as volunteers. The old mosque collapsed years ago, so they use a simple temporary building. For namaz, they just lay carpets on the ground. Because the whole village is about to be demolished, the reconstruction work is delayed. There are thirty Hui Muslim households in the village, but no imam. Occasionally, visiting friends (dost) come to visit the graves.
Nankoucun Mosque
Nankoucun Mosque in Changping was built in the Ming Dynasty and is now a protected cultural site in Changping District. In front of the main hall, there is a stone tablet recording the renovation of the mosque in the 20th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty. It was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a famous scholar in Changping during the late Qing and early Republic period. The tablet itself is the original. This mosque is not open to the public. There is an ancient well in the courtyard, and the building next to the main hall has collapsed.
Nankou Town Mosque
Nankou Town Mosque is an abandoned courtyard guarded by only one Hui Muslim man. There are five rooms in the courtyard. The north room was built by the production team in the 1970s, and the west and south rooms are single-story houses built in recent years. According to local residents, this mosque and the Nankoucun Mosque are both closed because of disputes over the disposal of the mosque's property.
Chadao Mosque
Chadao Mosque, located at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall in Yanqing, was built during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 2013 and is the only mosque in Yanqing. When I arrived at the gate, I found it locked. I asked at the hand-pulled noodle shop (lamian guan) next door and learned that the owner of Yuxinzhai across from the mosque is the manager. I found him and learned he is the only Hui Muslim in the village. His surname is Yu, which is said to be a surname bestowed by the emperor. Elder Yu said he had to talk to many officials to prepare for the construction of the mosque, which was very difficult and faced a lot of resistance. The current imam is temporarily borrowed from Changping. There is usually no one there, but about thirty or forty people attend Jumu'ah.
Wujie Mosque
Wujie Mosque in Changping started in the Ming Dynasty and was built by Chang Yuchun. The beams of the main hall are made of golden nanmu wood used for the Ming Tombs. It is now a protected cultural site in Changping.
Doudian Mosque
Doudian Mosque has a history of over 300 years and now covers an area of 14,958 square meters. It reached its current size after several renovations and expansions. The main hall is 40 meters high, symbolizing the age when the Prophet Muhammad received his mission. The overall layout of the building is in the shape of the Chinese character for Hui (Hui).
Chengzi Mosque
In 1951, the Hui Muslim coal mine in Mentougou went bankrupt. They turned six of the mine's rooms into a mosque. The current building was rebuilt in 1990.
Gubeikou Mosque
Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun, Beijing, sits at the foot of the Great Wall on Wohu Mountain in Hexi Village, Miyun County. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty and has a history of over 300 years. It is now a county-level cultural heritage site in Miyun. The mosque was rebuilt in 1997 but has not been used since. The villagers in Hexi come from all over, representing 7 ethnic groups and 132 surnames. Currently, only a few families in the east of the village are Hui Muslims.
Beijing Ramadan 2026 Diary: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Sudan Embassy Iftar and Hui Meals
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 35 views • 2026-05-21 06:45
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012. view all
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012.
Summary: This Beijing Ramadan 2026 diary follows iftar meals and mosque visits at Madian, Fayuan, Zhengyuan, Nanxiaopo, Dongwai, Houheyan, and the Sudan Embassy, with food and community details kept in full.
I returned to Beijing from Sichuan during the second week of Ramadan. This year, I had to take my son to kindergarten by electric scooter every morning, so I couldn't break my fast at Balizhuang like I did last year (see 'A Wonderful Look Back at Ramadan 2025 in Beijing Balizhuang'). Instead, I mostly went to the mosques near my office and home. I visited seven in total: Madian Mosque, Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, Nanxiaopo Mosque, Dongwai Mosque, Houheyuan Mosque, and the Sudan Embassy. I will share them with you below.
Madian Mosque
Madian Mosque is the closest mosque to my office, and it is the one I visited the most. The iftar at Madian Mosque is quite generous. Before breaking the fast, there is a plate of fruit and a plate of pastries. After breaking the fast, there are noodles, stir-fried dishes, stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda), steamed buns (baozi), and more. Usually, there are two tables of international students, one table of friends (dosti) from Northwest China, one table of female elders, and one table of male elders at iftar. I met many old friends and made many new ones at Madian Mosque this year, which was very blessed. We set up over a dozen tables in the courtyard for the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr), which I will write about in my next post.
Madian is located on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. After the Ming Dynasty overthrew the Yuan Dynasty, they moved the northern wall of the capital city south. However, the main road from Beijing through Deshengmen to outside the Great Wall still passed through the Jiande Gate gap of the Yuan capital. The trade of horses, cattle, and sheep coming from the north gradually formed a market inside the Jiande Gate gap, attracting a large number of Hui Muslims to settle there. It was said that the number of Hui Muslims there was no less than at Niujie. Since the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims opened many horse shops and sheep shops in Madian, responsible for feeding and selling the livestock to earn commissions. After the Daoguang era, the horse trade moved to the suburbs outside Deshengmen, and most of the businesses in Madian changed into sheep shops, keeping only a few horse shops. Since it formed in the Qing Dynasty, Madian was called 'Madian' (Horse Shop). It wasn't until the early Republic of China, when place names were made to sound more elegant, that it was changed to 'Madian' (Horse Station), a name that is still used today.
The inscriptions inside Madian Mosque also record the situation of the Hui Muslims in Madian: Madian is located inside the rammed earth walls of the Yuan capital, outside the brick walls of the Ming and Qing Beijing, right on the ancient and modern main road leading north from the capital, connecting to the bustling city in the south and the vast plains stretching for hundreds of miles in the north. Along the Changping Road, there are endless trees. Traveling to Nankou, the Yan Mountains rise one after another, blocking the vast grazing lands of the Bashang plateau. The weather outside the Great Wall is bitterly cold, making it hard to raise sheep. The Hui Muslims of Madian did not avoid the hard work, braving the elements to bring them back, raising and grazing the wild animals until they survived and grew stronger. They earned a meager income, which was their livelihood. This was the sheep trade.
Madian Mosque is located on a terrace on the west side of the ancient road. It was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was rebuilt with funds raised by fourteen sheep and horse shops in Madian. It was rebuilt again during the Republic of China and is quite large in scale. In 1930, Ding Ziyu, the principal of Madian Guangyu Primary School, published 'An Investigation of the Madian Mosque Outside Deshengmen, Beiping' in 'Zhengdao' magazine. The article mentioned that more than 300 people attended the Taraweeh prayers at Madian Mosque during Ramadan, 500 to 600 people fasted, and one-third of them fasted for the entire month. According to the memories of the elders in Madian, until the early days after liberation, whenever Ramadan ended and the new moon appeared, people on the front and back streets of Madian would shout, 'The fast is broken!' The fast is broken! ''
The international students who come to Madian Mosque for iftar include friends (dosti) from India and Pakistan, and they are friends with each other.
Fried dough (youxiang) at the mosque.
Stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) made at the mosque.
Eating steamed buns (baozi) at Madian Mosque, the carrot and fennel fillings are very filling!
I ate the sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) from Yaofengcheng, a Shandong-style restaurant at the mosque gate, for several days during my fast.
Stir-fried dishes at Madian Mosque; international students from nearby countries all love the food at Madian.
Fried tofu (zhadoufu).
Stir-stir-fried meat with oyster mushrooms (pinggu chaorou).
Beef stewed with Chinese cabbage and vermicelli (baicai fentiao dun niurou).
Stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou).
Stir-stir-fried meat with celery (qincai chaorou).
Stir-fried potato slices (chao tudoupian).
Braised winter melon with shiitake mushrooms (donggua shao donggu).
Exhibits about the local Muslim community in Haidian at the Madian Mosque gallery.
Hand-pulled noodles (shouganmian) with tomato sauce and eggplant sauce; our international friends all love Beijing hand-pulled noodles, haha.
After eating, I bought food for my fast at Yaofengcheng by the gate, steamed buns (mantou) with spiced beef (jiang niurou); they give out fried dough (youxiang) during Eid al-Fitr.
Nanxiapo Mosque.
As an important hub for water transport, there were historically several mosques and neighborhoods outside Chaoyang Gate, such as Nanzhong Street, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only the Nanxiapo neighborhood remains today. According to the elders, Nanxiapo Mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used fir poles and reed mats to build a large shed at Nanxiapo, and an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer there; this was the earliest Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation at Nanxiapo. He had just received a payment for bows and arrows that had been owed by some Mongols, so he donated the money to formally build the Nanxiapo Mosque.
Most of the leaders of Nanxiapo Mosque were descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign). Because his parents died early, 15-year-old Hu Zichen inherited his father's business in 1898 (the 24th year of the Guangxu reign) and became the second leader (haitui bu) of Nanxiapo Mosque, known as Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of Nanxiapo Mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits were everywhere, and many merchants on Chaowai Street were robbed. Seventeen-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local militia in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly. Some were wrestlers, some were martial artists, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought muskets. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque to take turns patrolling the streets and keeping watch, and they finally made it through the crisis.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Then, the village elders and the community (dost) donated burial shroud cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of Ritan.
In 1947, the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for conscription near the South Barracks outside Chaoyang Gate. The young Hui Muslims of Nanxiapo were terrified, so with the help of the imam and the elders, they climbed wooden ladders onto the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imam and the elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imam persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
The second Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan is the day Beijing mosques hold charity events for the holy month.
The Nanxiapo mosque has the most abundant selection of pastries for breaking the fast (iftar).
Haji Li treated everyone to stewed meat, with both beef and lamb available. The iftar at Nanxiapo was held at the nearby Hongqingxuan restaurant with eighteen dishes. Over a hundred people attended, including many young people, and it was a very blessed occasion.
Fayuan Mosque.
Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located at the north slope of Xiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was relocated and expanded during the Kangxi reign. During the Republic of China era, the main hall was expanded again, featuring four interlocking roofs and a four-cornered pavilion roof.
Fayuan Mosque built a new dining hall, and so many people come to break their fast every day that there are often not enough seats. The iftar meal includes meat, vegetables, shrimp, fruit, pastries, and fried dough cakes (youxiang).
The meat sauce noodles (zhajiangmian) served for iftar at Fayuan Mosque come with seven vegetable toppings: shredded carrots, shredded cucumber, shredded cabbage, shredded radish (xinlimei), diced celery, green garlic, and bean sprouts. It is very hearty! Every Ramadan, I look forward to this bowl of noodles at the mosque.
Silk Road Yilan in Niujie donated small fried dough cakes (youxiang), and Youyishun on Huangsi Street donated boxed meals of kung pao chicken and stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu). Every Ramadan, many restaurants donate iftar meals to the mosque, which is a very good deed (nietie).
Youyishun is a restaurant founded in 1948 by Ding Deshan, the founder of Donglaishun. There is a saying: 'Donglai goes west and Youyishun follows, north and south, there are only these two.' The original location of Youyishun was at the Xidan intersection. It combined the quick-frying, roasting, and hot-pot styles of Donglaishun with the delicate stir-fries of Xilaishun, bringing the strengths of both together into its own unique style. In the 1950s, Youyishun opened a branch in the Xidan shopping center. Business was booming, and it became an important place for hosting foreign guests. When U. S. President Nixon visited China in 1972, he dined at the restaurant. After Chang'an Avenue was renovated in 1999, Youyishun moved to its current location on Huangsi Street, specializing in traditional famous dishes like stir-fried egg with vinegar (culiu muxu), honey-glazed lamb (tashimi), and deep-fried lamb tails.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built in the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer northwest and rebuilt. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993.
I broke my fast at the mosque outside Dongzhimen. The snacks available after the prayer included pea flour cake (wandouhuang), candied yam rolls (tangjuanguo), and steamed rice cakes (aiwowo), all made by the mosque. After the prayer, there was a mix of meat and vegetable dishes, including stir-stir-fried meat with wood ear mushrooms and eggs (mushurou), yam with wood ear mushrooms, braised eggplant, braised fish chunks, and roast chicken. They also boiled sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) for the occasion. Although there are not many people at the mosque outside Dongzhimen every year, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very good.
Silk Road Legend (Silu Chuanqi) served baked buns (kaobaozi) with millet porridge and various cold dishes. These baked buns were actually invented by Gansu friends (dost), so they are different from Uyghur baked buns, but they still taste good.
At the naan shop by the gate of the mosque outside Dongzhimen, I finished my fast-breaking meal at 6:40, just as the naan and baked buns were coming out of the oven. The skin of the baked bun is very thin but a bit chewy, and there is plenty of meat inside, making it perfect for the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) the next day.
Zhengyuan Mosque
The predecessor of Zhengyuan Mosque was the Beigouyan Mosque inside Xizhimen, which was first built during the Daoguang era. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was demolished and rebuilt at its current location, and renamed Zhengyuan Mosque.
Zhengyuan Mosque is very low-key, and this year was my first time going there to break my fast. I ate steamed buns (baozi) and sesame flatbread (shaobing) with lamb offal soup (yangza) at the mosque, and also had fried toon sprouts and fried meatballs. The mosque said not to post photos of the fast-breaking meal, so I will not post them here.
Sudanese Embassy
For the past few years, I have gone to the Sudanese Embassy every Ramadan to pray Taraweeh. The atmosphere is great, and the whole family can go together.
During the last ten days, it starts at 8:30 and lasts for over an hour. Taraweeh consists of eight rak'ahs, with a sermon (wa'z) after every four. The Witr dua is two rak'ahs followed by one, and during the third rak'ah, we raise our hands for a long dua. In the embassy courtyard, you can brew your own mint black tea and coffee, and after the prayer, there were chickpeas distributed by friends (dost).
Sudan follows the Maliki school of thought, which most of North and West Africa belongs to, and it has many differences from the Hanafi school in China. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year to experience a different religious cultural atmosphere.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi sages began to spread the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan had nominally converted to the faith, but it still kept traditions of witchcraft and ritual sacrifice. The Funj Sultanate changed dynasties in 1718, which started a push for a more orthodox faith and the beginning of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese people follow the Maliki school of Sunni Islam and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
Houheyan Mosque
On the last night of Ramadan, I broke my fast at Houheyan Mosque. There were three tables of elderly people in the mosque, which is hard to find deep in the alleyways. We had steamed buns (baozi), millet porridge (xiaomizhou), sesame flatbread (shaobing), soy sauce fried rice (jiangyouchaofan), and fried dough (youxiang), and everyone also received a bag of Tongxian crispy fried snacks (gezhihe).
Houheyan Mosque sits right on the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and restaurant owners lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting of the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their own ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led the fundraising efforts. They received active support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Wan Qirui, the owner of the Kaorouwan restaurant, and built the mosque in 1948. Houheyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for the subway, and the current building was rebuilt in 2012.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week Three at Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 42 views • 2026-05-20 09:38
Reposted from the web
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge. view all
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge.
Summary: The third week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covers Nanxiapo Mosque outside Chaoyang Gate and Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque near Tongzhou Beiyuan. The article records Mawlid rituals, Nanxiapo community history, Ma Jun burial memories, Tongzhou mosque rebuilding, and a traditional twelve-dish mosque feast.
Three weeks have passed since the start of the month of Mawlid (Shengji Yue) in Beijing, and it is now coming to an end. In the first two weeks, I attended five Mawlid gatherings in Dongsi, Balizhuang, Yangzha, Sanlihe, and Xihui. This weekend, I went to two more in Nanxiapo and Tongzhou Xiguan. Including the four gatherings I attended in Xi'an during the Spring Festival, I have been to eleven Mawlid gatherings this year.
Mawlid is a key way to pass on traditional faith culture. By learning about the Prophet's teachings on peace, kindness, mutual help, and honesty, and by taking part in traditional ceremonies, we deepen our connection to the roots and values of our faith. This shared cultural memory is the foundation that brings our community together.
During these gatherings, friends (dosti) of all ages and from different families talk to each other, which builds friendships and strengthens our unity. For the younger generation of friends (dosti), taking part in Mawlid activities helps them feel at home in the mosque community, learn traditional culture and morals, and keep strong ties with their elders.
A key part of Mawlid is charity (shesan). This shows the faith's focus on charity and the traditional culture of helping each other through hard times. A bowl of meat porridge and a bag of fried dough (youxiang) help friends (dosti) feel the warmth of the faith, strengthening their sense of belonging and cultural unity.
On Saturday morning, we attended the Mawlid gathering at Nanxiapo, outside Chaoyang Gate. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District led the opening prayers, local elders finished the recitations, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'erzi). Afterward, we had tea and snacks, and received meatballs, shredded beef (songrou), and fried dough (youxiang) given out by the mosque.
The south wing of the Nanxiapo mosque opened an exhibition hall introducing the history of the local mosque community, and many friends (dosti) came to visit.
As a major hub for the Grand Canal grain transport, the area outside Chaoyang Gate once had many mosque communities like Nanzhongjie, Nanxiapo, and Shegutang, but only Nanxiapo remains today. According to the memories of local elders, the Nanxiapo mosque dates back to the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. At that time, a shed builder used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shelter in Nanxiapo. An imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in prayer inside the mat shed, which was the first Nanxiapo mosque. In the early years of the Kangxi reign, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows near Chaoyang Gate heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He had just received payment for a large order of bows and arrows from some Mongols, so he donated the money to officially build the Nanxiapo mosque.
Most of the leaders of the Nanxiapo mosque have been descendants of the first leader, Hu Zhonghe. Hu Zhonghe's 12th-generation descendant, Hu Degui, was born in 1883. After his parents died young, his 15-year-old son Hu Zichen took over his father's work in 1898 as the second leader (haitebu) of the Nanxiapo mosque, and people called him Master Hu the Second. At that time, the imam of the Nanxiapo mosque was Hu Wenzhi, and the third master was Ma Shikuan, known as Master Ma the Third.
In 1900, when Empress Dowager Cixi fled west, bandits appeared everywhere, and many shops on Chaoyangmen Outer Street were robbed. The 17-year-old Imam Hu Zichen organized a local defense group in Nanxiapo. Young Hui Muslims joined eagerly; some were wrestlers, some knew martial arts, some were cart drivers, and the wealthy ones even bought firearms. Every night, everyone gathered at the gate of the Nanxiapo mosque, split into groups, and patrolled the streets to keep watch, finally getting through the crisis safely.
