Reposted from the web

Summary: This second Huailai and Zhuolu road trip entry continues through Hebei mosque sites, local Hui Muslim stories, village routes, and Qingming travel notes from the original Chinese article.

In the last post, we had lunch in Shacheng Town, Huailai, Hebei, and visited two old mosques in Ganji Liang and Mayukou. See 'Visiting Old Mosques in Huailai and Zhuolu, Hebei during the Qingming Holiday (Part 1)'. In this part, we head to Xinbao'an Town and Zhuolu County to experience the local Islamic culture.

On April 5, we had breakfast in Xinbao'an Town, Huailai, Hebei. We arrived a bit late, so the soft tofu (laodoufu) and brown sugar flatbread (shaobing) were sold out. We had a steamer of buns with fried tofu soup, and Suleiman really enjoyed the purple rice porridge.

Xinbao'an Town is a key town on the ancient Beijing-Zhangjiakou road, with a post station built as early as the Yuan Dynasty. After the Tumu Crisis in the Ming Dynasty, a city was built here in 1451 (the second year of the Jingtai reign) to strengthen the northern defense line of Beijing. The Bao'an Garrison, originally located in Zhuolu, was moved here, and it has been called Bao'an New City ever since. After the Qing Dynasty, Xinbao'an gradually changed from a military town to a commercial hub, connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou.



















At the Xinbao'an town market, we bought old-fashioned five-nut mooncakes (wuren yuebing) and honey cakes at a roadside bakery. They were made that day and were perfect as tea snacks.



















After breakfast, we went to the Hui Muslim residential area in the northwest of the old town to visit the famous 'Nine-Link Courtyard' (Jiulianhuan Dayuan). This was originally a wealthy merchant's residence in the Qing Dynasty. Later, the merchant declined and Hui Muslims moved in, so it is also called the 'Hui Muslim Courtyard'. The gate of the courtyard is very beautiful and is a classic example of Qing Dynasty residential style in Zhangjiakou, featuring complex brick, wood, and stone carvings. The courtyard was caught in the fighting during the 1948 Battle of Xinbao'an, and you can still see clear bullet marks today.

The Hui Muslims in Xinbao'an mainly have the surnames Liang and Zheng. The Liang family's ancestors moved from Nanjing to Liangjiapo, Weinan, Shaanxi, in the late Ming Dynasty during the Chongzhen reign. In 1677 (the 16th year of the Kangxi reign), they moved to Xinbao'an Town to farm and guard the capital. During the Qianlong reign, the Liang family began doing business in Zhangjiakou. By the Tongzhi reign, their camel caravans reached as far as Kulun in Outer Mongolia and Lanzhou. They later opened five shops known as the 'Five Great Guangs'.

The Zheng family shares the same origin as those in nearby Huailai and Zhuolu counties. Their ancestors moved from Shaanxi in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, first to Shacheng Town in Huailai, then spreading to Wangjialou, Yanzhuang, Xinbao'an, Xuanhua, and Zhangjiakou. Zheng Kuishi was a famous Hui Muslim general in the late Qing Dynasty. He fought against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom during the Xianfeng reign, won many battles, was given the title 'Shalama Baturu', and was awarded a yellow riding jacket. During the Tongzhi reign, he served as the acting Zhili provincial commander, guarding the capital region and suppressing the Nian Rebellion in Zhili to keep the capital safe. In his later years, he returned home to work on water conservancy, building the Yonggu Dam to manage the Liu River. He also repaired the Zhenshuo Tower and Four Archways in Xuanhua and opened the Huoshi Slope road to improve transportation. He was highly respected locally.





































Xinbao'an Mosque is right next to the Nine-Link Hui Muslim Courtyard. Some say it was built in 1621 (the first year of the Tianqi reign), while others say it was built in 1677 (the 16th year of the Kangxi reign). The main hall consists of a front hall, a middle hall, and a rear kiln hall. It is larger than other old mosques in Huailai and still has beautiful brick carvings, though the moon-watching tower on the kiln hall roof is gone.

During the 1948 Pingjin Campaign, Xinbao'an was a key battlefield. The Xinbao'an Mosque became the command post for the Nationalist 35th Army, and the walls of the main hall are still covered in bullet marks. In 2008, the mosque was listed as a Hebei Provincial Cultural Relic Protection Unit under the name 'Site of the Battle of Xinbao'an—Command Post of the Nationalist 35th Army'.



















The only remaining stone tablet at Xinbao'an Mosque is likely a donation tablet, which lists many business names.

















We drove from Xinbao'an Town to Zhuolu County to visit another old mosque in Zhangjiakou—Zhuolu Mosque.

Zhuolu Mosque is located in the east gate area of the county. It was first built during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. It is a famous historic mosque north of Beijing and was listed as a key cultural relic protection site in Hebei Province in 2008. The main hall of Zhuolu Mosque is made of three connected hard-mountain roofs with a front porch. Behind the kiln hall stands an 11-meter-high octagonal spire-roofed Moon-Watching Tower (wangyuelou), which is more spectacular than the common hexagonal spire roofs found in North China. Wind bells hang on the Moon-Watching Tower. When the wind blows, the bells ring, creating a refreshing and soothing sound. A wooden partition screen is built between the main hall and the kiln hall, featuring a unique design of the Basmala (tasimi) written in hard-pen calligraphy.

The Hui Muslims in Zhuolu are mainly of the Shan surname. The Shan family are descendants of Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. One branch originally came from Shanjia Gou in Xi'an Prefecture, Shaanxi. They moved to Zhuolu during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, and during the Qianlong period, they built the Shan Family Nine-Linked Ring Courtyard in the west gate area. The Shan family is known for their military service. Five members once passed the military imperial examinations, and they were known as the 'Five Dragons of the Shan Family'. The east gate area where Zhuolu Mosque is located was also a residential area for Hui Muslims. It once had alleys named after local Hui Muslim families: Ma Family Alley (Majia Xiang), Fei Family Alley (Feijia Xiang), and Shan Family Alley (Shanjia Xiang). Unfortunately, the east gate area was demolished in 2018, and only the mosque was preserved.



















Zhuolu Mosque is famous for its exquisite brick carvings. The brick carvings on the sides of the three-room hard-mountain main hall are all different. Inside the main hall, there are eighteen precious murals featuring themes of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, chrysanthemums, landscapes, and utensils, which are very rare in the main halls of mosques.



















Plaques inside Zhuolu Mosque:

The 'Wanxiang Zhenzong' plaque from 1809 (the 14th year of the Jiaqing reign).



The 'Daotong Tianren' plaque from 1859 (the 9th year of the Xianfeng reign).



The 'Zhenshi Wuwang' plaque from 1870 (the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign).



The 'Tianxiu Wohe' plaque from 1919, which is the only one with an inscription, signed by 'Shan Xiangchen'.



At noon, I returned to Shacheng Town in Huailai for lunch. At Qingyizhai, I had lamb and mushroom with oat noodles (youmian wowo), stir-fried millet with chive flowers, and a clay pot of winter melon and meatballs. The prices at restaurants here are cheaper than in Beijing, and the food is delicious.

The lamb and mushroom dish had quite a few potatoes, but it was stir-fried well. There were several types of mushrooms, making it fresh, fragrant, and rich. The oat noodles were firm and chewy, carrying the unique, natural wheat aroma of whole grains. It was my first time eating stir-fried millet with chive flowers. The taste was slightly salty. The golden millet grains were dry and distinct, mixed with the unique spicy fragrance of chive flowers, giving it a coarse yet refreshing texture. The winter melon and meatball soup was the most amazing. The clear soup with meatballs was especially good—firm and bouncy. It tasted better than what I make myself, and one bite told me there wasn't much starch, as it was mostly meat. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This Qingming road trip leaves Beijing for Huailai and Zhuolu in Hebei, visiting old mosques, Hui Muslim communities, village streets, and local history in the first half of the route.