On February 15, 1928, after the martyr Ma Jun died, his body (maiti) was washed at the Nanxiapo mosque by Imam Hu Wenzhi and Imam Hu Zichen. Local elders and friends (dosti) donated burial cloth (kafan), and he was buried in the northwest corner of the Temple of the Sun.
In 1947, when the Nationalist army was rounding up young men for forced labor at the Nanxiapo barracks, the young Hui Muslims were terrified. With the help of the imams and elders, they climbed wooden ladders to the roof of the main hall of the Nanxiapo mosque. After they were hidden, the imams and elders immediately hid the ladders. When the Nationalist troops came to the mosque to grab people, the imams persuaded them to leave. Everyone lay on the roof for the whole day and finally escaped the danger.
On Sunday, I attended a religious gathering at the Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque is not far from the Tongzhou Beiyuan subway station on the Batong Line, so it is easy to get to. The Tongzhou Xiguan Mosque was first built in 1766 (the 31st year of the Qianlong reign). The original building was torn down in 1980, rebuilt in 1999 to resume activities, and moved to its current location in 2012.
We went into the main hall to listen to the imams from various mosques in Tongzhou recite scriptures, and then we studied the imam's sermon (wa'ez). The imam talked about the importance of praising the Prophet during the Mawlid (Shengji) celebration. He used a traditional style of scripture teaching that sounded very ancient and meaningful.
After leaving the hall, we ate a traditional twelve-dish feast (nietie xi), which included stir-fried lamb liver, winter melon with dried shrimp, steamed fish, sesame lamb, steamed lamb, beef stew, yam stew, kelp stew, fried tofu puff stew, meatball stew, fried crispy meat (songrou), and candied yam and date rolls (tangjuan guo). It was a very auspicious meal that both the elderly and children enjoyed.
When leaving, the mosque gave out fried dough (youxiang) and meat porridge. Since I had just received some fried dough yesterday, I only took the meat porridge.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week Two at Sanlihe and Xihui
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 33 views • 2026-05-20 09:37
Reposted from the web
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other. view all
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other.
Summary: The second week of Beijing Mawlid gatherings covered Sanlihe Mosque and Xihui Mosque, with Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, fried dough, and community meals. The article preserves the mosque histories, food details, prayer scenes, and local Muslim community memories.
The Mawlid (Prophet's birthday) celebrations in Beijing have been going on for two weeks. I visited Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha during the first week, and I went to Sanlihe and Xihui for the holy gatherings on the weekend of the second week.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Yongshou Mosque in Sanlihe. After the scripture recitation and sermon (wa'erzi), we had watermelon, pastries, and snacks. I also received fried dough (youxiang), meat porridge, crispy beef (songrou), and meat portions (roufen).
Yongshou Mosque was first built in 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign). It has been renovated many times and is now a cultural heritage site in the Xicheng District. Historically, Sanlihe was the largest cemetery for Hui Muslims in the Beijing suburbs. As early as 1456 (the 7th year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Samarkand envoy Muhammad Sheriban petitioned the Ming court to visit and offer sacrifices at his ancestral graves in the public cemetery outside Fuchengmen, which Emperor Yingzong of Ming granted. In 1605 (the 30th year of the Wanli reign), the ceremonial eunuch Li Shou, the imperial guard Dong Yingyuan, and others initiated a fundraising campaign to purchase the 'Wengseng Huangtang' in Sanlihe to officially build Yongshou Mosque.
The Sanlihe Hui Muslim cemetery historically held the graves of various sages, sheikhs, imams, scholars, and generals. The sages include Wang Daiyu; the sheikhs include Zhuazi Baba and Shadeng Baba; the imams include Imam Wang Yousan, Imam Wang Haoran, Imam Ma Meizhai, Lao Hong Wuba, and Lada Li; the scholar is Ma Linyi; and the generals include Ma Fulu, Ma Longbiao, and Ma Fuxiang. more than a hundred Hui Muslim heroes who died in Beijing while fighting the Eight-Nation Alliance with Ma Fulu during the Gengzi year (1900) were all buried here.
In the afternoon, I stewed some meat portions. Combined with the meat porridge, fried dough, pea flour cake (wandouhuang), and crispy beef distributed by the mosque, it made for a very classic Beijing Hui Muslim feast (nietie).
North of Sanlihe is the 'Hongmaogou Residential Area.' It was originally called 'Hongmaogou' (Red Hat Ditch) and was the cemetery for the Uyghur people known as the 'Red Hat Hui' who lived in the Hui camp on West Chang'an Street before the 1950s.
In 1759 (the 24th year of the Qianlong reign), after Emperor Qianlong pacified the Great and Small Khojas of the White Mountain faction, he summoned the surrendered Hui people, led by the 'Eight Hui Nobles,' to Beijing. The ordinary people among them were organized into the 'Hui People's Company' under the Left Wing Fifth Regiment of the Plain White Banner of the Imperial Household Department. In Manchu, this was called 'hoise niru.' They were settled in the Hui camp outside the West Chang'an Gate and chose Hongmaogou as their cemetery.
Besides the Uyghurs, Hongmaogou also contained the grave of Zhuazi Baba, one of the two great sheikh graves in Sanlihe. In the past, every spring, many Beijing Hui Muslims would take their families to visit the grave of Zhuazi Baba to offer dua.
On Sunday morning, I attended the Mawlid at Xihui Mosque. Xihui Mosque is located by the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign) and is not far from Yangzha Mosque and Guanzhuang Mosque. Although the mosque and the community were separated due to relocation and high-rise development, the new residential area is not far away, so the community still has a strong sense of unity, and the holy gathering was very lively.
Before the Mawlid began, everyone drank meat porridge and ate fruit, chatting with each other to strengthen friendships. After the Mawlid started, the imams from various communities in Chaoyang District led the opening dua, followed by scripture recitations. Then, the local imam gave a sermon to commemorate and learn from the noble Prophet.
After leaving the prayer hall, everyone went to the feast. Following the tradition of 'guests first, locals later,' the imams, directors, and guests invited by the mosque sat down to eat first, and the local community members took their seats afterward.
The kitchen at Xihui Mosque is a long room where everyone worked in an orderly and organized way. After entering, the first thing you see is the 'eight big bowls' of stewed dishes. Stewed beef, meatballs, crispy beef, lamb offal, kelp, and yam were served as people ate. Next was the frying area, where sugar-filled fried rolls (tangjuanguo) and toothpick meat were fried on the spot. Next is the stir-fry area, where they quickly cook dishes like stir-fried tripe with coriander (yanbao sandan), stir-fried shrimp (qingchao xiarou), diced chicken with cashews (yaoguo jiding), stir-fried lamb with scallions (congbao yangrou), and braised eggplant (hongshao qiezi) over high heat. Finally, there are the steamers, with paper-wrapped fish (zhibaoyu) steaming on one side and rice on the other.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing - Mawlid Week at Dongsi, Balizhuang and Yangzha
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 33 views • 2026-05-20 09:25
Reposted from the web
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai). view all
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai).
Summary: The first week of Beijing's Mawlid month included gatherings at Dongsi Mosque, Balizhuang Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque. The travel note records prayers, Quran recitation, sermons, meat porridge, mosque kitchens, and a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet.
Blessed Mawlid, Mawlid Mubarak. The 12th day of the third month in the Islamic calendar is believed to be the birthday of the noble Prophet. Around this day, friends (dosti) all over the world hold events to commemorate the noble Prophet, known as Mawlid or Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi. In China, these are called Shengji, Sheng-hui, or Shengdan.
Commemorations for the noble Prophet date back to the time of the followers of the companions (Tabi'un), though they were mostly private events in the early days. Large-scale commemorations can be traced back to Egypt during the Fatimid dynasty in the 12th century. In 1207, Saladin's brother-in-law Gökböri first established the Mawlid as a public holiday, which helped the celebration spread. The Ottoman Empire made the Mawlid an official holiday in 1588, calling it Mevlid Kandili, which means the Candle Festival of the Prophet's Birthday.
When the Mawlid begins, mosques across Beijing start holding commemorative gatherings that last for an entire month. Last weekend, I attended three gatherings in Beijing at Dongsi, Balizhuang, and Yangzha, where I enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and traditional eight-bowl banquet dishes (badawan).
On Friday, the day of Jumu'ah, I spent the Mawlid at Dongsi. Before the Jumu'ah prayer, a sermon (wa'z) explained the significance of remembering the noble Prophet. After the prayer, President Yang Faming and various imams recited the Quran (yuanjing). After leaving the prayer hall, we enjoyed fruits and snacks.
On Saturday, I attended the Mawlid at Balizhuang Mosque. Imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District came to recite the Quran, and local elders took turns reciting as well. Imam Yang gave a sermon (wa'z) about the noble Prophet. After the prayer, everyone enjoyed meat porridge, fried dough (youxiang), and various fruits and pastries. The meat porridge at Balizhuang is only available during Eid al-Fitr and the Mawlid each year. The aroma of the meat and the wheat blends perfectly, making it very blessed.
On Sunday, I attended the Mawlid at Yangzha Mosque, which was the third one I attended that week. After arriving, I had meat porridge, then imams from various mosques in Chaoyang District recited the Quran, and the local imam gave a sermon (wa'z). After the prayer, we had a traditional Beijing Muslim banquet, which is now rare in the city center.
The kitchen at Yangzha Mosque is very large. They were stewing the eight-bowl dishes in pots, stir-frying, and steaming fish, with everyone working together in an orderly way to serve the food.
The traditional Beijing mosque banquet includes stir-fried dishes, steamed fish, and the eight-bowl dishes: vinegar-sauce stir-fried egg and meat (culiu muxu), sesame lamb (zhima yangrou), steamed fish (qingzheng yu), braised eggplant (shao qiezi), stewed beef (dun niurou), stewed meat patties (dun songrou), stewed winter melon (dun donggua), stewed fried tofu puffs (dun doupao), stewed lamb offal (dun yangza), stewed yam (dun shanyao), stewed meatballs (dun wanzi), and stewed kelp (dun haidai).
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque and Daji Lane Teahouse
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 22 views • 2026-05-20 08:14
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound. view all
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound.
Summary: Mishi Hutong Mosque in Beijing has been renovated into a high-end teahouse inside the new Daji Lane business district. This account keeps the mosque history, renovation notes, street context, and photographs from the visit.
I heard the Daji Lane business district at Caishikou in Beijing had officially opened, so I went to take a look at the renovated Mishi Hutong Mosque. Today, the Mishi Hutong Mosque has become a teahouse. The tea is expensive, and you have to book in advance.
During the Republic of China era, many friends (dosti) from the Northwest did business in the Xuannan area. In 1927, they donated money to build the Tianqiao Mosque and established the Association of Hui Muslims from the Five Provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Ningxia, and Xinjiang in Beijing. After the 1930s, the friends (dosti) from the Northwest gradually settled in the Caishikou area. In 1937, the old Bianyifang restaurant on nearby Mishi Hutong closed down. The friends (dosti) from the Northwest living in Beijing pooled their money to buy the two-story building and officially converted it into the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 1940. After that, the association for the five Northwest provinces moved its office to the Mishi Hutong Mosque. Imam Yeliangpu of the Tianqiao Mosque served as the imam for both, and Friday prayers (Jumu'ah) were held at the two mosques in rotation.
A friend (dosti) named Qian bought the street-facing houses of the Mishi Hutong Mosque. The north room of the outer courtyard was the association office, the north room of the inner courtyard held the primary school classroom, kitchen, and restroom, and the west room by the back door was the washroom (shuifang). The second floor of the small building was the main prayer hall, the west room on the first floor was the lecture hall, the north room was the imam's dormitory, the south room was the student lounge, and the north and south rooms in the outer corridor were student dormitories. A glass plaque reading 'Shengdao Qiyang' (The Holy Path is Glorified) hung in the outer corridor, donated by the elders of the Tianqiao Mosque and written by Zong Zheng.
When the Daji area was demolished, all other buildings of the Mishi Hutong Mosque were torn down, leaving only the two-story building. The building was built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It was originally an 'L' shape made of a north building and a west building. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three south-facing open rooms were added, changing the 'L' shape into a 'U' shape. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was added in the recessed area, connecting with the south rooms. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall, which was a first for a mosque (masjid) at that time.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a dormitory for a toy factory and later turned into a residential compound. I visited the building in 2022 before it was renovated, and the calendar on the wall was still stuck on 2012.
Finally, here are some photos I took of the Mishi Hutong Mosque in 2022.
The second floor was originally a private room for the old Bianyifang restaurant, then it became the mosque's main prayer hall, and later it became a toy factory dormitory and a crowded residential compound.
Halal Travel Guide: Ramadan Weekend in Beijing Qianmen & Balizhuang
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 26 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr). view all
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr).
Summary: This travel account follows the fifth weekend of Ramadan 2025 in Beijing, with stops around Qianmen and Balizhuang. It keeps the original prayer, food, street, mosque, and community details while making the English easy to read.
First, I wish all my friends (dosti) a blessed Eid al-Fitr! I am starting by catching up on a record from the last weekend of Ramadan.
On Friday, I broke my fast at the mosque on Saozhou Hutong outside Qianmen in Beijing. I had various teas, snacks, and fruits, especially the traditional Beijing pastry known as ganglu.
The Qianmen Mosque was first built in the late Ming Dynasty and renovated in 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and 1795 (the 60th year of the Qianlong reign). It features the classic North China mosque architectural style of the Qing Dynasty and is very well preserved. The famous modern Islamic educator Imam Wang Kuan served as the head imam at Qianmen Mosque in 1894 (the 20th year of the Guangxu reign). His student, the great Imam Da Pusheng, served as an imam at the mosque from 1909 to 1911. Another great imam, Wang Jingzhai, studied under the famous teacher Imam Yu Mianweng at the mosque when he was young.
From the Qing Dynasty to the Republican era, many Hui Muslims outside Qianmen worked in the jade, jewelry, and antique calligraphy and painting trades. The famous novel 'Jade King' (Muslim's Funeral) is based on the Hui Muslim jade trade in this area. The Qianmen Mosque was very busy back then, but as times have changed, the century-old mosque has returned to peace and quiet.
After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I was invited by my friend (dosti) Li Ding to have hot pot at 93 Tieshu Xiejie outside Qianmen. I met many new and old friends, and I was especially honored to meet the 81-year-old senior jade appraisal expert, Mr. Wang Ruimin.
Saturday was the last Taraweeh prayer of Ramadan, and I felt very reluctant to see it end! Balizhuang was still very lively. I met many old friends again and made some new ones. There are more women than men among the local community members breaking their fast in Balizhuang, which is quite rare in Beijing. After the sunset prayer (maghrib), I had lamb offal soup (yangza tang), roasted chicken, stewed kelp with carrots, braised chicken legs, and minced meat with green beans. It was very heartwarming.
I broke my fast at home on Sunday and made a big plate of goose (dapan yan). The way to make big plate goose is the same as big plate chicken (dapan ji), but the texture of the goose is better than chicken, almost like steak. Hui Muslims in Xinjiang love to make big plate goose, but it seems rare in Xinjiang restaurants in Beijing. This might be because after stir-frying the goose, it must be pressure-cooked for 40 minutes, unlike the big plate chicken made with broiler chickens in some restaurants, which can be stir-fried directly. Also, when eating big plate goose, you must have it with Xinjiang chili peppers (xian lazi). It needs to be spicy enough to be delicious, and it is impossible to stop eating when paired with freshly made belt noodles (pidai mian).
Before going to bed on Sunday, I mixed pea starch at home to prepare for the pea starch soup (hui fencai) for the Eid al-Fitr breakfast the next day. This is a must-have for every Hui Muslim family in Xinjiang before Eid (Eid al-Fitr).
Halal Travel Guide: Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units. view all
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units.
Summary: This article records Laylat al-Qadr at Balizhuang Mosque in Beijing during Ramadan. It keeps the original Quranic passage, iftar dishes, community details, and photographs in a natural English travel style.
Indeed, We sent it down during the Night of Power. And what can make you know what the Night of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is, until the emergence of dawn. (97)
Yesterday, we gathered at Balizhuang Mosque to revive the Night of Power. It was the busiest night of Ramadan, and I saw many old friends. Yesterday also featured the most abundant iftar meal at Balizhuang. Thanks to the hard work of Director Li and the elders, it was a great success. We enjoyed sticky rice cake (qiegao) made by Elder Fu, along with beef stew, stir-fried beef with green onions, steamed rice flour cakes (aiwowo), stir-fried shrimp, baked buns (kaobaozi), savory fried yam rolls (xianjuanguo), spiced beef, tofu puff soup, and lotus seed porridge. The dining hall was full, with over eighty people.
Imam Yang gave a very powerful sermon (wa'az).
The imam led everyone in one hundred units of voluntary prayer (nafl namaz), using dates to keep count, with each date representing two units.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Madian, Sudan Embassy & Tianjin Tianmu
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 23 views • 2026-05-20 01:48
Reposted from the web
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi). view all
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi). view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi).
Summary: This account covers the fourth weekend of Ramadan 2025, moving from Madian Mosque in Beijing to the Sudanese Embassy and Tianjin Tianmu. It preserves the original details on Jumuah prayer, iftar, local Hui Muslim history, mosque visits, and photographs.
On Friday, I attended Jumu'ah prayers at Madian Mosque in Beijing under a clear blue sky. The mosque was packed with fellow Muslims (dost) from nearby universities like Beijing Normal University, Beihang University, and Beijing Jiaotong University.
Madian sits on the North Beijing Avenue outside Deshengmen. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large Hui Muslim population. People say the number of Hui Muslims here is second only to Niujie. After the Qing dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses came from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou into Beijing. Hui Muslims opened many horse and sheep shops in Madian to feed and sell the livestock for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi era. In 1850 (the 30th year of Daoguang), it was rebuilt with funds from over ten local sheep and horse shops. It was renovated again during the Republic of China era and is quite large.
I stayed at Madian Mosque for iftar that evening, eating braised fish (hongshao yu), sliced pork with daylily (huanghua roupian), and stir-fried scallion lamb (congbao yangrou). Many foreign Muslims (dost) also came to break their fast at Madian Mosque. It is great for our brothers and sisters from around the world to taste Beijing's Ramadan meals.
That night, I went to the Sudanese Embassy in Sanlitun for Taraweeh prayers. This year, you need to be accompanied by a foreigner to get in. The Taraweeh prayer consisted of eight rak'ahs. A young Libyan hafiz led the first four, followed by a sermon (wa'z) from the Sudanese imam, and then the Sudanese imam led the final four. During the third rak'ah of Witr, we raised our hands for a long dua. There was another sermon (wa'z) after the dua. I think it is a rare opportunity to come here every year and experience a different cultural atmosphere of our faith.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Sufi scholars began spreading the faith along the upper Nile River toward the Sudan region. In the early 16th century, the Funj Sultanate ruling Sudan nominally converted to the faith but kept traditional witchcraft and sacrificial rituals. In 1718, the Funj Sultanate changed dynasties, began seeking a more orthodox faith, and started the process of Arabization. By the 19th century, Sudan had become a region that followed orthodox Sunni Islam and began using Arabic as its common language. Today, the vast majority of Sudanese are Sunni Muslims of the Maliki school and are deeply influenced by Sufism.
On Saturday night, I broke my fast at the North Mosque in Tianmu, Tianjin, where the elders served green tea and dates. After the Maghrib prayer, they handed out boxed meals of stir-fried lotus root slices and garlic sprouts with pork, served with steamed buns (mantou), which everyone took home to eat.
The Mu family originally lived in Muja Village, Qiantang County, Hangzhou Prefecture, Zhejiang. During the Jianwen era of the Ming dynasty, they were moved to Guyilang inside Shuiximen in Nanjing. In the early Yongle era, they followed the Prince of Yan to Nanpi County, Cangzhou, Hebei. In 1404 (the first year of Ming Yongle), the Mu brothers used canal boats to transport imperial grain to Tongzhou. After unloading, they received special favor and were gifted the boats. They traveled south along the Grand Canal to a place twenty miles north of Tianjin Wei, where they settled, established Muja Village, and built the Muja Village Mosque, which is now the Tianmu North Mosque.
The Tianmu North Mosque was repaired many times in history. It was burned down by Kuomintang troops in 1948, rebuilt after 1950, and renovated to its current size after 2007.
In a previous article, some readers asked about the translation "laimaizhuannai." This is actually a traditional term used in Tianjin and surrounding areas for hundreds of years. The pronunciation of "laimaizhuannai" is Ramzan. The way the letter "d" (ḍād) is pronounced as a "z" and the emphasis on the final syllable both come from Persian. In regions influenced by Persian culture, such as Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Pakistan, and Turkey, the word for Ramadan is pronounced Ramazan.
Plaque at the North Mosque (Beidasi) in Tianmu, Tianjin
Ancient Islamic Faith (Qingzhen Gujiao)
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the Gengxu year of the Xuantong reign (1910)
Respectfully presented by Xiao Liangtong, acting head of the Tianjin Garrison, holding the rank of Du-si and wearing the blue feather.
Calligraphy by Prince Su
Greatest and Most Just
Erected on an auspicious day in the fifth month of summer, in the Guimo year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Calligraphy by Xu Ziming
Respectfully presented by Mu Tongchun, a presented scholar (jinshi) and imperial guard, appointed as commander of the Huzhou Garrison in Zhejiang, with a two-grade promotion.
Upholding the ancestors and awaiting the future
Auspicious day in the first month of autumn, in the ninth year of the Guangxu reign (1883)
Respectfully erected by Hei Yaozeng, a magistrate-elect holding the rank of Du-si.
Hei Zhaorong, a commander of the Ziya station in Jinghai County, holding the fourth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
Reprinted by Hei Pengnian, a commander of the South Grand Canal Garrison, holding the fifth-rank title and wearing the blue feather.
The brick carving of 'Ancient Islamic Faith' behind the kiln hall, with the inscription 'Rebuilt in the 20th year of the Republic of China'.
Shunyi Road in Tianmu is so lively at night, with long lines at many barbecue stalls. There are also alcohol-free restaurants like Muyangren Beef Rice and Shangpin Lamb Soup at the intersection, offering plenty of choices.
I had old-fashioned shaved ice (baobing) on Shunyi Road in Tianmu, topped with sour plum paste (suanmogao), sour apricots, hawthorn berries (hongguo), and red beans, then bought whole-wheat nut bread and egg yolk and pork floss green sticky rice balls (qingtuan) at Huiwei Pastry Shop. Then I had an original beef burger at Ershen Beef Burger. Tianmu has really returned to the lively state it was in before 2020!
I started my fast at home on Sunday morning, eating lamb spine pilaf (yangxiezi zhuafan).
I also broke my fast at home on Sunday night, eating bamboo shoot and meat hand-pulled noodles (latiazi).
Muslim Culture Guide: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 24 views • 2026-05-19 21:21
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi view all
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi
Summary: Beijing Heying Mosque - Shenghui Gathering and Community is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Heying Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Shenghui.
The month of Mawlid has just begun, and mosques all over Beijing are starting to hold celebrations. Last weekend, we attended a celebration at Heying Mosque in Changping. We ate authentic mashed potato paste (yangyu jiaotuan), hand-held lamb ribs (shouba yangletiao), and starch noodle soup (fentang). It was a very blessed occasion. The chili sauce on the mashed potato paste was so fragrant that I couldn't help but pack some to take home. It adds great flavor when dipping steamed buns (momo) or eating clear-stewed meat.
At the celebration, I ate fried dough (youxiang). It was fluffier than the version from Northwest China, feeling like a fusion of Northwest and North China styles. The walnut trees at the mosque are in season right now. The walnuts are very fresh when you crack them open to eat.
Changes at Heying Mosque over the past year include a new bulletin board that introduces the life of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba. The north lecture hall has been renovated, making it more convenient for religious gatherings (gan'ermaili). A protection sign for ancient and famous trees has been set up. This place is not only a sacred site for the faith but also an important natural and cultural heritage site.
Further reading:
Spend the weekend in Beijing for the holy gathering (shenghui)
Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 32 views • 2026-05-19 21:20
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious. view all
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious.
Summary: Beijing Niujie - Women's Mosque, Stewed Meat Noodles and Houheyan Mosque is presented as a clear English travel account for readers interested in Muslim life, halal food, mosques, and local history. The article keeps the original names, food details, photographs, and cultural context while focusing on Niujie, Beijing Mosques, Halal Food.
I visited a friend on Niujie Street after work yesterday. The Niujie Mosque is currently closed for major renovations, so prayers are being held at the women's mosque.
The Niujie Women's Mosque was first built in 1925 as the first women's mosque in Beijing. Its original site was on Shouliu Hutong, which is now Niujie Dongli. The mosque was initiated by a Niujie elder named Min Deren (also known as Xinquan). Another elder, Ma Zhiqing, donated a vacant lot and a well on Shouliu Hutong, and the community elders purchased the materials and handled the construction. Construction stopped due to a lack of funds but resumed after more money was raised in 1922. With donations from Min Xinquan, Ma Fuxiang, and elders from various districts in Beijing, the mosque was officially completed in 1925.
In 1958, the Niujie Women's Mosque became a kindergarten for Hui Muslims. It turned into a wool textile factory after 1966. In the 1980s, after policy changes, it returned to being a kindergarten for Hui Muslims until it was demolished during the Niujie redevelopment. The women's mosque was rebuilt on the north side of the Niujie Mosque in 2005 and officially finished in 2006. The new Niujie Women's Mosque functions as the women's hall for the Niujie Mosque. It does not have a female imam; instead, the women follow the prayer leader (imam) in the men's hall through an audio system.
To the right of the main gate of the Niujie Women's Mosque, there used to be a plaque handwritten by Ma Fuxiang in 1925, but it is currently covered by a sign that reads Niujie Mosque Temporary Service Office. Inside the main prayer hall, a beautiful piece of brick-carved calligraphy is embedded in the wall facing the direction of prayer.
Afterward, Digele went to the newly opened He's Beef Noodles (Heji Niuroumian) on Niujie Street, which markets itself as the taste of home in Niujie. They only serve noodles topped with stewed meat, but you can buy braised beef separately, and noodle refills are free. Their noodles are freshly pressed buckwheat noodles (heluo mian) with a good chew, the broth tastes great, and the stewed meat is on the firmer side but still delicious. I wasn't satisfied after one bowl, so I ordered another serving of noodles. Also, they do not sell alcohol, only soft drinks, which is great.
In the evening, I visited the Houheyan Mosque on Changchun Street with several imams from Sichuan who were here for study, along with Yahya Dosti.
Houheyanyan Mosque sits right next to the south bank of the moat. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, many transport workers and halal food vendors lived nearby. In 1944, Yang Yuting from the 'Heyan Yang family' and his sons Yang Hongda and Yang Honglai donated their family ice cellar. Then, village elders Yang Zengbin and Yang Zengsen led a fundraising effort. They received strong support from Hui Muslims in Beijing and Dachang, including Peking Opera master Ma Lianliang and Kaorou Wan restaurant owner Wan Qirui. The mosque was built in 1948. Houheyanyan Mosque originally covered a large area. In the 1970s, part of the land was taken to fill in the moat for subway construction. The current building was rebuilt in 2012.
I received beef jerky and beef tallow hot pot base from Imam Feng. It is authentic intangible cultural heritage food from Nanchong, and it tastes delicious.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 20:26
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size. view all
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size.
Summary: Beijing Balizhuang Mosque — Jummah Prayer and Community is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The account keeps its focus on Balizhuang Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Jummah Prayer while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Jumu'ah Mubarak! After years of renovations, the Balizhuang Mosque outside Chaoyangmen has finally reopened, so I went there to attend Jumu'ah prayers. The renovated mosque is clean and tidy, and it looks beautiful against the blue sky. After namaz, I received some flatbread (nang) given out by the elders; it was freshly baked and tasted delicious!
Balizhuang got its name because it is eight li away from Chaoyangmen. After Emperor Yongle of the Ming dynasty moved the capital to Beijing, he built a series of granaries inside Chaoyangmen, and large amounts of grain began to be transported to Chaoyangmen via the canal. After the Qing dynasty, because boats moved slowly on the Tonghui River section of the canal, many grain boats chose to leave their ships at Tongzhou, which made the official road between Chaoyangmen and Tongzhou increasingly busy. In 1729 (the seventh year of the Yongzheng reign), the stone road outside Chaoyangmen was completed. The Diary of Jehol records: 'Between Tongzhou and the Imperial City, a distance of forty li, the road is paved with stone. The iron wheels clash, and the sound of the carts is so loud that it shakes one's spirit.'
Between the reigns of Yongzheng and Qianlong, Hui Muslims with the surnames Jing, Li, and Jin grew vegetables along the stone road outside Chaoyangmen to supply the capital, gradually forming the Balizhuang area outside the gate. The Balizhuang Mosque was first built in the early years of the Qianlong reign, and at its peak during the Qing dynasty, the mosque's property covered thirteen mu. The mosque was occupied after 1958 and was not returned until 1982. It was rebuilt between 1997 and 2000, reaching its current size.
Halal Travel Guide: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 26 views • 2026-05-18 08:38
Reposted from the web
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details. view all
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Summary: 25 Beijing Mosques — History, Architecture and Hui Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Hui Muslims, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I could not leave Beijing in 2022, so I started visiting mosques I had rarely or never been to before. I visited twenty-five of them in total, and I would like to share them with you.
These twenty-five mosques are:
In Xicheng District: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Huihuiying Mosque, Pushou Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, Zhengyuan Mosque, and Deshengqiao Mosque.
In Dongcheng District: Dongzhimenwai Mosque.
In Haidian District: Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
In Chaoyang District: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque.
In Changping District: Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque.
In Yanqing District: Chadaocheng Mosque.
Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou.
Gubeikou Mosque, Miyun Mosque, and Mujiaoyu Mosque in Miyun.
In April: Mishi Hutong Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, Changping Mosque, Majuqiao Mosque, Nankou Mosque, and Chadaocheng Mosque.
Today, near the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, the two-story building of Mishi Hutong Mosque still stands inside a large construction site. It is the only part of the mosque that survived the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The small building was originally the old Bianyifang Restaurant. During the Republic of China era, many Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces moved near Caishikou. Since it was inconvenient for them to travel to Tianqiao Mosque or Jiaozihu Hutong Mosque for namaz, they raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940. For more details, see the diary entry 'The Only Southern-Style Mosque Architecture in Beijing—Mishi Hutong Mosque'.
In Heying, Changping, Beijing, there is the tomb of the Western Regions sage Bo Hazhi, which locals also call the Sheikh Baba tomb. A Hui Muslim family surnamed Zhang has guarded the tomb for generations. From the Ming Dynasty until now, local and nearby Hui Muslims have gathered here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to visit the Sheikh Baba tomb, a tradition that has never stopped. On the south side of the Bo Hazhi tomb garden stands Heying Mosque, which was built by Uncle Zhang's family in the 1930s. Only the north house remains of the old building. You can see the middle of the walls are built with stones that Uncle Zhang hauled back from the mountains years ago. See the diary entry 'Visiting the Tomb of the Western Regions Sage Bo Hazhi' for details.
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful. Some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts opened, so I went to Shahe Mosque, which is relatively convenient from my home, to pray Jumu'ah. During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern Beijing road to Zhangjiakou shifted to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional North China mosque courtyard. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern expedition. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden silk nanmu beams and pillars in the main hall have been preserved to this day. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
I went to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayers. Majuqiao sits on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463, during the seventh year of the Tianshun reign, a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key route near the capital. Merchants gathered here, and Hui Muslims kept moving in to do business. Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate Majuqiao Mosque, and the towering Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, and it was rebuilt many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, as trade on the grasslands flourished, Nankou City became filled with shops and a constant stream of traveling merchants. Nankou Mosque sits outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture.' It notes that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by the mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued work by building a washroom (shuifang) next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque largely keeps the layout it had after the renovations during the Guangxu reign. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Path, one of the eight paths of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning. This is why it is called 'Chadao,' or 'Forked Road.' Chadao City was built in the 9th year of the Chenghua reign (1473) of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade was frequent, the city grew more prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To serve the needs of traveling Hui Muslims, a mosque was built inside the city. See the diary entry 'Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan' for details.
May: Gubeikou Mosque, Fangwai Guan at the Old Summer Palace, Huiying Mosque, and Pushou Mosque.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the old mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The original construction date of Gubeikou Mosque is unknown. According to a stone tablet inside from the Ming Dynasty, it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629). In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou as a regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of Zhili. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. The current structure of the old mosque is mostly from that renovation during the Kangxi reign. See the diary entry "Visiting the Old Mosque at Gubeikou" for details.
The View from Afar (Fangwaiguan) is part of the Western-style building complex at the Old Summer Palace. It was built between 1756 and 1759 during the 21st to 24th years of the Qianlong Emperor's reign. It was primarily designed by the Italian court painter Giuseppe Castiglione and built by Chinese craftsmen in the late Renaissance Italian Baroque style. In 1760, the Qianlong Emperor summoned the Hui Muslim leaders who helped suppress the White Mountain sect rebellion to the capital. He named the hero Turdu Khoja a first-rank taiji and gave his sister the title of Noble Lady He (He Guiren). In 1761, the Khoja woman was promoted to Concubine Rong (Rong Pin) and later to Consort Rong (Rong Fei). The Qianlong Emperor then converted the View from Afar into a prayer hall specifically for her to perform namaz. After that, the Khoja woman lived in the palace for 28 years until she returned to Allah at the Old Summer Palace in 1788. See the diary entry "The Mosque in the Old Summer Palace" for details.
During the Qing Dynasty, Beijing had a mosque built by imperial decree: the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque (Huihuiying Qingzhensi) on West Chang'an Street. It was the only mosque built by the Qing government. Unfortunately, the main hall of the Hui Muslim Camp Mosque collapsed due to disrepair in the 1900s, and it was completely demolished by Yuan Shikai in the early years of the Republic of China. After the main hall was torn down, the community had nowhere to pray, so they rebuilt a small hall on the original site, which was also torn down in 2010. In 2011, the Xicheng District Cultural Committee rebuilt the mosque 200 meters west of the original site, and the stone tablet titled "Imperial Decree for the Hui People's Mosque" inscribed by Emperor Qianlong was placed back in the courtyard. See the diary entry "Visiting the Huiying Mosque at Beihai Park" for details.
Pushou Mosque is located on Jinshifang Street in Beijing's Xicheng District, which was called Jinchengfang Street during the Yuan Dynasty. Although precious Yuan Dynasty tombstones are preserved there, no records have been found so far confirming that Pushou Mosque was built during the Yuan Dynasty. Because a plaque stamped with "Built in the Fourth Year of Xuande of the Great Ming" once hung above the hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) of the mosque, it is generally believed that Pushou Mosque was founded in 1429 (the fourth year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty) and was renovated many times during the Zhengtong, Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen years of the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming Dynasty, Pushou Mosque was known as one of the four major official mosques in Beijing, alongside Niujie Mosque, Dongsi Mosque, and Faming Mosque inside Andingmen, and it held a very high status. According to the 1521 (the 16th year of the Zhengde reign) "Record of the Renovation of the Mosque" tablet at Dingzhou Mosque, Chen Xun, the Earl of Wuping, sought help from the congregation at Pushou Mosque to renovate Dingzhou Mosque during the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty and received great support, as the mosque was then filled with "gentry and scholar-officials." The mosque was torn down after the Jinshifang Street demolition in 2008, then rebuilt into its current form between 2010 and 2014. See the diary entry, "Sufi Practitioners Who Came from the Ilkhanate to the Yuan Dynasty Capital."
July: Dongzhimenwai Mosque, Xiguanshi Mosque, Dewai Fayuan Mosque, and Zhengyuan Mosque.