During the Qingming holiday, I took a two-day road trip to Huailai and Zhuolu counties in Zhangjiakou, Hebei. I visited four ancient mosques and tried the local food. I left home after breakfast on Saturday and didn't reach Shacheng until noon because of highway traffic. At Ma Laoda in the county seat, I ate cornmeal dumplings (nieba), yellow rice cake (huanggao), braised carp, stewed Chinese cabbage with yam, and beef stew. Prices here are much lower than in Beijing. A bowl of corn noodles costs 10 yuan, and a large carp is 28 yuan.

Cornmeal dumplings (nieba) and yellow rice cake (huanggao) are both rustic snacks from Zhangjiakou. Cornmeal dumplings (nieba) are made from a mix of cornmeal and wheat flour. The texture is just right, and the side of pickled mustard greens adds a great flavor.

Yellow rice cake (huanggao) is made from local broomcorn millet that is peeled and ground into flour. It is soft and chewy, much like African fufu. You pinch off a piece and dip it into the broth from the stewed Chinese cabbage and yam.

The large carp is a reservoir fish from Guanting Reservoir, braised to perfection. It tastes great, doesn't have many bones, and has no muddy aftertaste. I really enjoyed it.

The only issue was that their beef stew was spicy, so the kids couldn't eat it.

Shacheng Castle was built in 1451 (the second year of the Jingtai reign of the Ming Dynasty). It was constructed after the Tumu Crisis to defend the northwest of the capital. To boost the population and strengthen the capital's defenses, the Ming government repeatedly ordered people from Shaanxi and Shanxi to move to the area south of the Zhangjiakou dam to farm and settle. They farmed during peacetime and served as soldiers during wartime. This is how some Hui Muslims settled in Huailai. After the Beijing-Suiyuan Railway opened in 1909, a station was built in Shacheng. The town became a busy commercial hub, and the population grew quickly. In 1951, the old Huailai county seat was flooded to build the Guanting Reservoir, and Shacheng became the new seat of Huailai County.

















After eating in Shacheng, I headed to the nearby Ganji Liang Village, the closest Hui Muslim village to the Huailai county seat.

Ganji Liang Village was originally called Gan Jilang. The main family there was the Han Chinese Gan family, but they later moved away, and the Zheng family, who are Hui Muslims, became the main residents. The Zheng family is a major Hui Muslim clan in Zhangjiakou. Their ancestors moved from Shaanxi in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, first to Huailai, and then spread throughout Zhangjiakou. The most famous member of the Zheng family in Zhangjiakou was Zheng Kuishi. He was a well-known late Qing Hui Muslim general. He joined the army in the early Daoguang years and fought against the Taiping Rebellion during the Xianfeng years. He served in Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, and Anhui, earned many military honors, was given the title Shalama Batulu, and was awarded a yellow riding jacket. During the Tongzhi reign, he served as the acting Zhili provincial commander, guarding the capital region and suppressing the Nian Rebellion in Zhili to keep the capital safe. In his later years, he returned home to work on water conservancy, building the Yonggu Dam to manage the Liu River. He also repaired the Zhenshuo Tower and Four Archways in Xuanhua and opened the Huoshi Slope road to improve transportation. He was highly respected locally.

The Ganji Liang Mosque was built during the Qianlong reign and is a standard courtyard-style building. The main hall from the Qing Dynasty is still well-preserved and features beautiful brick carvings. Unfortunately, the religious life in Ganji Liang Village has declined, and imams come and go. There is currently no imam at the mosque, and it looks abandoned. The main hall is covered in dust and rubble, and the backyard is overgrown with weeds.



































Inside the main hall, there is a wooden board with ink writing that records the history of the mosque: it was built by the community during the Qianlong reign, expanded in the sixth year of the Xianfeng reign, and land was purchased in the fourteenth year of the Daoguang reign. All the donors listed were from the local Zheng family. Unfortunately, it is hard to see the second half clearly because it was not well preserved.



Ganjiliang Village is built on a mountain ridge. Below the ridge are terraced fields, and on top are wind turbines. The wind here is much stronger than in Beijing.

Because of the terrain, Ganjiliang developed more slowly than the surrounding plains, which helped it keep more of its Qing Dynasty houses. Like many traditional villages, you rarely see young people here. Mostly, only the elderly remain.



























After leaving Ganjiliang Village, we went to another old mosque, Mayukou Mosque. Mayukou is in Wangjialou Hui Muslim Township in Huailai, an area where many Hui Muslims live. We received a warm welcome from Imam Yang at the mosque. Imam Yang keeps the mosque in great order. Later, the assistant imam (hou ahong) invited us to eat dumplings made by the local women elders during Ramadan.

Xingwang Fortress was built in Mayukou during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty. It was one of the border forts built in the early Ming period to defend against the Northern Yuan. Hui Muslims settled in Mayukou in the mid-Qing Dynasty, and the Mayukou Mosque they built is now 200 years old. Mayukou Mosque and Ganjiliang Mosque have the same layout, consisting of a main prayer hall, north and south side rooms, and a front gate. The main prayer halls of Mayukou Mosque and Ganjiliang Mosque are also identical. They serve as typical examples of Qing Dynasty mosque halls in the border fort regions of Hebei. The difference is that the gate of Mayukou Mosque may have been rebuilt later. It is taller than the one at Ganjiliang Mosque and features beautiful brick carvings. It is a pity that the mosque renovated the side rooms and the interior of the main hall last year, so we could not see the traditional calligraphy preserved inside.





























Scenery of Mayukou Village. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province has a Hui Muslim community tied to the Grand Canal, Ganpu Port, and more than 700 years of local history. This nine-year return visit preserves the source's mosque history, street changes, restaurant details, community notes, and photographs.

I first visited the Muslim communities along the Grand Canal in 2016-2017. I went to Jiaxing back then, as described in my post, "Halal Travel Review: Jiaxing, Zhejiang in 2017." I took advantage of the New Year holiday to visit Jiaxing again and see how the local Muslim community has changed over these nine years. Overall, although the traditional neighborhood right next to the Jiaxing Mosque was cleared in 2019, there are still many Hui Muslim restaurants scattered throughout the old city. This shows that the Muslim community in Jiaxing remains very active.

The Muslim community in Jiaxing began in the Southern Song Dynasty and has lasted for over 700 years. Even though it was interrupted for a few decades by war at the end of the Qing Dynasty, it remains one of the most important Muslim centers in Zhejiang.

In 1246 (the sixth year of the Chunyou era of the Song Dynasty), the Song government set up a maritime trade office at Ganpu Port in Jiaxing, and foreign merchants began to gather there. Many Hui Muslim merchants settled on Luli Street in the southeast of Jiaxing city. Goods arriving from Ganpu Port were transferred here before being sent to the capital, Lin'an. Luli Street gradually became known as "Hui Muslim Street." In the early Yuan Dynasty, a large number of Hui Muslim troops were stationed near Lin'an. In 1276 (the 13th year of the Zhiyuan era of the Yuan Dynasty), the Jiaxing military command was changed to the Jiaxing Pacification Commission, and these Hui Muslim soldiers settled down permanently. Records show that in 1295 (the first year of the Yuanzhen era of the Yuan Dynasty), when Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din Omar served as the governor of Songjiang Prefecture, he brought 30,000 Hui Muslim soldiers from Jiaxing.