A great day starts with breakfast (bangda), then I went to the Dongzhimenwai Mosque near my home. Dongzhimenwai Mosque was originally called Erlizhuang Mosque. It was first built during the Yuan Dynasty and renovated during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. In the late 1980s, Shougang and a Danish company built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest. It was finished in 1991 and reopened in 1993. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Xiguanshi Mosque was originally called Guanshicun Mosque. It was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the 48th year of Kangxi), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of Yongzheng), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of Yongzheng), and the prayer niche hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the 26th year of Qianlong). It continued to be renovated during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China period. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
The founding date of Fayuan Mosque is unknown. It was originally located on a slope north of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It moved and expanded during the Kangxi reign, and the main hall was expanded again during the Republic of China period. It consists of four connected roofs and a four-cornered pointed pavilion. A plaque reading "All things return to the truth" hangs at the entrance of the main hall. It was inscribed by Army General Ma Fuxiang in 1928. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
Zhengyuan Mosque was formerly the Beigouyan Mosque, which was built inside Xizhimen during the Daoguang reign. After 1946, Beigouyan was renamed Zhaodengyu Road, so it was also called Zhaodengyu Road Mosque. In 1997, it was relocated and rebuilt due to demolition, and it was renamed Zhengyuan Mosque. See the diary entry, "Islamic New Year, Visiting Old Mosques in Beijing."
August: Miyun Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque.
Miyun Chengguan Mosque was first built during the Qing Dynasty and moved to its current site for reconstruction in 2006. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
Mujia Yu Village is now called North Mujia Yu Hui Muslim Village. It sits northeast of Miyun's urban area and south of Miyun Reservoir. Historically, it was on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to Miyun's urban center. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu came from Mujiazhuang in Tianjin (today's Mumu Village). They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago. Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor to move to Mujia Yu, Mu Guobao, built the Mujia Yu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. See the diary 'A Halal Journey Around Miyun Reservoir' for details.
September: Desheng Bridge Mosque, Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, and Yangzha Mosque.
Houhai Mosque is located on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, on the east side of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque is said to have been built during the Qing Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1946 and features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era. Due to history, it has now become a crowded residential compound. When I visited, the owner of the room on the southernmost side of the main prayer hall was renovating, which allowed me to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled off the outer layer of the wall, revealing traditional calligraphy of scriptures on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovation continues, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. See my diary entry, "Searching for the Republic of China Era Building at Houhai Mosque," for more details.
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 to the 1980s, it was occupied by a large canteen, a rope-making factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again from 2003 to 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original one. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Xihui Mosque is located by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign). A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth of Islam is Unique) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Yangzha Mosque was once right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It was reportedly built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current building was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque has covered walkways and pavilions, plus pine and cypress trees moved here from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998. It is a very pleasant place. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
October: Wanziying Mosque, Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was rebuilt in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque. The repairs were then based on the style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but has a great environment. It is quiet, pleasant, and far from the noise of the city. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated several times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republican era. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque began reconstruction in 2007 and was finished in 2009. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
The Siwangfu Mosque is located just east of the Botanical Garden. It is shared by Hui Muslims from five nearby communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun. Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong period by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republican era but closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and was near collapse, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold. The community then rebuilt the north wing and a surrounding wall, moving their namaz to the north wing. Thanks to efforts from many sides, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. However, due to construction errors, the hall was eventually moved to the east side of the original site, which created the layout seen today. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Shucun Mosque (Shucun Si) is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has since been renovated several more times. Shucun village has now been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. See my diary entry, "Visiting Ancient Mosques in Beijing in Autumn," for more details.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 38 views • 2026-05-18 06:54
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Mosque Walk — Old Mosques and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Autumn Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Between late September and early October, I visited seven old mosques in Beijing: Guanzhuang Mosque, Xihui Mosque, Yangzha Mosque, and Wanziying Mosque in Chaoyang District, as well as Landianchang Mosque, Siwangfu Mosque, and Shucun Mosque in Haidian District. I will share them with you below.
1. Guanzhuang Mosque
The founding date of Guanzhuang Mosque is unknown. The main hall was renovated in 1946. From 1958 until the 1980s, the site was used by a large canteen, a straw rope factory, and a production team. It was renovated and rebuilt again between 2003 and 2004. The finial on the moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) was cast by craftsmen from Hexiwu, Tianjin, following the design of the original. Guanzhuang has now been demolished and replaced by apartment buildings.
2. Xihui Mosque
Xihui Mosque sits by the Tonghui River, on the north bank of the former Puji Sluice Bridge. It was built in 1821, the first year of the Daoguang reign. A plaque inscribed with the words "Qingzhen Wu'er" (The Truth is One) by Cao Zhenyong, a Grand Secretary of the Tiren Pavilion, still hangs above the main hall. Xihui Mosque was closed from 1966 to 1984. It later reopened and has undergone several renovations. It has been over ten years since the residents of Xihui Village moved into high-rise apartments after the demolition of their old homes. It is truly special that the village elders still insist on riding their bikes up the hill to visit the mosque.
3. Yangzha Mosque
Historically, Yangzha Mosque sat right next to the main road from Chaoyangmen in Beijing to Tongzhou. It is said to have been built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty. The current structure was rebuilt in 1994 and renovated again in 2006. The mosque features covered walkways and pavilions, along with pine and cypress trees transplanted from Jixian, Tianjin, in 1998, making for a very pleasant environment.
4. Wanziying Mosque
Wanziying Village sits on the border of Chaoyang and Tongzhou. Hui Muslims and Han people live there together, and it has now been developed into a beautiful village with a very nice environment. I had a simple bowl of soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) at the village entrance, and the prices were much more affordable than in the city. There is a halal pastry shop at the village entrance called Baoyuanzhai that is apparently quite popular online. I bought some old-fashioned bread (laomianbao), ox-tongue-shaped biscuits (niushebing), and five-kernel flaky pastries (wuren supi). The old-fashioned bread was especially fluffy and perfect for breakfast.
The founding date of Wanziying Mosque is unknown. When it was renovated in the late 1980s, a 90-year-old village elder named Li Shiqing provided a hand-drawn picture of the mosque, and the repairs followed the architectural style shown in his drawing. The mosque is small but the environment is lovely, quiet, and pleasant, far away from the noise. According to Imam Yang, Wanziying Village used to be very good at making halal banquet dishes (qingzhen dapengcai). The atmosphere and taste were more authentic than what you find in restaurants, and I hope to have a chance to experience it in the future!
5. Landianchang Mosque
Landianchang Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty. It was renovated many times during the Jiaqing and Daoguang periods of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China. It stayed open during the 1960s, though some of its buildings were occupied. The property was returned in 1979 and renovated in 1987. After the Landianchang area was demolished in 2004, the mosque started reconstruction in 2007 and was completed in 2009.
In the late Qing Dynasty, Landianchang Mosque was called the Little Jiyang of West Beijing because most of the local residents had ancestral roots in Jiyang, Shandong. The mosque houses a collection of Republic-era items, including a sword of Ali (Ali Xianjian) and a set of three incense burner and vase pictures (luping sanshi tu), which were likely printed by the Niujie Muslim Book and Newspaper Society in Beijing during the Republic of China period.
The original vase-shaped roof ornament on the moon-sighting tower of the Landianchang Mosque.
A drawing of the Landianchang Mosque as it looked in 1987, created by Hui Muslim artist Zongzheng.
6. Siwangfu Mosque.
Siwangfu Mosque sits just east of the Botanical Garden and is shared by Hui Muslims from five local communities: Xiangshan, Siwangfu, Mentou, Nanhetan, and Xiaotun.
Legend says the mosque was founded during the Qianlong era by elders from Houmenqiao and the local community. It was renovated during the Republic of China era, then closed between the 1960s and 1980s. The main prayer hall fell into disrepair and nearly collapsed, so it was torn down and the wood and bricks were sold to build north-facing rooms and a perimeter wall, where prayers were held instead. After much effort from many people, the main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1990. Due to a construction error, the hall was moved to the east side of the original site, resulting in its current layout.
The small courtyard is clean and tidy now, reminding visitors of the old-fashioned charm of the Beijing suburbs.
7. Shucun Mosque
Shucun Mosque is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi reign and was renovated many times during the Yongzheng, Tongzhi, and Xuantong periods, as well as during the Republic of China era. The mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed religious activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since then. Shucun village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings.
The mosque grounds contain two ancient cypress trees from the Qing dynasty, one dead and one alive. There is also a plaque inscribed with the words "Heaven is close at hand" (tiantang zhichi), which was gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard during the 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign) renovation. The main donor for that renovation was a palace eunuch named Ma.
Halal Travel Guide: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 34 views • 2026-05-18 06:13
Reposted from the web
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. view all
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon.
Summary: Houhai Mosque — Republican-Era Muslim Building in Beijing is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot. The account keeps its focus on Houhai Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
I visited the Houhai Mosque on the west bank of Houhai in Beijing yesterday and learned quite a lot.
The Houhai Mosque sits on the north bank of the river connecting Houhai and Xihai, just east of Desheng Bridge, so it is also called Desheng Bridge Mosque. The mosque was reportedly built during the Qing Dynasty, but the current structure was rebuilt in 1946. It features a typical Western-style architecture from the Republic of China era, though it has since become a crowded residential compound due to historical reasons.
The mosque gate faces south and is a Western-style gatehouse. Once you enter, the main prayer hall is on the west side. The main hall has a modified hip roof. It originally had a front porch, but that has been enclosed, though the traditional painted decorations remain on the porch. According to the Survey of Beijing Mosques, there were traces of the words "Mosque" on the west wall of the main hall, but when I visited, a building had been constructed outside that wall, so I could not find a spot to see it.
When I arrived, the owner of the room at the southernmost end of the main hall was renovating, which gave me a chance to see the inside of the hall. The biggest surprise was that the renovation work peeled away the outer layer of the wall, revealing the original traditional calligraphy of scripture on the wall facing the direction of prayer. As the renovations continue, the calligraphy will likely be hidden from view again soon.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 20 views • 2026-05-18 03:19
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first! view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
February 2, Hongbinlou Zhanlan Road branch.
After ice skating in the afternoon, we went to Hongbinlou on Zhanlan Road for dinner. We ordered stir-fried chicken with walnuts and bean paste (taoren jiangbao jiding), braised sheep eyes (du yangyan), stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a mixed corn stew (yumi quanhui). It was my first time having the mixed corn stew. It contained fish maw, fish cartilage, diced chicken, and diced bamboo shoots. The texture was very rich, and everyone liked it. We actually came here for the roast lamb, but after arriving, we found that the roast lamb at the Zhanlan Road branch was more than twice as expensive as at the Chaoyangmen branch. It was a bit too pricey, so we didn't order it.
Hongbinlou has long been Beijing's most expensive traditional halal stir-fry restaurant. It has always used the title of "Beijing's Number One Halal Restaurant," and I think it really lives up to the name. Every time I come here to eat, I never order a bad dish. Everything is delicious and worth the price. I can usually eat two bowls of rice with their stir-fried dishes like the honey-glazed lamb (ta simi), braised meat strips (ba routiao), and stir-fried chicken with bean paste.
Hongbinlou was founded in Tianjin in 1853 and moved to Beijing in 1955. Its "beef and lamb cooking techniques (Hongbinlou whole sheep banquet production techniques)" are listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, the whole sheep banquet was a high-level feast in traditional Muslim restaurants in the Beijing-Tianjin area. Hongbinlou's famous chef Song Shaoshan created a signature banquet featuring 120 dishes.
Cracking melon seeds while watching a movie.
I used the leftover cut noodles from making dumplings to make minced meat and eggplant noodles.
February 4, 798 electric grilled skewers.
While walking around 798, I found an electric skewer shop run by Hui Muslims from Niujie. We ordered lamb skewers, chicken skewers, and grilled prawns. I wanted to try the boneless grilled hairtail, but unfortunately, it was sold out. The shop has many old photos of Niujie and some vintage items.
February 4, Kolkata restaurant Sadhu.
After seeing the exhibition at the Guanfu Museum, Zainab said she really wanted to drink yogurt, so we headed straight to the place Zainab thinks makes the best yogurt in Beijing—the Indian Kolkata Muslim restaurant Sadhu in Beiluogu Lane. Their thin yogurt drink (lassi) is well-deservedly the best in Beijing. For thick yogurt, I still have to say it's the Kashgar Mahmut Restaurant on Baiyunguan Street.
Lassi comes from the Sanskrit word Lasika, which originally meant serum. Lassi comes in sweet and salty versions. The sweet version is mainly found in the Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Sindh regions, while the salty version is widely distributed in other parts of North India. Sadhu's lassi tastes slightly sweet and is mainly defined by the aroma of the yogurt, which is why Zainab likes it the most.
Besides the thin lassi, I also ordered a vegetable yogurt called raita, which had diced cucumber and diced carrots in it. I think it is very refreshing when paired with curry. Raita is a Hindi word formed by combining the Sanskrit words "rajika" and "tiktaka," which originally meant "black mustard seeds" and "pungent," because making raita requires frying black mustard seeds and cumin before mixing them into chopped vegetables and then adding them to the yogurt.
We ordered two types of curry, beef Bhuna and vegetable Korma. Bhuna means 'fried' in Urdu. It usually includes onion, ginger, and garlic. The curry is fried in hot oil until it becomes a thick paste. I think it tastes better than regular curry. Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The word 'Korma' comes from the Turkic word 'Qawirma,' which originally meant fried. In Urdu, the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
When ordering a main dish at Saduli, I usually choose South Asian flatbread (Naan) or fried rice (Biryani). This time, I picked something I had never tried there before: raisin pilaf (Shejhani Pulao). The style of cooking rice in a large pot only became popular from Andalusia to Afghanistan during the Abbasid Caliphate. The word pilaf (Pilāv) comes from Persian. The earliest record of pilaf dates back to the 10th century in the writings of the Persian scholar Ibn Sina, so some people call him the father of modern pilaf. After the 16th century, pilaf became popular in India along with the rise of the Mughal Empire.
We also ordered grilled salmon (Tikka). Tikka comes from the Turkic word tikkü, which means 'piece.' The Mughal Empire brought this method of grilling spice-marinated boneless meat or vegetable chunks to India. The most common Tikka is chicken.
February 5, Xilaisun
After listening to Wang Yuebo perform the Sword Hero Map (Jianxia Tu) at the Lao She Teahouse, I strolled to Xilaisun at Hepingmen for dinner. It was super busy after four o'clock. It seems Beijingers don't want to cook at home during the Chinese New Year, haha.
Zainab pushed me to try something new instead of always ordering their stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding) and Ma Lianliang duck. We ordered meatballs in sauce (liu wanzi), braised mixed vegetables (shao quansu), and dry-braised sturgeon (gan shao xunyu), plus our must-order bamboo shoot jasmine soup. I have to say, everything at Xilaisun tastes good. Their meatballs in sauce have a great texture! At least they are stuffed much better than the fillings at some unnamed restaurants where you can actually taste the meat, while other places just taste like starch. Their dry-braised sturgeon isn't the traditional Shandong cuisine (Lu cuisine) style. It's sweet, sour, and spicy, which feels a bit like the Southwest region. I really like it! The sturgeon has no bones, so it's great to eat with rice. I noticed that besides the Ma Lianliang duck, the dry-braised sturgeon was the most popular dish on every table. The chef has to go catch a fish from the tank every little while.
February 7, Beef Stew
I made old-fashioned beef stew with green beans, button mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. I personally think it tastes better than what you get in restaurants! It takes at least an hour and a half to make, so I don't usually have time for it.
February 8, Changying Equator Yakiniku Lunch Set
A twisty and surprising lunch experience in Changying at noon. First, we went to a Korean barbecue place, but it was closed for a break. Then we tried a Qiqihar-style barbecue place we like, but they had just stopped serving five minutes earlier so the staff could go for COVID testing, so we had to go to a Japanese-style restaurant called Chidao BBQ. To our surprise, Chidao BBQ now offers Japanese set meals (teishoku) for lunch! This must be the only halal Japanese set meal in Beijing.
We bought teriyaki chicken rice and beef sukiyaki, and also ordered matsutake mushroom soup and fried squid tentacles. The set meal comes with a salad, steamed egg custard (chawanmushi), miso soup, seaweed salad, and a mochi dessert (daifuku). The teriyaki chicken rice tasted pretty good! Next time I want to try the beef rice. Actually, you can also order the sukiyaki as a single dish that comes with rice.
February 12, Maidebao
We ate steak pizza and a small whole chicken at Maidebao in Galaxy SOHO, Chaoyangmen. Their pizza is packed with toppings; the crust is crispy and the middle is tender, which gives it a great texture that both Zainab and I really love. The owners are very warm toward fellow Muslims (dosti), and if they aren't busy, we always chat about the faith, so visiting them is a treat for both the spirit and the stomach.
February 15, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) made by Zainab.
I just love the hand-pulled noodles Zainab makes; it's a real perk of being a Xinjiang son-in-law.
Sweet rice balls (yuanxiao) and almond tofu in Changying.
February 16, Yanlanlou at Dongsishitiao.
At Yanlanlou in Dongsishitiao, we ate a pound of lamb neck, hand-pulled noodles (lamian), sweet pea soup (huidouzi), three kinds of small mushrooms, pea sprout soup with beans, and corn steamed cake (fagao). I personally prefer their lamb neck because it is leaner than the rib meat. I think their meat is quite tender for Beijing standards! Of course, it still doesn't compare to the one I had at Fuyuan Noodle Restaurant in Yinchuan, which was the most tender lamb neck I have ever eaten.
Actually, every time I go to Yanlanlou, I order the lentil and sparrow-tongue noodles; the slightly sour, warm soup is perfect for winter, but this time I saw everyone at the next table eating hand-pulled noodles, so I got tempted and changed my order on the spot, haha. In the summer, I prefer their fermented vegetable noodles (jiangshuimian), as the fermented broth is very refreshing. They also serve sturgeon and mandarin fish made with fermented vegetable broth (jiangshui), though I am not sure how they taste.
Zainab likes their pea sprout soup with beans (doutang wandou miao), which is like a vegetable porridge and hard to find in other restaurants. We packed some corn steamed cake (yumi fagao) to take home, and it tastes even better when toasted in a pan the next day.
February 18: Made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home.
I made zucchini pancakes (hutazi) and stir-fried kohlrabi strips with meat at home. The zucchini pancakes were a bit thick, but they still tasted good. The kohlrabi strips were stir-fried in lamb fat.
February 20: Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) at Xiting Xiuse.
We had Turkish clay pot beef (Testikebabı) for lunch at Xiting Xiuse. The chef cracked the pot open when serving, just like when I last had it in Istanbul!
Testikebabı is a popular dish in central Anatolia and the western Black Sea region. It is made by putting beef, mushrooms, tomatoes, and shallots into a clay pot, sealing the opening with bread, and slow-cooking it in an oven. After it is cooked, they heat butter on an iron plate, crack the pot open, and pour the bread and stew onto the plate. It smells amazing!
Zainab and I both love Testikebabı. The tomato flavor is so rich, and it is delicious dipped with bread. The beef is quite lean, so those who prefer a mix of fat and lean meat might find it a bit dry.
We had a very rich Turkish brunch at Xiting Xiuse, and Zainab ordered her favorite chickpea dip (Hummus).
There were four types of cheese: Greek feta sheep milk cheese, Turkish Tulum goat milk cheese, Turkish Eski kaşar sheep and goat milk blend, and southern Italian Mozzarella buffalo milk cheese.
In Turkish, Tulum refers to cheese aged inside a goat skin. The traditional method involves stuffing the cheese into a goat skin, tying it tightly with rope, and keeping it in a cellar or cave at 10-12 degrees for up to 6 months. Eski kaşar is a hard yellow cheese that can be stored for up to 3 years after air-drying.
Then there were 3 types of Turkish jam, 2 types of Turkish olives, sesame paste (Tahini), grape molasses (Pekmez), clotted cream (Kaymak), Turkish honey, Turkish fried spring rolls (Sigara Böreği), Turkish beef sausage with eggs (Sucuklu yumurta), bread, cucumbers, and other dishes.
Tahini comes from Levantine Arabic and originally meant to grind. As the Ottoman Empire expanded, this sesame paste spread to the eastern Mediterranean, southern Caucasus, and North Africa, becoming a common bread dip in Middle Eastern restaurants. In Turkey, sesame paste (Tahini) is usually served with grape molasses (Pekmez). Pekmez comes from a Turkic language and first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects written by Mahmud al-Kashgari in the 1070s. Pekmez is a syrup made by boiling grapes with crushed carob seeds, sometimes with added pomegranate or mulberry.
The word Kaymak comes from a Turkic language and originally meant to melt, also appearing first in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. Kaymak is made by simmering milk for 2 hours, then letting it cool and ferment for several days, resulting in a milk fat content as high as 60%.
The sujuk in sujuklu yumurta first appeared in the Compendium of the Turkic Dialects. It is made by grinding beef, adding tail fat and other fats, stuffing it into casings, tying it with string, and then letting it ferment slowly.
February 25: Mother-in-law's huoldun.
On my mother-in-law's first day in Beijing, we ate huoldun soaked in naan, made with a front leg of lamb she carried all the way from Urumqi!
February 25: Mother-in-law's big plate chicken with belt noodles.
The second meal my mother-in-law made was big plate chicken with belt noodles (dapanji pidaimian). She brought the free-range chicken with her from Urumqi.
February 26: Mother-in-law's lamb hand-torn noodles.
The third meal my mother-in-law made was lamb hand-torn noodles (jiupianzi).
February 26: The Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun.
We ate the famous Syrian snack, Arais beef pies, at the Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights in Sanlitun. Arais is known as a Syrian sandwich. It is made by stuffing pita bread with meat, brushing it with oil, and grilling it. The grilled pita bread is very crispy, and the meat filling is very tender. Arais comes in chicken, lamb, and beef versions, and sometimes cheese is added.
Arais is the plural form of the Arabic word for bride. People think this dish symbolizes a wedding between the white pita bread, like a wedding dress, and the meat filling, so brides in some places eat Arais at their weddings.
We had kofta meatball yogurt, eggplant puree kebab, chickpeas with tomatoes and vegetables, rice porridge soup, lentil soup, and vegetable soup. The owner served every dish politely.
February 28: Iftar for the Night of Ascension.
For the Iftar on the Night of Ascension, my mother-in-law made meatball soup using meat ground fresh on Douban Hutong. The secret to fried meatballs is to pour hot oil into the meat mixture first!
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 19 views • 2026-05-18 03:19
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Summary: Beijing Winter Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Halal Food, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Everything I ate in Beijing between December 2021 and February 2022, starting with the resumption of Jumu'ah prayers in Beijing and ending with the Night Journey (Isra and Mi'raj) dinner. Thinking about winter during the summer, it feels so good to dine in at restaurants.
December 3, Xinyuezhai at Douban Hutong.
Alhamdulillah, the mosques in Beijing have finally opened. I attended Jumu'ah at Nandouyacai Mosque, then went to the nearby Xinyuezhai for beef noodles and a small bowl of beef.
December 4, clear-stewed lamb spine (yangxiezi).
I bought some lamb spine at the entrance of the Chaoyangmen Life Supermarket and made clear-stewed lamb spine at home.
You can add green beans and mushrooms to the leftover clear-stewed lamb spine.
December 9, Gulou Chimian at Jinbao Street.
After work, I went to Gulou Chimian on Jinbao Street to have my favorite braised lamb and Sichuan peppercorn noodle soup (huajiao cuamian). I never get tired of it, and even though they have so many kinds of noodles, I rarely try anything else. I also had the newly added deep-fried crispy pork (xiaosurou), which was quite fragrant and worth ordering again.
December 10, Longxianghui's flatbread stew (hubo).
The Gansu Pingliang restaurant Longxianghui on Dongsi North Street added flatbread stew, meat sauce noodles (saozimian), and cold noodles to their menu. I tried the flatbread stew last night, and it really suits my taste. Pingliang flatbread stew is the opposite of lamb pita soup (yangrou paomo). For lamb pita soup, you have to eat the semi-leavened bread quickly after soaking it, but for flatbread stew, the longer the fried dough sticks (youbangzi) soak, the better they taste.
December 17, home-cooked meal.
I made braised pomfret with diced potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers. Zainabu made braised eggplant with green beans and onions (piyanzi) with wood ear mushrooms. Zainabu's braised eggplant and green beans capture the essence of our Beijing home cooking, and I love it so much.
December 18, Urumqi Office in Beijing.
After visiting the Xinqiao Market at noon, I went to the Urumqi Office in Beijing at Chegongzhuang. I realized I hadn't been there in seven years. This was the Xinjiang restaurant I visited most when I was a kid. Most of my childhood memories of Xinjiang food come from here. I definitely didn't expect back then that I would eventually become a son-in-law from Urumqi, haha.
I ordered horse sausage (machangzi) and vegetable pilaf (zhuafan) to make my own horse sausage pilaf. The pilaf was oily and delicious, but the horse sausage wasn't oily enough and felt a bit dry. The grilled meat (kaorou) tasted great. The baked buns (kaobaozi) weren't very crispy, and I finished by ordering a mixed vegetable stew (huicai).
December 26, chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House Niujiufen.
Passing through Xihongmen in Daxing, I ate at the chain restaurant Quanzhou Beef House (Niujiufen) inside the Livat shopping center. The famous Xue Family (Xuejia), known as the number one hot pot in southern Beijing from the Hui Muslim village of Xueying in Daxing, has opened three halal restaurants in Livat: Speed Pizza, Niujiufen, and Lou Sanshao. They are all halal, though you cannot tell from the outside.
I ate Quanzhou-style beef ribs, beef soup, abalone sauce vermicelli (mianxian), and drank seaweed jelly (shihuagao) made from agar-agar. Zainab really likes the taste of the Quanzhou-style soy-braised beef; it is not greasy and a little sweet.
December 27, Muyixuan Lamb Spine Hot Pot.
In the evening, I ate lamb spine hot pot at Muyixuan in Ping'anli.
January 9, Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street.
Ali Restaurant on Shenlu Street uses pilaf (zhuafan) inside their rice sausages. It is the most authentic I have had in Beijing, and the other dishes were quite good too. The meat in the pilaf was very fragrant, though the liver slices were a bit tough.
Account.
January 10, Syrian restaurant One Thousand and One Nights.
It is my second wedding anniversary with Zainab, so we celebrated at One Thousand and One Nights after work. One Thousand and One Nights is a long-standing Arabic restaurant in Beijing. The owner is Syrian, and the shop opened in 2004, making it 17 years old now. When I was in middle school, I would pass by their place every time I went home from Chaoyang Park. Back then, they were the symbol of a high-end restaurant in my mind, perfectly matching the vibe of the embassy district. At that time, the major shopping malls in Sanlitun had not been built yet, so their place was really eye-catching. In the blink of an eye, more than ten years have passed, and I can finally afford to eat at One Thousand and One Nights.
To this day, One Thousand and One Nights remains the highest-class, most diverse, and best-tasting Arabic restaurant in Beijing. We ordered seafood soup, Kofta meatball soup, pine nut hummus, mozzarella cheese salad, Kashkash kebab, lamb mandi rice in a tagine, and cauliflower with eggplant. Except for the cauliflower and eggplant being a bit oily, everything else was delicious. Their lamb mandi rice is definitely the best I have had in Beijing. The lamb is fresh and tender, and the rice is filled with saffron, raisins, cashews, and various spices, making it smell amazing. The Kashkash kebab is made with parsley, green and red peppers, and garlic, which I think is a Syrian specialty.
January 14, Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen.
My second visit to Madeburg inside Chaoyangmen; I ordered a whole chicken, fries, and milk tea. I have fallen in love with their freshly made whole chicken. It is much better than burgers, haha. Putting on gloves and tearing it apart to eat is very satisfying. Freshly fried french fries are, of course, both fragrant and have a great texture. Boss Zhang said he found that pizza baked a little longer tastes even better than the standard way, so he shared one with me. I found that pizza baked a bit longer has a scent like naan bread and is both crispy and crunchy, haha.
Before leaving, I received a distributed Islamic calendar from Maidebao. When I got home, I took down the one from last year issued by the Grace Bookstore on Niujie Street and put up the new one. I feel that changing the Islamic calendar every year gives a special sense of ritual that a year has passed. The second month is Isra and Mi'raj, the third is Bara'at, the fourth is the start of Ramadan and Laylat al-Qadr, the fifth is Eid al-Fitr, the seventh is Arafah, Eid al-Adha, and the Islamic New Year, the eighth is Ashura, and the tenth is Mawlid. A new year begins just like that.
January 15, Indian food Mirch Masala.
I ate Indian food at Mirch Masala on Xiushui Street; the shop name 'mirch' means chili pepper. The restaurant is quite small, with two Indian guys, one as the chef and one as the waiter. It is not big but the food is delicious, reminding me of the South Asian eateries found everywhere in Dubai.
We ordered lamb korma curry, chicken biryani rice, masala tea, kadhai paneer (curry tofu), and their homemade yogurt. Putting the curry, rice, and yogurt on a plate and eating them together is especially fragrant. Finally, we packed the korma curry to take home, planning to add a little bit when we stir-fry dishes over the next few days.
Korma is a type of curry stewed with coconut milk or yogurt. The etymology of 'korma' comes from 'Qawirma' in Turkic, which originally meant to fry, but after evolving into the Urdu word 'Qormā', the meaning changed to stew. Korma is a classic Mughal court dish that started in the 16th century. People say Shah Jahan and his guests ate Korma at the banquet for the completion of the Taj Mahal.
Biryani is a Persian loanword in Urdu, also likely originating from the Mughal court. People say the Mughal imperial chefs created it by combining Indian spicy rice with Persian pilaf. In Mughal dynasty documents, the terms 'biryanis' and 'Pulao' (pilaf) appeared separately, and at that time, the two could be used interchangeably. It is generally believed that biryani is mixed with more spices than pilaf and has a stronger curry flavor.
The recipe for masala tea is not fixed, but it basically includes black tea, milk, sugar, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger. Other spices include cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, cloves, and so on.
Kadhai comes from 'Kataha' in the ancient Indian Prakrit dialect, meaning iron pot, which was even mentioned in the Ramayana. This cooking method is relatively popular in northern South Asia and Afghanistan.
January 16, Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant.
In the afternoon, I went to the Kashgar Mahmuti Restaurant near Baiyun Temple. It is a restaurant that opened in 2005, yet this was my first time eating there. I used to stop at Jiasan and never walked any further. Who knew there was such a restaurant right next to Jiasan!
First, look at the shop name, then look at the freshly baked naan at the entrance, and then look at the interior decoration; it is absolutely like arriving in Erdaoqiao in a second. The staff are all Uyghurs, and when we walked in, a large Uyghur family was celebrating a birthday. We ordered yogurt, roasted lamb chops, lamb liver, lamb skewers (chuanr), Kashgar stew (Kashi duncai), and guirou langman. We wanted to order pigeon soup, but the waiter heard dough drop soup (gedatang) instead. Later, he told us they were out of pigeon soup and swapped it for lamb skewers.
Their yogurt is the most authentic thing on the menu! I have never had such authentic Xinjiang yogurt in Beijing. This homemade yogurt is twenty times better than the packaged Xinjiang brands in supermarket freezers, ten times better than the yogurt at chain restaurants like Bayi Laoye, and five times better than the yogurt at Uyghur spots like Baizuan. I would even say that many restaurants in Urumqi don't have yogurt as good as theirs.
The roasted meat is very fragrant and tender, and the liver is better than the one at Ali on Shenlu Street. The lamb chops are a bit tough, but some people love them that way. The meat in the guirou langman is very authentic; it is the kind that is a bit hard after being deep-fried. The noodles (langman) are a bit soft and average, not as good as the ones at Baizuan. The meat in the stew is a bit hard, maybe because they used air-dried meat, so we packed it to go to stew it again at home. Also, they didn't have the meat jelly (jiasha) listed on the menu and used fried tofu puffs instead, but the flavor was still very authentic.
Overall, I think this place is top-tier among Uyghur restaurants in Beijing, right up there with Ali and Baizuan. Next time I want to try their pilaf (zhuafan) to see how it tastes.
January 19, Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon (Wanwan Yueliang)
I ate at the Kuqa Uyghur Restaurant, Crescent Moon, on Dongsi Liutiao before seeing a play in the evening. This is truly the oldest Uyghur restaurant in Dongsi; I have been eating here for over a decade, ever since I was in middle school. To be honest, their quality isn't as good as what I've had in Xinjiang. In Beijing, they only rank as mid-tier, behind Baizuan, Ali, and Maihemuti.
This time I ordered my usuals: kebabs (kawapu), pilaf (poluo), and stew (huo'erdun). The roasted meat is great, no complaints there. The rice in the pilaf is fine, but their minced meat has always been too dry. The stew is the opposite; the potatoes and carrots are delicious, but the lamb chops are too tough and have very little lean meat.
In short, if I want to satisfy my longing for Xinjiang, I would definitely choose Ali or Baizuan first. But if I am in the Dongsi area for an exhibition or a play, grabbing a meal at Crescent Moon is fine too.
January 21, Yangfang Shengli Hot Pot, Liujiayao branch
It rarely snows, so tonight we had a hot pot at Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao, which opened in 2021! Although Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is very famous, this was my first time eating there. I used to think they were mostly in the north, so I was surprised to see one open in the south.
To give a quick introduction, the main branch of Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou is located in a place called Xiguanshi. Hui Muslims from Xiguanshi followed Prince Yan north to Beijing in the early Ming Dynasty. Because they lived near the main trade route from Beijing to Zhangjiakou and were skilled in martial arts, many Xiguanshi Hui Muslims opened security escort agencies outside Qianmen during the Qing Dynasty. They specialized in protecting goods across the five northwestern provinces, mainly serving wealthy Shanxi merchants. People say Li Wuye, the master of the magic pellet in the novel 'Shi Gong An', was a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. The depictions of Li Guoliang, the 'Little Hero of the Golden Bow', and the Dongguangyu Escort Agency outside Qianmen in the novel 'Yongzheng Jianxia Tu' vividly show the life of the Xiguanshi Hui Muslim escort agencies during the Qing Dynasty. Because it sits on the essential path to the Mongolian grasslands, the mutton hot pot here is also very famous.
I feel that the Yangfang Shengli Shuanrou in Liujiayao is excellent in terms of environment, service, meat quality, and vegetable freshness. Our family was very satisfied, and we will come here often for gatherings. We ordered their whole lamb combo (lamb brain, 'half-side cloud' flank, lamb tendon, lamb spine, lamb 'emperor' cut, lamb rib, and lamb shoulder), a vegetable platter, crunchy tripe mushrooms, and frozen tofu. First, they opened a bottle of Nongfu Spring water and poured it into the pot, which felt very sincere, haha. They use 6-8 month old black-headed white lambs from Xilingol. The meat is truly fresh, and I personally feel the quality is better than the hot pot places I usually visit near Dongsi (I won't name them). Their pickled garlic (tangsuan) is also homemade, and the flavor is noticeably richer than the store-bought garlic at most hot pot restaurants.
Also, even though the place was very noisy during the dinner rush, the servers came immediately whenever we called. They never ignored us, so it feels like they really know how to run a business.
January 27, Qiqihar BBQ at Toupiqi.
In the evening, we went to Toupiqi BBQ in the Weilaiyu area of Changying. It is a chain of Qiqihar-style BBQ, and this Changying branch is halal. We ordered freshly sliced family-style marinated meat, beef tongue, pickled cabbage (suancai), Dandong yellow clams, Jixi cold noodles (lengmian), and grilled vegetables. At the front desk, we helped ourselves to shredded tofu, peanuts, Korean kimchi, cantaloupe, oranges, and pumpkin porridge. The dipping sauces were also quite varied.
I really liked their yellow clams. When the cold noodles arrived, they were clumped together, likely because they had just come out of the fridge, but the taste was quite good. The marinated meat was okay, but the beef tongue felt a bit tough and the texture wasn't great. Overall, their food is decent, but I personally think their BBQ isn't as good as Qingu (though Qingu's fried chicken isn't great), I still prefer Qingu's BBQ. Speaking of which, Beijing now has Heilongjiang iron pot stew (Hao Shu) and BBQ, we are just missing a traditional Heilongjiang home-style restaurant! There used to be a Heilongjiang restaurant in Xihongmen called Xingyuege. I had their sweet and sour pork (guobaorou) and steamed dumplings (shaomai) there, but unfortunately, they have closed down.