During the Ming Dynasty, due to policies that allowed tribute but restricted trade, the Hui Muslim soldiers and foreign merchants gradually became the Hui Muslim population. Jiaxing saw the rise of several major family names, including Xu, Guo, Jin, Sha, Ma, and Yang, and they built the Jiaxing Mosque in 1602 (the 30th year of the Wanli era). The mosque still houses a stone tablet from the 30th year of the Wanli era titled "Record of the Construction of the True Religion Mosque in Jiaxing Prefecture." It was written by Ma Hualong, who was a Jiaxing official from Xinye, Henan, and a successful candidate in the imperial examinations in the fifth year of the Wanli era. The back of the tablet was inscribed in 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong era) with a "Record of the Renovation of the Jiaxing Prefecture Mosque." According to the Wanli tablet, "Among the provinces, Hangzhou has the most Muslims, and they have built mosques in the Jiaxing area for a long time." "Now, Muslims like Ma Zhonglü and others have donated money according to their means, bought a piece of vacant land south of Tongji Bridge east of the government office, and built this mosque, modeling it slightly after the style in Hangzhou."

Jiaxing originally had a large mosque and a small mosque. The large one was destroyed during the Taiping Rebellion, so the small mosque inside the East Gate became known as the Jiaxing Mosque. The Jiaxing Mosque underwent major repairs in 1747 (the 12th year of the Qianlong era). A local official named Sha Dacheng funded the renovation and expansion of the halls and corridors, and he also added three lecture rooms. In 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong era), Sha Dacheng's nephew, a student named Guo Zaifen, rebuilt the main gate of the mosque and added five rooms.

After the Taiping Rebellion, the Jiaxing Mosque fell into ruin. It was not used again until the early 20th century, when Hui Muslims newly arrived from Henan began using it. Since then, most of the imams have been hired from Henan. One of them, Imam Guo Qingxin, was from Kaifeng, Henan. He had previously taught at the Wangjia Hutong Mosque in Kaifeng. In 1948, he led more than 40 students from the Henan Arabic Language School to move south to Jiaxing. He was hired as the imam of the Jiaxing Mosque in 1950 and served for over 30 years.



















The current imam of the Jiaxing Mosque is from Ningxia. The people attending Friday namaz are half from Henan and half from the Northwest, along with some foreigners. During the opening prayer and the sermon, people arrived one after another. Eventually, they filled not only the main prayer hall but also the side halls, which shows how vibrant the Muslim community in Jiaxing is. After the prayer, several friends (dost) from Henan and the Northwest were selling cooked food and noodles at the mosque entrance, making the area very lively.





















The Jiaxing Mosque preserves some very beautiful Arabic wood carvings from the mid-Qing Dynasty, which were likely carved during the renovations in the Qianlong era.

















The Henan friends (dosti) who moved to Jiaxing in the 20th century also brought the Henan tradition of women's religious education. Jiaxing's women's religious education began in 1942, with Yang Huizhen serving as the first head teacher (jiaozhang). In 1946, Yang Huizhen founded the Jiaxing Islamic Care Home to provide shelter for the elderly, weak, women, and children.









Jiaxing Hui Muslims love martial arts, so they formed the Jiaxing Hui Muslim Martial Arts Team in 1980, led by Han Haihua of the Han family. There is still a martial arts school run by Han Maosen at the mosque entrance today.



When I first visited Jiaxing in 2017, there were many snack shops at the mosque entrance, and I even ate a beef rice dumpling (niurou zong). However, the area was cleared out in 2019, and there are far fewer snack shops now.





Among the Hui Muslims who moved south from Henan to Jiaxing during the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, half belonged to the Han family from Zhecheng, Shangqiu, Henan, known as the Great Han Family. The Han surname Hui Muslims in Zhecheng are said to be the Salar Hans who moved from Xunhua, Qinghai, in the late Yuan Dynasty. Their ancestor was originally named Shamuhan, and they later took the last syllable to change their surname to Han. In 1404 (the second year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Han family moved to Yucheng, Shandong, and later a branch led by Han Yuanchen moved to Zhecheng, Henan, to settle down.