January 29, Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna.
After ice skating in the afternoon, I ate stir-fried lamb liver, braised lamb chops with green beans, and home-style mixed noodles (banmian) at the Uyghur restaurant Xiapuna on Shenlu Street. We arrived at Xinjiang lunch time, and sure enough, all the diners in the room were Uyghur, haha.
Their stir-fried lamb liver is super delicious and incredibly tender. It is better than any grilled liver I have had at restaurants in Beijing, and after eating it, I do not even want to eat grilled liver anymore. The braised lamb chops with green beans (jiangdou) are also great. The beans are actually yardlong beans, and they are crispy and fragrant after being fried. The lamb must be from Xinjiang because it lacks the gamey smell found in Beijing. The flatbread (nang) is an oily version that was fried again, and soaking it in the lamb chop sauce is so appetizing.
The meat in the home-style mixed noodles is delicious, but they give you too little. The overall flavor is a bit bland, and the noodles are so thin that I first thought they were dried noodles (guamian). But they taste chewy, so they must be hand-pulled.
January 31, New Year's Eve dinner.
A dish I made with simple stewed meat.
Stewed meat over rice.
Everyone worked together to knead the dough and mix the filling.
February 1, eating dumplings (jiaozi).
We ate the dumplings as we wrapped them, including lamb with lentils, beef with fennel, and beef with celery, using both Urumqi and Beijing wrapping styles. They were wrapped perfectly and tasted super delicious. Then we opened the Laba garlic (labasuan) that we pickled on Laba Festival, which also turned out great and smelled amazing. We used the leftover dough after finishing the filling to make hand-cut noodles.
Then we had pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao) as well.
Halal Travel Guide: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 29 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details. view all
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details.
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
During Ramadan in 2022, I visited 7 mosques in Beijing. These included four in Changping: Shahe, Wujie, Heying, and Nankou; Chadao Mosque in Yanqing; Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou; and Mishi Hutong Mosque in Xicheng. I am sharing my experiences here.
1. Shahe Mosque
For the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan, I felt very grateful that some mosques in Beijing's Changping, Fangshan, and Tongzhou districts were open. I went to Shahe Mosque for Jumu'ah prayers because it was relatively easy to reach from my home.
During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the main road north of Beijing leading to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe, and Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle there. Shahe Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and renovated twice during the Qing Guangxu reign and the Republican period. It is a typical traditional mosque courtyard in North China.
On the north side of the main hall's porch stands a renovation stele from the 31st year of the Qing Guangxu reign (1905), which records the mosque's restoration between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that local sheep traders donated five wen for every sheep sold and one hundred wen for every cow or camel sold to cover the mosque's various expenses.
The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the main hall's porch records that the mosque renovated its ablution room in 1917, and later collected donations (niatie) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. Among the donors, the first mentioned is the Republican-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a bodyguard officer for Yuan Shikai, eventually being promoted to Lieutenant General for his many contributions. Most of the others listed are various merchant firms, many from Madian outside Deshengmen, with the most famous likely being Donglaishun.
The mosque features works by the famous Arabic calligrapher Haji Chen Jinhui, who taught Arabic calligraphy at the China Islamic Institute for many years.
The Western-style gate built for the mosque in 1920.
A Chinese-style second gate (erdaomen).
2. Mishi Hutong Mosque.
Today, next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain inside a large construction site. They were saved 10 years ago during the Daji area demolition. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a small two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang Restaurant, which opened in 1416 during the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty. The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishi Hutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwestern Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishi Hutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure with three rooms in the north wing and four in the west wing. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed ridge (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side. When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three open-pavilion rooms were added to the south, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting to the south pavilion. This created a semi-enclosed open space on the second floor to serve as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side. You have to pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became the activity center for northwestern Hui Muslims in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were sister mosques that often invited each other's imams to lead prayers.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory, and later it became a residential compound. After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and the former homes of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only two historical buildings remained: the former home of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say that both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former home of Kang Youwei will be renovated and used for other purposes, but I do not know what they will look like then.
For a detailed introduction to the Mishi Hutong Mosque, you can read my article, Beijing's Only Southern-Style Mosque: Mishi Hutong Mosque.
3. Changping Wujie Mosque
The Changping Wujie Mosque under renovation. The Wujie Mosque is also called the Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli era using stone and wood left over from the construction of the Ming Tombs, and the golden nanmu wood beams in the main prayer hall have been preserved to this day.
The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang at the Changping Mosque between 1946 and 1947. Imam Jin Zichang came from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He was an Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya order and managed Jahriyya religious affairs in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. The Imam's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, began studying Jahriyya teachings under Ma Mingxin in 1770. He was later appointed as the Rais in charge of religious affairs in Shandong, Zhili, and Jiangsu, and he founded the Jinjiadian Daotang in Xiguan, Jinan. Imam Jin's great-grandfather, Jin Zhong, once led religious affairs at the Nanshangpo Mosque and Changping Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the rais (leader) of Jahriyya religious affairs in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Southern Great Mosque of Urumqi.
Imam Jin Zichang was originally named Jin Zhiyan. He lost his father as a child and went to Xinjiang at age 9 to live with his grandfather. Later, he went to Gansu to continue his studies. In 1925, he returned to Jinan to manage the Jinjiadian Daotang (a religious hall). In 1928, he was admitted to the Shanghai Islamic Normal College, where he was deeply favored by the great Imam Da Pusheng, who gave him the name Jin Zichang. In 1934, Jin Zichang went to study at Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He went on Hajj in 1936 and returned to China in 1937 to continue managing religious affairs at the Jinjiadian Daotang. Later, Imam Jin managed religious affairs at several mosques, including the Changping Mosque in Beijing, Nanshangpo Mosque, Urumqi Southern Great Mosque, Lanzhou Changjiaxiang Mosque, and Tianshui Taizi Mosque. In 1958, he was placed under isolation and investigation. Shortly after his release, he passed away in 1961 at the age of 59.
Window lattices from the Ming and Qing dynasties, which were removed during a major renovation of the Changping Mosque in the Republican era, were discovered after 1949 inside a spare casket for a maiti (deceased person).
Ancient Quran (Gu Re'ani) copies and traditional scripture school textbooks preserved at the Changping Mosque.
4. Majuqiao Mosque
Going to Majuqiao Mosque in Tongzhou for Jumu'ah prayer. Majuqiao is located on the south bank of the Liangshui River. After the Ming Emperor Chengzu moved the capital, he built the Nanhaizi Royal Hunting Park here. In 1463 (the seventh year of the Tianshun reign), a stone arch bridge was built across the Liangshui River. From then on, Majuqiao became a key road in the capital region, attracting many merchants, and Hui Muslims continuously moved there to do business. The Majuqiao Mosque was built during the Ming Dynasty, renovated during the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1937. In 1999, all the wood, bricks, and tiles from the demolished Niujie Women's Mosque were used to renovate the Majuqiao Mosque, and a towering moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) was added behind the main hall.
Inside the main hall of Majuqiao Mosque, there is a hand-copied Quran (Gure'ani) from the Qing Dynasty, and in front of the hall door, there are beautiful circular flower pedestals made of green sandstone.
Majuqiao has many local elders (gaomu), making it livelier than many mosques in the city. There are also many young people working nearby, which creates a great atmosphere. After the service, there were flower-shaped steamed buns (huajuan) and stone-ground sesame oil (xiaomo xiangyou) distributed by the community members (dost).
Plaques and calligraphy.
5. Heying Mosque.
A mosque was built near Heying in Changping by the early Ming Dynasty at the latest. According to the tombstone record of the sage Bo Hazhi from the 46th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1618), there was a mosque less than a mile northwest of Beishao Village. During the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, the sage Bo Hazhi from the Western Regions passed through Beishao Village, settled in the mosque, and was buried nearby after he passed away (guizhen). According to Uncle Zhang, whose family has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations, the original mosque was destroyed by a flood and later moved outside the gate of Bo Hazhi's tomb. In the 1930s, Uncle Zhang's family raised funds to rebuild the current Heying Mosque.
Currently, the only remaining historical building of Heying Mosque is the north room. You can see that the middle of the walls is built with stones, which were hauled back from the mountains by Uncle Zhang's family back then. After the 1960s, the imam (ahong) was forced to leave. Since then, the mosque has mainly been used for Hui Muslims from other places to visit graves and for local Hui Muslims to hold funeral prayers (maiti). Due to a mistake during the policy implementation in the 1980s, the mosque was not included in the cultural relic protection zone for the Tomb of Bo Hazhi. Because of this, the nearly 100-year-old mosque still has no official status as a protected cultural site. Currently, Uncle Zhang's family is slowly saving money through donations (nieti) from the community and has started planning repairs for the old building.
For more information about the Tomb of Bo Hazhi, please see my diary entry, Visiting the Tomb of the Western Region Sage Bo Hazhi.
On April 23, we visited the Tomb of Bo Hazhi and met many new friends. The praise for the Prophet (zansheng) sung by the Jahriyya was beautiful.
6. Nankou Mosque
Nankou is the first gateway from Beijing to Datong, Xuanhua, and the Mongolian grasslands via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It was also the final line of defense for the capital and has been a strategic military location since ancient times. According to the Zizhi Tongjian, the Northern Qi dynasty built a Great Wall from Nankou to Datong in 555 (the sixth year of the Tianbao era). It was rebuilt many times during the Northern Wei, Liao, and Jin dynasties. The Mongol army fought a decisive battle against the Jin army here before breaking through the defense line to enter the Jin capital, Zhongdu.
To resist the Mongol invasion, the Ming dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle era), which was later rebuilt several times. After the Qing dynasty, as trade with the grasslands flourished, Nankou City was filled with shops and busy with traveling merchants. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the trade in Nankou City was gradually replaced by the Nankou town area near the railway station to the south.
Today, Nankou City still has its south wall and south gate, as well as watchtowers on the east and west mountains. The Nankou city wall is unique because it is built with river pebbles. As time passed, the city wall has now sunk one meter into the ground.
Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is believed to have been built during the Ming Dynasty. The mosque houses a stone tablet from the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894) titled "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture." It records that Imam Yang Xiaoshan from Shixia City in Miyun was hired by Nankou Mosque in 1876. He traveled everywhere to raise donations (nietie), then built the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang moved to Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County. Nankou Mosque then hired Imam Shan Hong'en, who continued to build a water room next to the well and a main gate in the northeast corner. The current Nankou Mosque generally maintains the layout from its reconstruction during the Guangxu reign.
Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not been open since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. There were plans to reopen it, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. Between 2020 and 2021, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office carried out another renovation of the mosque.
The "Record of the Reconstruction of Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture" tablet from 1894 in front of the main hall was written by Ma Zhaoqing, a Hui Muslim from Xiguanshi. He was dedicated to writing local chronicles, authored the "Changping Waizhi," and also wrote couplets for the Xiguanshi Mosque. The back of the stone tablet lists the donors who contributed to the reconstruction of Nankou Mosque during the Guangxu reign, serving as very precious historical material for the Hui Muslim community.
The officials who donated include the Yanqing Prefecture Magistrate (zheng tang), the Fangshan Garrison Commander (shou fu), and officials from the Zhangjiaying Department, the Second Department, the Wanquanying Administration, the Zhangjiaying Administration, and the Shandianhe Department. The zheng tang was the chief official of the prefecture, and the shou fu was a military defense officer. Zhangjiaying and Wanquanying were both Green Standard Army (Luying) units in Xuanhua Town, Zhili Province. Wanquanying is now Wanquan District in Zhangjiakou.
The businesses that donated money included horse traders, camel caravan operators from the east and west gates, sheep traders from the west gate, and tea merchants from Tongzhou. These are all witnesses to the modern-day 'Zou Xikou' migration and the 'Tea Horse Road'.
As many as 20 Hui Muslim merchant shops in Nankou town donated funds, which shows how busy Nankou was at that time. These shops were Yuanyuancheng, Deshenghao, Deshenggong, Yonghegong, Yongshenghe, Qingyugong, Yuanshengchang, Yonghehao, Yongyuanchang, Demaoju, Xiechenghao, Kangjiadian, Guangxingdian, Fuyuandian, Jintaide, Beifuxing, Heshenghao, Wangwenzhao, Jinheqing, and Yutongju.
Local Hui Muslim donors from Beijing included those from Changping Prefecture, Shahe Town, and Xiguanshi Village in Changping; Chadaocheng in Yanqing; Miyun County, Gubeikou, and Shixia Town in Miyun; as well as Tongzhou, Qinghe Town, outside Chongwenmen, and Madian outside Deshengmen. These were all Hui Muslim residential areas focused on trade, mostly located along the official road leading from outside the Great Wall into Beijing. Among these, the areas outside Chongwenmen and Madian were the most concentrated centers for Beijing's halal sheep trade. Outside Chongwenmen, there were the North and South Sheep Markets. The North Sheep Market was where Hui Muslims sold live sheep raised in the Northwest, while the South Sheep Market was the hub for Hui Muslims to slaughter and sell mutton. Madian was the main base for Beijing's sheep trade. Many people traveled thousands of miles to drive sheep from the Mongolian grasslands outside the Great Wall to Madian, where sheep shops sold them to various mutton stalls across Beijing. The stone inscription records five sheep shops that donated funds: Yuanhe, Demao, Yongli, Xinxing, and Hengde.
Heading north from Madian, the Hui Muslim donors came from Qinghe Town, Shahe Town, and Changping Prefecture, before reaching Nankou. Qinghe and Shahe were both commercially prosperous because they were located on the official road leading out of the pass, which led Hui Muslims to settle there. donors included those from Xiguanshi, an important Hui Muslim village near Nankou. The Hui Muslims there were skilled at running security escort agencies (biaoju) and made a living by providing protection for those traveling the 'Zou Xikou' route. Continuing north from Nankou is Chadao City, which was a very important fortress. The Yushanguan restaurant was funded by the descendants of Yu Wannian, a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County who served as a garrison commander in Chadao in the ninth year of the Xianfeng reign (1859). To this day, the Yu family remains the only Hui Muslim household in Chadao City.
Leaving Chadao City, you enter the area of present-day Zhangjiakou City. The Hui Muslims who provided funding came from Shacheng Fort (Shacheng Town, Huailai County), Jiu Bao'an (Zhuolu County), Langwo (Zhuolu County), Xuanhua Prefecture (Xuanhua District), and the upper and lower forts of Zhangjiakou (Zhangjiakou urban area). Traveling out of the pass from Zhangjiakou, the Hui Muslims who provided funding reached as far as important trading ports on the Mongolian Plateau, such as Guihua City (Hohhot), Duolun (Duolun County, Xilin Gol League), and Kulun (Ulaanbaatar). some of the Hui Muslims who provided funding came from southern Hebei, including Xiling Yizhou (Yi County) and Tangjiazhuang (Dingzhou) in Baoding, as well as Suning County and Hejian Prefecture in Cangzhou. This may be related to the fact that Imam Yang Xiaoshan once lived in Hejian.
The ancient cypress tree preserved in the courtyard is the only relic from the Ming Dynasty in the mosque.
The South Lecture Hall, built in 1879, now only has its foundation remaining.
The North Quiet Room, built in 1880.
The water well, built in 1881.
Brick carvings on the main hall.
7. Chadao Mosque.
Chadao City is the first fortress gate when entering Beijing from outside the Great Wall via the Jundu Pass, one of the eight passes of the Taihang Mountains. It served as an outpost for Juyong Pass. From here, you can head west through Huailai to reach Xuanhua and Zhangjiakou, or head north to reach Yanqing and Yongning, which is why it is called Chadao, meaning 'Forked Road'. Chadao City was built in 1473 during the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt with brick reinforcements twice during the Jiajing and Longqing reigns and served as an important pass to defend against Mongol invasions. After the Qing Dynasty began, Chadao City became a key route for merchants traveling to the capital from the northwest. Trade grew frequent, the city became increasingly prosperous, and many shops and inns opened. To meet the needs of traveling Hui Muslim merchants, a mosque was built inside the city.
The exact founding date of the Chadao Mosque is unknown. According to the late Qing Dynasty record 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture,' a Hui Muslim from Xuanhua County named Yu Wannian was appointed as a local military officer (bazong) in Chadao in 1859. After he left office, his descendants settled there. Later, Hui Muslim families named Li and Jin also moved to Chadao, bringing the total number of Hui Muslims to 51. In the book 'Outside the City Walls,' a collection of Beijing oral histories by Ding Yizhuang, a Hui Muslim named Li Shouxun from Xiguanshi says his great-uncle opened a shop in Chadao City and eventually settled there. This confirms the record in the 'Summary of Local Gazetteers of Yanqing Prefecture' about the Li family of Hui Muslims living in Chadao City. According to a 1894 stone tablet titled 'Record of the Reconstruction of the Nankou Mosque in Yanqing Prefecture,' three businesses from Chadao City donated to the Nankou Mosque: Yushengguan, Jinmanhe, and Ma Ahong. Yushengguan was run by the descendants of the Chadao military officer Yu Wannian, Jinman was a Hui Muslim who later settled in Chadao, and Ma Ahong was likely the imam of the Chadao Mosque.
The Chadao Mosque was renovated in 1957 but destroyed in the 1960s. It was never restored, and only the Yu family remained as the sole Hui Muslim household in Chadao City. After enduring many hardships and overcoming numerous difficulties, the Yu family finally started rebuilding the mosque in 2008, and it officially opened in October 2012. The rebuilt mosque follows the traditional connected-roof (goulianda) style. The prayer hall (yaodian) does not have a protruding roof, and there is no front porch (baoxia), making it quite small and delicate. Although the Chadao Mosque now serves only the Yu family, it is the only mosque in Yanqing and provides great convenience for Muslims working in the area. Some Muslims from Beijing also travel here specifically to attend Friday prayers at Chadao Mosque, making the mosque very busy on Fridays.
I visited Chadao Mosque during the May Day holiday and received a warm welcome from Imam Zhang. Imam Zhang is from Mengcun, Cangzhou. He took over from Imam He in 2019 and works with the mosque management committee director, Uncle Yu, to keep the mosque running smoothly. The mosque was closed this year due to the pandemic, so Imam Zhang stayed at the mosque the whole time. That day, Imam Zhang went to the mountain behind the mosque to pick some dandelions to dry. Dried dandelions taste great when steeped in water or eaten with dipping sauce.
Across from the mosque is Yuxinzhai, a place run by the Yu family where you can eat and stay overnight. Since it was Ramadan, I did not visit, but I will definitely go back to Yuxinzhai to try the food once this wave of the pandemic ends.
I originally planned to go to Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping with my friends (dostani) for Eid prayers, but I could not go for well-known reasons. Insha'Allah, I will have to wait for another chance to go.
So, I decided to visit Gubeikou Mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun, for Eid instead. See my diary entry 'Visiting the Ancient Mosque in Gubeikou' for details.
Halal Travel Guide: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 27 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source. view all
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Summary: Seven Beijing Mosques in Ramadan is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Ramadan Travel, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Halal Travel Guide: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 28 views • 2026-05-18 02:56
Reposted from the web
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir. view all
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir.
Summary: Gubeikou Mosque — Muslim Heritage Near the Great Wall is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. The account keeps its focus on Gubeikou Mosque, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
On the first day after Eid al-Fitr, I decided to visit the mosque in Gubeikou, Miyun. I left home just after 5:00 a.m. to catch the Huaimi suburban railway line at Beijing North Station. The Baikui shop on Kuanjie Street was already open at 5:30 a.m., so I bought a savory crepe (jianbing), tofu pudding (doufunao), and tea-boiled eggs (chajidan). The tofu pudding had plenty of meat in it!
You don't need to enter the main train station to catch the Huaimi line; you can board right from the underground plaza at the Xizhimen subway exit, which is very convenient.
I ate my breakfast after getting on the train.
I arrived in Gubeikou after more than two hours. Gubeikou train station sits halfway up Wohu Mountain. The Great Wall is above it, and a wooden boardwalk leading to Hexi Village is below. The scenery is beautiful.
I arrived at the Gubeikou Mosque at the east end of the village, and a Hui Muslim man from the neighborhood opened the door for me. The original construction date of the mosque is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty inside the mosque records that it was renovated in the second year of the Chongzhen reign (1629).
During the Kangxi reign, Gubeikou was a vital military hub for the Emperor's campaigns against the Dzungars and served as an imperial route for his trips to Rehe for hunting and inspections. In the 32nd year of the Kangxi reign (1693), a military camp called Liulinying was established on the mountain in Hexi, Gubeikou, and was guarded by a large force. In the 34th year of the Kangxi reign (1695), a Hui Muslim officer named Ma Jinliang was transferred to Gubeikou to serve as the regional commander due to his military achievements. In the 42nd year of the Kangxi reign (1703), he was promoted to commander-in-chief of the Zhili region. People called him General Ma the Hui, and he was stationed in Hexi Village, Gubeikou. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang oversaw the renovation of the Gubeikou Mosque. The current mosque is basically the same size as it was after that renovation during the Kangxi reign. Ma Jinliang also rebuilt the tomb of Bo Hazhi Shaihai Baba in Heying, Changping. The tomb still keeps a stone tablet inscribed by Ma Jinliang in the 53rd year of the Kangxi reign (1714).
As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Liulinying was abolished in the 16th year of the Guangxu reign (1890), and Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was taken over by the brigade headquarters, and religious activities stopped. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but religious activities have not resumed to this day.
On the east side of the main hall are the north and south side rooms. Like the Heying Mosque in Changping, they are built with stone in the middle and bricks around the edges, which is a traditional feature of mountain architecture. I only noticed the original murals preserved on the side rooms when I looked at my photos later. It is a pity I was careless and did not record them. I hope fellow friends (dost) who visit in the future can take pictures and share them.
Outside the south side room sits a casket for the deceased (maiti). When the faith in a community declines, a mosque gradually changes from a place for Allah's worship into a place only for funeral rites (maiti). The next step is abandonment. I have encountered all these situations during my travels.
In the middle of the courtyard stands a pavilion-style building. The stone tablet lying on the ground next to it was unearthed earlier. It is still unclear if it is a tablet pavilion or the remains of a hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) from the second courtyard. On the east side of the pavilion are some foundation stones. According to the layout of traditional northern mosques, these should be the remains of the main gate and the gatehouse (daozuofang).
The brick carvings of dua and colorful paintings at Gubeikou Mosque.
The tablet from the 9th year of the Chongzhen reign in the courtyard commemorates a renovation, but unfortunately, the text is too worn to read.
The National Library also holds a stone tablet record from the Gubeikou Mosque dated 1870, the ninth year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It records that in 1870, the late Qing general Zheng Kuishi, who was the Gubeikou commander at the time, joined local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate funds to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), expanding it from one story to two.
Right next to the south side of the mosque lives the Hui Muslim uncle who holds the key. This is a very beautiful traditional courtyard, and the main house features exquisite brick carvings. I originally wanted to visit, but the uncle later rode off on his three-wheeled motorcycle and never came back, which was another regret of this trip.
Some Hui Muslims still live at the east end of Hexi Village, mostly with the surnames Ha and Ma, who are descendants of the former Gubeikou garrison. In the village's East Stockade (Dongzhazi), I saw a house with a Bismillah door plaque (tasimi mendu), which is also a very traditional residence inside. The East Stockade (Dongzhazi) is the former east gate of the Liulin Camp.
Crossing the Chao River eastward from Hexi Village brings you to Gubeikou Village. There is a halal snack shop here, but unfortunately, the owner hadn't started cooking because they weren't offering dine-in service. I will have to try it next time.
The village preserves many historical sites, including an old stone bridge built in 1378, the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, where the stone slabs on the bridge deck are connected by iron clamps.
Gubeikou Town is located between Shanhai Pass and Juyong Pass, serving as an important gateway to the capital from Mongolia and the Northeast. The town was built in 1378 (the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Xu Da on the foundation of the Northern Qi Great Wall, and it was extensively renovated in 1567 (the first year of the Longqing reign of the Ming Dynasty) under the direction of Qi Jiguang. After the Japanese army occupied Gubeikou in 1933, they tore down the north gate, which was then restored in 2012. North of Gubeikou is the Crouching Tiger Mountain (Wohushan) Great Wall. The mountain top looks like two tigers lying down. It faces the Panlong Mountain Great Wall to the south, and together they guard the main pass at Gubeikou.
I took a green-skinned train back. The carriage was very empty. With the green fans and windows that actually open, it felt just like being a kid again.
The train stops at every small station.
The train passes through the Miyun Reservoir.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 02:39
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens. view all
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens.
Summary: Beijing Mishi Hutong Mosque — Southern-Style Architecture is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Mosques, Mishi Hutong, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Today, tucked behind construction hoardings next to the Caishikou subway station in Beijing, two historical buildings remain from the Daji area demolition ten years ago. One of them is the famous former residence of Kang Youwei. The other is a two-story building that once housed the old Bianyifang restaurant, which first opened in the 14th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty (1416). The old Bianyifang closed in 1937 due to the war. Soon after, Hui Muslims from the five northwestern provinces living in Beijing raised over 10,000 yuan to buy the building. After renovations, it officially became the Mishihutong Mosque on January 1, 1940, and also served as the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association.
The building housing the Mishihutong Mosque was originally built in the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. It started as an L-shaped structure made of three northern rooms and four western rooms. It featured a hard-mountain roof with a rolled-shed style (yingshan juanpeng ding) and a suspended-mountain open corridor (xuanshan changlang) connected together, with a garden on the east side.
The old Mishihutong area has been completely leveled, leaving only the mosque building.
A view of the mosque from the northeast.
A view of the mosque from the north. The north building is on the left and the west building is on the right. You can see the simple gray brick walls and arched windows.
On the connected roof of the north building, you can see exquisite hanging eaves (daogua meizi), wooden railings, and brick carvings.
When it was converted into a mosque in 1940, three southern open-hall rooms were added, changing the L-shaped layout into a U-shaped one. At the same time, a two-story flat-roofed open hall was built in the recessed area, connecting with the southern open-hall rooms to create a semi-enclosed space on the second floor used as the main prayer hall. After the renovation, the building only kept a small courtyard on the east side, and you must pass through the open hall to enter each room, which is a typical feature of southern architecture.
Looking at the mosque from south to north, the west building is on the left, and the south open-style pavilion (changxuan) added in 1940 is on the right.
Looking at the mosque from east to west, the south open-style pavilion is on the left, and the connected north building is on the right.
The flat-roofed open hall (changting) added in 1940.
The exquisite wooden lattice screens and door lintel carvings on the first floor of the mosque, along with some abandoned rooms. You can see that time stopped here in April 2012, exactly 10 years ago.
In the 1940s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque became a center for Hui Muslims from the northwest living in Beijing, with Imam Ye Liangpu serving as the first head imam. At that time, the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the Tianqiao Mosque, also built during the Republic of China era, were brother mosques that would invite each other's imams.
After the 1960s, the Mishi Hutong Mosque was turned into a dormitory for a toy factory and later became a residential compound.
After the Daji area southeast of Caishikou was demolished, more than 30 guild halls, various temples, shops, and former residences of famous people were turned into ruins. By 2012, only the former residence of Kang Youwei and the Mishi Hutong Mosque remained as historical buildings. It is a pity that the original gate of the Mishi Hutong Mosque, which featured traditional Arabic calligraphy, has been torn down, leaving only the small two-story building inside. People say both the Mishi Hutong Mosque and the former residence of Kang Youwei will be renovated and repurposed, but it is unclear what this place will look like then.
The second floor of the mosque was once a private dining room for the Old Bianyifang Restaurant. Later, it became the office for the Northwest Five Provinces Association and the main prayer hall of the mosque. It then served as a dormitory for a toy factory and a crowded residential courtyard, before finally falling into ruins.
After visiting the ruins of the Mishihutong Mosque, I rode my bike to the Zhengyang Bookstore in Xisi. I looked through the Xuannan Hongxue Tuzhi, a book about the history and culture of the Xuannan area, and found the original architectural surveys of the Mishihutong Mosque inside. You can clearly see the open space added to the second floor, along with many wooden lattice screens.
Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 31 views • 2026-05-18 01:58
Reposted from the web
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937. view all
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937.
Summary: Carter Holton's Old Photos of Beijing and Tianjin Hui Muslims is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. The account keeps its focus on Hui Muslims, Old Photos, Beijing Mosques while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
Reverend Carter Holton was an American missionary who worked in Northwest China from 1923 to 1949, leaving behind over 5,000 precious photographs. After the Reverend passed away, his daughter Lora Jean Heurlin donated these materials to the Harvard-Yenching Library in the early 1990s, and the library finished digitizing them in 2011.
Online address: Carter D. Holton Collection | Harvard Library
In August 1936, Reverend Holton returned to China after finishing his vacation in the United States. In early 1937, Holton reached Tianjin and Beijing, where he visited several mosques before traveling through Xi'an and Lanzhou to Hezhou to continue his missionary work.
Below, I will share the old photos Reverend Holton took in Beijing and Tianjin in early 1937.
Beijing
In early spring 1937, the Eid al-Fitr prayer service at the Niujie Mosque.
After the prostration.
The potted plants in the courtyard were donated by Gai Biting, a famous social activist from Niujie.
Children watching the prayer service.
Imam Wang Lianyu of Niujie (wearing a white cap on the left) came from a family of imams.
Jiaozi Hutong Mosque.
A funeral bier (maiti xiazi) at the entrance of Jiaozi Hutong, inscribed with 'Beiping Jiaozi Hutong Mosque Funeral Mutual Aid Group'.
Sanlihe Mosque.
Tianqiao Mosque.
Tianjin.
Tianjin South Mosque (Qingzhen Nandasi) in January 1937.
The ablution room (shuifang) of the South Mosque.
Inside the main prayer hall of the Tianjin South Mosque.
Calligraphy at the Tianjin South Mosque (some also believe it is the North Mosque).
It is speculated to be the main hall of the Tianjin South Mosque, though some suggest it might be a mosque in Tongzhou or Changping.
Missionaries visiting the Tianjin North Mosque (Qingzhen Beidasi).
It is speculated to be a halal meat stall on Qingzhen North Lane, near the Tianjin South Mosque.
A snowy scene at a mosque in Tianjin in January 1937.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 1)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 25 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 3, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan.
After a night tour of the mummy exhibition at the Century Altar, I went to Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi) at Baiyunguan for lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo). I also ordered a water basin soup (shuipen) without vermicelli but with extra dried tofu, eight-treasure sweet porridge (babao tianxifan), pickles, lamb skewers, and Bingfeng soda.
Several ways to eat pita bread soup (paomo): mouth soup (koutang), water-surrounded city (shuiweicheng), separate serving (danzou), wide soup (kuantang), dry soak (ganpao), and one-split-two (yikai'er).
Delete
September 4, Wang's at Xilou Hutong.
Early in the morning, I finished walking through the morning market outside Dongzhimen and had breakfast at Wang's in Xilou Hutong. I had a meat-filled baked bun (huoshao jiarou), tofu pudding (doufunao), and soy milk. I was afraid of rain, so I didn't eat in the alley, but it didn't rain at all after I finished.
September 4, Making big plate chicken (dapanji) at home.
In the afternoon, I had big plate chicken (dapanji) at home. I bought a free-range chicken at the Changying halal supermarket on Friday. Today, I cut it up, and Zainab stir-fried the big plate chicken (dapanji). We also made some delicious belt noodles (pidaimian). After eating, we drank some warm brick tea (zhuancha). It was perfect for the weather between late summer and early autumn.
September 5, Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang.
At noon, I went to Xingshengzhai in Baiwanzhuang. It is located in the commercial area planned in 1953 for this "first residential area of New China." This was China's earliest practice of the "neighborhood unit" design concept, where several open residential communities share one commercial area. Because there is a courtyard, we could eat outside. It was perfect for the cool weather after today's rain. We ordered stir-fried chicken cubes with bean paste (jiangbao jiding), pan-fried tofu (guota doufu), and fermented bean curd (madoufu). We also grilled vegetable rolls. There are really not many halal restaurants in downtown Beijing where you can eat in a courtyard.
September 7, Qingu in Changying.
I just went to Changying and asked, but there is no news about the Friday prayer (jumu'ah) yet. Then I bought a sugar-rolled fruit (tangjuanguo) and had a beef stone pot bibimbap at Qingu. It was delicious.
September 9, Received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan.
I received mooncakes sent by Imam Feng Yong from the Nanchong Mosque in Sichuan. There were traditional large hemp cakes (damabing), as well as beef and five-nut mooncakes. The beef mooncakes are filled with beef, fresh eggs, nuts, sesame, walnuts, white sugar, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, kumquat, Nanchong salt, and Sichuan peppercorns. The flavor is very rich. This is also part of the Nanchong municipal-level intangible cultural heritage.
September 9, Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie.
After work, I went to the Ziguangyuan affordable canteen on Meishuguan Houjie. There were few vegetable dishes, and the main focus was roast duck. They also had some stir-fried, stewed, and steamed dishes (zhengwan). Unfortunately, the stir-fried dough bits (chaogeda) were only available in a three-fresh version, which I couldn't eat because of my shrimp allergy. I ordered stewed beef, a mix of stewed kelp knots, bean curd sheets, and lotus root, stewed meatballs, and steamed hairtail. It tasted like home cooking, perfect for when you don't want to cook after work, and the price is not expensive. The waiters were enthusiastic. There was free watermelon, and they also gave us some steamed jujube cake (zenggao).
September 10, Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb.
After getting home from work, I immediately started stewing the Eid al-Adha (Qurban) lamb I had stored in the freezer. I skimmed the foam and used a pressure cooker to save time. Then I stir-fried eggplant with fermented beans and king oyster mushrooms. After the lamb was stewed, I used the lamb broth to stew some cabbage and tofu. It was quite fragrant.
September 11, Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
A new Turkish restaurant called Qubbe recently opened next to Xiting Xiuse. The head chef is from the Turkish Embassy. Our Beijing jamaat gathered there for dinner last night. The food was delicious, and it was a joy to see old friends (dosti) and meet new ones.
For appetizers, we ordered chicken soup, lentil soup, and mushroom soup—a classic start. For salads, we ordered feta cheese salad, shepherd's salad, chicken Caesar salad, and arugula salad.
For starters, we ordered hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), babagannush (sesame eggplant dip), and tomato sauce eggplant.
For main dishes, we ordered thin flatbread (lavash), minced meat flatbread (lahmacun), black cumin sesame bread, hollow bread, double cheese pizza (pide), Mevlana meat pizza (pide), and doner kebab sandwiches. Their oven is fantastic!
For meat, we ordered a mixed grill platter for ten people. It included spicy Adana kebab, regular meat kebab, chicken skewers, lamb skewers, grilled chicken chops, and grilled lamb chops. It was quite a sight! We also ordered filet mignon and Iskender roast beef.
For dessert, we had classic baklava, milk pudding, and the amazing Turkish Mado ice cream. Mado is a famous Turkish ice cream chain from the city of Kahramanmarash in southeastern Turkey. They used to have shops in Yiwu and Guangzhou, and now they have finally opened in Beijing. It is likely the most authentic Turkish ice cream in China, made entirely with goat milk from their hometown of Kahramanmarash.
September 12, breakfast at Turkish restaurant Qubbe.
I visited Qubbe again this morning to try the Turkish breakfast. The chef from the Turkish Embassy was there. We had three types of olives, six types of cheese, and five types of dips. It was very rich, and every cheese had a different texture and level of sweetness or sourness. We paired it with thin flatbread and the classic Turkish sesame bagel (simit).
The earliest record of the simit bagel in Istanbul dates back to 1525. According to the famous 17th-century Ottoman traveler Evliya Celebi, there were 70 simit bakeries in Istanbul in the 1630s.
We also ordered salty yogurt drink (ayran) and an appetizer platter, which included spicy chopped tomato (Antep ezme), tomato sauce eggplant, hummus (chickpea puree), mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), and babagannush (sesame eggplant dip).