To this day, many Hui Muslims with the surname Han still live near the Jiaxing mosque. Han Haili's family, located on Xiuzhou Road behind the mosque, moved to Jiaxing in 1938 when Henan fell. They have made a living selling Hui Muslim snacks for nearly 90 years, making them a famous old Jiaxing brand. When I came to Jiaxing in 2017, their shop was quite simple, but this time it has been renovated to look very refined, and they serve full meals to snacks. We ordered pan-fried dumplings (jianjiao), beef offal vermicelli pot (niuza fensi bao), fried fish noodles (baoyu mian), and crispy sesame flatbread (xiangsu bing). The beef offal pot arrived at the table bubbling and was very comforting, perfect for winter. The crispy sesame flatbread is very popular with children, and it is convenient to buy a few to take along when visiting the nearby ancient town.



















The old city of Jiaxing is home to many Hui Muslim snack shops, including Haiqin's Deli, Henan Snack Shop, Guo's Beef Pan-fried Buns, Yudong Heritage Whole Lamb Restaurant, Pan-fried Bun and Beef Soup Shop, and Alin's Pan-fried Dumpling Shop. You don't have to worry about finding food when traveling in the old city of Jiaxing.



















In the evening, we had dinner at Jingyage on Xiuzhou Road near the Jiaxing mosque. This place is also run by Henan friends, and they specialize in lamb soup and flatbread (yangtang shaobing), though I think the flatbread is only truly fragrant when made fresh in the morning. We ordered lamb soup braised noodles (yangtang huimian), stacked meat (duozi rou), and osmanthus beef tenderloin (guihua niuliu). The braised noodles and stacked meat both had a very authentic Henan taste and were very comforting to eat. The osmanthus dish is actually stir-fried eggs. Eating the beef tenderloin and stir-fried eggs wrapped in lotus leaf buns (heye bing) is very suitable for the tastes of Northerners, and our whole family thought it was delicious.



















The most worth-eating Hui Muslim restaurant in Jiaxing is undoubtedly Siruchun on Yuehe Street. Siruchun has a history of over 100 years and is now listed as a Jiaxing intangible cultural heritage for its "Hui Muslim pan-fried bun and dumpling making technique."

Siruchun was founded in 1919 by a Hui Muslim from Henan named Bai Tisheng. It first opened inside the East Gate near the Jiaxing Mosque. At that time, Bai Tisheng mainly sold soy-sauce beef (jiang niurou), beef and lamb steamed buns (baozi), and pan-fried pancakes (jianbing). Because the buns were the most popular, the shop was also called the Bai Family Buns of the East Gate. When the Japanese army occupied Jiaxing in December 1937, the East Gate was destroyed by artillery fire, and the Bai family fled to the countryside for safety. After the fighting calmed down at the end of 1938, Bai Tisheng opened the Siruchun Stir-fry Restaurant at the street corner near Xuangong Bridge. Later, it became one of the most famous Hui Muslim stir-fry restaurants in Jiaxing, alongside Chunhuayuan and Yuxinglou.

During the public-private partnership period in the 1950s, Siruchun merged with several other Hui Muslim snack shops. It stopped selling stir-fried dishes and only served beef noodles and pan-fried pancakes. In 1969, Changshuitang was widened and Xuangong Bridge was demolished, causing Siruchun to disappear.

After the 1990s, the three-story YSL Garden Hotel opened near Zhongshan Bridge in Jiaxing. Many of the veteran chefs and their apprentices from the old Chunhuayuan and Siruchun returned to work there, making the Garden Hotel the go-to spot for authentic Hui Muslim stir-fry in Jiaxing at the time. In 1998, the Garden Hotel was demolished for the construction of the city moat green belt. That same year, the Hui Muslim restaurant Chunhuayuan on Jianguo Road was also torn down, leaving Jiaxing's Hui Muslim dining scene in a difficult spot.