September 14, Uyghur restaurant Baizuan in Shilihe.
Before hitting the night market, we ate at Baizuan in Shilihe. We had roasted meat (guirou langman), kebabs (kawap), yogurt, pigeon soup, and old Koman pomegranate juice. The kebabs (kawap) tasted excellent this time! The pigeon soup had plenty of chickpeas, which I was very happy with.
September 19, Middle Eastern snack shop Taiba.
In the evening, I went to Taiba, a Middle Eastern snack shop that opened in July at Sanlitun SOHO. I had been to their Guijie branch before. The atmosphere really reminds me of Chungking Mansions in Hong Kong! We ordered lentil soup, a meat platter with hummus, fried chickpea balls (falafel), and za'atar manakeesh flatbread.
The za'atar manakeesh flatbread is worth mentioning. Manakeesh is a type of Arab flatbread. Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend made from Syrian oregano (also called Lebanese oregano), toasted sesame seeds, dried sumac, and thyme, mixed with olive oil before eating. Syrian oregano is also considered the hyssop mentioned in the Bible. People in Syria and Lebanon often find wild oregano in the fields, pick the leaves to dry in the sun, and then grind them into a powder to make the spice. Za'atar has an earthy taste with a hint of citrus and nuttiness. It feels very unique the first time you eat it.
September 20, Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi.
After seeing the Palace Museum's Dunhuang exhibition in the afternoon, I went to the Lanzhou snack shop Lan Jiu Shi Qi inside the Rainbow Shopping Mall at Olympic Park in the evening. It felt like a virtual trip to Gansu. This shop has a wide variety of snacks and is great for friends who love spicy food. We ordered mixed vegetable stew (huicai), sausage-stuffed noodles (fazi mianchang), braised noodles (lumian), a mix of saucy tofu skin and oyster mushrooms, half a portion of lamb skewers, apricot skin tea (xingpishui), yogurt with crushed walnuts and sunflower seeds, and packed a grilled meat sandwich (roujiamo) to go. The mixed vegetable stew and sausage-stuffed noodles were the best. The stew had many meatballs and fried meat patties (jiasha), which had a great texture. The texture of the braised noodles wasn't great, and the apricot skin tea was a bit too sweet and harsh on the throat. Everything else was pretty good. The place was packed at night, and we had to wait for a table.
September 21, making hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi) at home.
I bought groceries to make Lagman at home. Zainab made the noodles while I made the cowpea with meat and the western-style spicy eggs. We worked together perfectly!
September 22, Xilaishun.
At Xilaishun in Hepingmen, I had soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes (jiangbao jiding), white-braised fish fillets, mixed wild mountain vegetables, five-flavor bitter melon, and jasmine bamboo fungus soup. The soy-sauce stir-fried chicken cubes and bamboo fungus soup are things I eat often. The chicken is quite sweet, so people from regions outside the Lu cuisine tradition might not be used to it. The white-braised fish fillets weren't as milky white as the ones at Tianjin Yuquan Restaurant, but the taste was okay. The five-flavor bitter melon was very spicy.
September 24, Muyixuan.
A new food street called Shibaojie opened in Xidan Friendship Shopping Mall, featuring Muyixuan and Pamir Big Plate Chicken (dapanji). Now there are places to eat when I'm in the Xidan area. At Muyixuan, we had our usual order: the lamb spine and lamb tail hot pot. We picked the meat off the lamb spine and gnawed on the lamb tail; each had its own charm. Then we had a zucchini pancake (hutuzi) with two cold side dishes. It was quite good.
September 24, Xinyuezhai in Douban Hutong.
Autumn rain, beef noodles with extra meat at Xinyuezhai.
September 25, Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant.
I'm used to eating at Baizuan in Shilihe, but today I went to the Liangtaoxuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant next to it. I ordered the special mixed noodles and cold side dishes. The meat broth is free to refill. The mixed noodles were delicious! The noodles have a great texture and the meat is not dry at all. After eating here, the hand-pulled noodles (lamian) shop near my office just doesn't taste as good anymore. The atmosphere in the shop is also very nice, and they even have a photo of the old Hua Mosque (Lao Hua Si) in Linxia hanging on the wall.
I have to complain about Luying Street in Shilihe. It used to be a one-of-a-kind food street in Beijing that brought together restaurants from all over the country. Instead of promoting it, the local authorities replaced the unique, attractive storefront signs with boring, generic ones. If you plan to visit both the Panjiayuan and Daliushu antique markets on the weekend, Shilihe is a perfect place to stop for lunch.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 2)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 24 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
September 26, Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) at Hongmiao.
After work, I had soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) with large meat skewers at Liu's Nail-Head Dumplings (mending) in Hongmiao. This is my classic go-to meal. I just found out that Boss Liu is also a high-level traditional Chinese medicine specialist.
September 28, Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
After a movie, I went to the Tunisian restaurant La Medina on Liangmahe South Road. This is the same place as Mesa, the Tunisian restaurant that opened and closed last year. Mesa's location was too out of the way and didn't get enough foot traffic. This year's new spot is right in the heart of the embassy district, very close to another Lebanese restaurant called Al Ameen. As soon as we walked in, we saw the Tunisian chef we met when we ate at Mesa. The chef is very kind and friendly. If you are interested in North African food, you can chat with him.
Medina means city in Arabic. In North Africa, a medina usually refers to an old town built with city walls and many narrow, maze-like alleys. The Medina of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. It is one of the most famous medinas and contains 700 historical buildings, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas, and fountains.
We ordered North African bean soup (Harira), tuna pastry (Brik), tagine (Tajine) with couscous (Couscous), chicken, North African sausage (Merguez), grilled seasonal vegetables, and Arabic mint tea. The sauce for the tagine was so delicious that I couldn't get enough of it poured over the couscous.
Harira bean soup is a classic appetizer in the Maghreb region (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia). It is most commonly made for breaking the fast during Ramadan. Every region makes Harira differently. The version we had included tomatoes, lentils, chickpeas, lamb, and various spices.
Brik pastry is a North African Berber dish that was later brought to Israel by Tunisian Jews. The filling usually contains eggs, tuna, harissa sauce (Harissa), and parsley. It is then wrapped in a crispy dough called Malsouka or Warka and deep-fried.
The tagine (Tajine) is a North African Berber specialty that appeared in the 9th-century classic One Thousand and One Nights. Modern tagines are made of pottery, sometimes glazed. They have a round, flat bottom and a conical or domed top. This design allows evaporated steam to return to the bottom, and water can be added through a hole in the lid.
Couscous (Couscous) is a staple of Berber cuisine. It is made by rubbing semolina into millet-sized grains and then drying them in the sun. Couscous was first seen in North Africa between the 11th and 13th centuries. The famous 13th-century Andalusian scholar and gourmet Ibn Razin al-Tuyibi first recorded the method for making couscous in his book, The Andalusian Cookbook.
North African sausage (Merguez) is made with lamb and beef, mixed with cumin, harissa sauce, chili, and other spices. It is usually grilled. Merguez sausage was first seen in the 12th century in Andalusia, which was southern Spain under Arab rule, and later spread throughout North Africa.
September 30, Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian).
In the evening, I went to Xu's Bowl of Braised Noodles (huimian) at Wanliu Bridge on the Southwest Third Ring Road. I ordered a pot of red-broth lamb bone marrow (yangbanggu), a bowl of braised noodles (huimian), and a side of cold dishes. The braised noodles (huimian) included kelp, tofu skin, and quail eggs. The broth was very tasty. The location is just a bit out of the way.
October 9, White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe.
In the evening, I had a wonderful dinner at White Diamond (baizuan) in Shilihe, featuring expensive meat (guirou) romance, lamb leg pilaf (zhua fan), pigeon soup, grilled meat, grilled lamb lung pipes, and stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs. Then I went to the Daliushu Dongpeng Night Market, but there were not many vendors because of the rain.
October 12, homemade mixed noodles (banmian).
I made a huge portion of homemade mushroom and meat noodles (lamian), it was really satisfying.
October 13, Eid al-Adha lamb (Qurban yanggao).
I stewed some lamb after work, and I have finally eaten most of this year's Eid al-Adha lamb.
October 15, Xiapo religious gathering (sheng hui).
At the Xiapo religious gathering, we had lamb and wheat porridge (mairen rouzhou) and fried dough (youxiang).
October 19, Chingu stone pot bibimbap in Changying.
I bought some fried chicken downstairs from Chingu, then had stone pot bibimbap with Chingu, it was wonderful.
October 21, a table of food I made, including Xinjiang meatball soup (wanzi tang).
My parents-in-law came to Beijing, so I cooked a whole table of food for them. I bought beef bone marrow (niu banggu) in Changying and stewed it for three hours, then added meatballs my mother-in-law had fried in advance, frozen tofu, king oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and spinach to make a pot of Xinjiang meatball soup. I clear-stewed the last of the Eid al-Adha lamb from the fridge, stir-fried eggplant and long beans with beef cucumber strip (niu huanggua tiao) bought at the market, made stir-fried cauliflower with tomatoes, and roasted sweet potatoes in the steam-oven.
October 21, Jufuyuan at Beixinqiao.
In the afternoon, the family gathered at Jufuyuan in Beixinqiao for hot pot (shuan guozi), grilled meat (zhizi kaorou), and chive pockets (jiucai hezi), and everyone was very satisfied.
October 24, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
In the evening, my mother-in-law made noodles for me with eggplant and meat, bamboo shoots and meat, and celery and meat—all my favorites! Zainab and my mother-in-law made the noodles together; homemade food is just better.
October 25, Xiaowang Beef Soup and Huainan Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan.
In the morning, I had Huainan beef soup and sesame flatbread (shaobing) at Xiaowang Beef Soup in Changyang, Fangshan. This is a family-run shop opened by Hui Muslims from Panji, Huainan, Anhui. What makes their Huainan beef soup special is that they add a lot of bean noodles (dousi). Their bean noodles are thin and have a great texture, which you cannot find in other Beijing restaurants. The beef soup is also stewed well; even my parents-in-law from Urumqi said they really liked it.
The landlady makes the flatbreads fresh. The hot flatbread is crispy and fragrant. You can fill it with fried eggs or scrambled eggs. I chose a double filling of beef head meat and scrambled eggs, which was very satisfying.
October 25, eating a beef head feast (niutou yan) at Tongshunzhai in Doudian.
For lunch, we had the ox head feast at Tongshunzhai in Doudian. We ordered half an ox head and some side dishes, including mint, wild vegetable (quma cai), and dandelion. Some were served with fried soybean paste (zhajiang) and others with hot oil poured over them. We also ordered vegetable-filled steamed buns (caituanzi) made with amaranth. The restaurant is set in a farmhouse courtyard, which is a perfect spot to soak up the sun after a meal.
I worked in Doudian for a year and always heard that the ox head feast here was the most famous, but I never got to try it until now. This half ox head was huge; it felt like enough to feed ten people. The meat was very tender and tasted great. The skin, meat, and ox tongue all had different flavors, making for a rich eating experience. If you have a small group or a small appetite, you will definitely have to pack a lot of the ox head to take home. If you have fewer people, you could choose the nearby sturgeon feast (xunlong yan) for fish, but they stop serving at 1:50 PM. We arrived in Doudian after 2:00 PM and missed it.
The owner of the ox head feast restaurant, Zhang Fugang, is known as Baldy Zhang. Zhang is a major surname among Hui Muslims in the Doudian area, mainly distributed across Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong, originating from the Yuan Dynasty poet Zhang Zhangsha. People say Zhang Zhangsha's ancestral home was in the Arab world (Dashi), and he lived on Hui Street outside the outer city of Shangdu in the Yuan Dynasty.
October 26, Naolao Wei at Niujie.
For lunch, we had cheese, beef bone marrow tea (niugusui youcha), tea soup (chatang), and almond tea at Naolao Wei on Niujie. It has been a long time since I visited, and I really missed their cheese.
Afterward, we went to Shuru Hutong to buy two jin of minced meat to make dumplings at home.
October 26, making dumplings.
Before my parents-in-law left, the whole family made dumplings together. We mixed a Xinjiang-style onion and meat filling (piyazi rouxuanzi), added plenty of Sichuan peppercorns, and poured hot chili oil over them when eating. We made extra to store away so we can make traditional Xinjiang sour soup dumplings later.
October 27, braised meatballs.
My mother-in-law fried some beef meatballs. The freshly fried meatballs were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and they tasted delicious when braised.
October 30, hand-pulled noodles (latiaozi).
My wife made shredded potato and eggplant with meat (rouman), and also stir-fried some ox head meat. Home-cooked meals are just so comforting.
October 31, sour soup dumplings.
My wife made old-fashioned Hui Muslim sour soup dumplings from the Saybagh District of Urumqi.
November 3, Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge.
I was craving hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhua), so we went to Yanlanlou at Dongsi Shitiao Bridge (we call it Shitiao Huokou). We had half a jin of hand-grabbed lamb, a pot of braised vegetables, a bowl of lentil sparrow-tongue noodles (biandou queshe mian), a serving of hot winter fruit (re dongguo), and a cup of three-treasure tea (sanpaotai). We were very satisfied! The hand-grabbed lamb was tender and cooked perfectly. The sour soup of the lentil noodles is great for winter, and it kept us warm after the meal.
November 8, stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street.
In the evening, I took Zainab out, and we had stone pot barbecue on Ciqikou Street. We ordered lamb leg, pickled cabbage, black pepper beef tenderloin, and a plate of vegetables. Winter is the perfect time for pickled cabbage and lamb! The owner looks just like the actor Wang Xuebing. The service was very enthusiastic, and he took the initiative to grill meat for every table. My favorite thing there is still their beef rice! The mix of meat and vegetables tastes great. They have all kinds of sauces like black pepper, tomato, and Korean style.
Halal Travel Guide: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage (Part 3)
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 23 views • 2026-05-18 01:28
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing. view all
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing.
Summary: Beijing Autumn Diary — Mosques, Halal Food and Muslim Heritage is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Halal Food, Beijing Mosques, Muslim Heritage while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.
November 12, Baiyun Temple, Jiasan Steamed Buns (baozi).
I was craving lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) in the evening! I had a small bowl of lamb pita bread soup with wide noodles, daylily buds, and extra meat at Jiasan, plus a steamer of beef soup-filled buns (guantang bao), lamb skewers, and colorful ginseng fruit. It was so satisfying.
November 13, Meatball Soup (wanzi tang).
We all made Xinjiang-style meatball soup (wanzi tang) together at noon.
November 13, Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou.
We had dinner at the Syrian restaurant BRBR in Wudaokou. They recently expanded the shop, but it is still packed during meal times, and you basically have to wait for a table if you do not have a reservation. We ordered lentil soup, a grilled meat platter (Shuqaf lamb skewers, traditional Kabab, chicken skewers, and chicken wings), half a roasted chicken, Mandi lamb rice, Shawarma meat wraps, Tabbouleh salad, chickpea dip (Hummus), and roasted eggplant dip (Baba Ghanooge). Their roasted chicken is truly delicious!
Mandi originated in Yemen and is popular in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, and the Levant. Mandi is usually made with rice, meat (lamb, camel, or chicken), and Hawaij spice. Hawaij is also a specialty spice from Yemen used for cooking, soups, and coffee. Its main ingredients are cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. The texture of Mandi is drier than regular curry rice.
November 14, Weekend buffet at the Tunisian restaurant La Medina.
The Tunisian restaurant La Medina outside Dongzhimen now has a buffet on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. I went to try it yesterday at noon after watching Abbas. Since they started the buffet, business has been booming. It is basically full at noon, though it is mostly foreigners and very few Chinese people.
They have a very complete selection of appetizers, including Tabbouleh salad, Baba gannush (sesame eggplant dip), Hummus (chickpea dip), Mutebbel (eggplant yogurt dip), mashed carrots, and more. The appetizer soup is the North African specialty Harira bean soup. For stews, they have lamb and chicken, plus North African sausage (Merguez). These go very well with North African semolina (Couscous). Snacks include fried chickpea balls (Falafel) and fried triangular pastries (Samosa). For dessert, my friend had baklava yesterday, and we had rice pudding today.
November 18, Northeast-style Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew (tieguo dun) at Jiandemen.
We ate iron pot stewed goose at Uncle Oyster Iron Pot Stew, located at the Jiandemen subway station exit. The owner is from Harbin. Five of us ordered five jin of goose, served with potatoes, pickled cabbage (suancai), frozen tofu, shiitake mushrooms, chicken gizzards, chicken feet, and tofu skin. We also added golden hook green beans, and steamed cornmeal flatbreads (tiebingzi) and flower rolls (huajuan) on top, along with various dipping sauces. Eating iron pot stew in winter is so comfortable. The cornmeal flatbreads and flower rolls dipped in the broth are just addictive! Next time there are two of us, we plan to try the small free-range chicken (xiaobenji). A final reminder: their food might be a bit salty for people not used to Shandong cuisine, so be careful if you cannot handle salt.
November 20, Longxianghui, a Pingliang restaurant on Dongsi North Street.
A new restaurant from Pingliang, Gansu, called Longxianghui, just opened on Dongsi North Street, and they are offering a 12% discount for the opening. Pingliang-style lamb pita bread soup (yangrou paomo) is different from the version in Xi'an; it is a clear soup with lamb and vermicelli, and you break the bread into the bowl yourself right before eating. We also ordered their hand-grabbed lamb (shouzhuarou), but it felt a bit heavier and not as refreshing as the one at Yanlanlou.
November 21, Yangle Spicy Chicken.
I bought my favorite Urumqi Hui Muslim specialty, Yangle Spicy Chicken (laji).
November 25, Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant.
I ate beef hot pot (niupahu) and oil-drenched dried beef (youlin niuganba) at Hailiye Yunnan Restaurant in the Global Financial Center on the East Third Ring Road; beef hot pot is perfect for winter! I think the most important part of beef hot pot is that the beef broth must be simmered well, as that aroma makes you feel very warm. First, eat some beef and vegetables with the dipping sauce, then scoop a few spoonfuls over rice; I felt very satisfied after finishing.