In 2008, Bai Tisheng's descendant, Bai Qingmin, and his children reopened the Bai Family Bun Shop on Yuehe Street. The chefs and bun makers who had worked at Chunhuayuan and the Garden Hotel came to help, some of whom were already over seventy years old. In 2012, the Bai family continued by restoring the Siruchun Stir-fry Restaurant, which became the most famous time-honored Hui Muslim brand in Jiaxing.

When I visited Siruchun in 2017, I ate fruit soup (shuiguo yuanzi geng), crab roe tofu (xiehuang doufu), Indian aster greens (malantou), and Bai family fried fish (baojia baoyu). This time, I ordered beef strips with pickled mustard greens and edamame (xuecai maodou niurousi), stir-fried eggs with silverfish (yinyu chaodan), soy-sauce duck (jiangya), braised gluten (suji), and Indian aster greens. If you want to eat traditional Jiaxing Hui Muslim cuisine, this is the right place to come. Our favorite dish is the beef strips with pickled mustard greens and edamame. It is cooked very lightly, and both adults and children love it. Stir-fried eggs with silverfish is also a specialty of the Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai regions, and it is very nutritious. The soy-sauce duck is a bit cold to eat in winter, so I heated it up in the shop's microwave. Since the other dishes are quite light, the soy-sauce duck helps balance the meal. I have always loved braised gluten, and it is hard to find it this good in the north. I really liked the Indian aster greens last time I ate them because they are so fresh and crisp. I recommended them to my family this time, and they all liked them too.

Because the shop is on Yuehe Street, the foot traffic is very high, and the service can't always keep up. This is understandable, and even though there are many people eating, the food still comes out quickly.



















There are two other unique Hui Muslim restaurants in Jiaxing: one is a Jiangxi home-style restaurant run by Hui Muslims from Xi'an, and the other is a Northeast-style iron pot stew. If any friends (dosti) want to try a different flavor, they can check those out. We actually really wanted to try the Jiangxi home-style food, but we gave up because we had children with us and couldn't eat spicy food. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Damascus Old City contains important Shia holy sites, including Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque near the old city's northern gate. This account keeps the source's shrine names, religious history, location details, photographs, and travel observations.

The most important Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, located inside the Gate of Paradise at the north gate of the old city. People say the young daughter of Imam Hussein, Ruqayya, is buried inside. The mosque dates back to the 15th century and was rebuilt to its current size in 1985.

Ruqayya was born in 676 and was only three years old during the Battle of Karbala in 680. She was taken by the Umayyad dynasty to the capital, Damascus, and passed away shortly after arriving. Early books record that one night, a four-year-old daughter of Hussein woke up crying from a nightmare. She asked about her father, saying she had just seen him in great pain in her dream. The girl's crying woke the Umayyad Caliph Yazid I. He asked his men why she was crying and then ordered them to bring Hussein's head to the girl. The girl was terrified when she saw the head and passed away a few days later. Shia Muslims view her passing as martyrdom, which freed her from the suffering caused by the Umayyads.





















I joined a Shia congregation (jama'at) for the first time at the Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque in Damascus. There are big differences between Shia and Sunni namaz. First, the content of the call to prayer (adhan) is different. When we stand with our hands folded, they keep their hands at their sides, and they prostrate on natural materials, usually clay tablets. They raise their hands multiple times during dua and hold their hands out to make dua. The rows are not tight, and it is fine to have some space between people. After the afternoon prayer (asr), they recite praises for a while, then stand up to call the adhan again for the sunset prayer (maghrib).

The friends (dosti) at the mosque were very tolerant of me. They were not unfriendly because I am Sunni and all greeted me with smiles. Because Assad has close ties with Iran, the new government has banned Iranians from entering Syria, so the number of Shia friends visiting here has dropped significantly. When the new government first took power, many Syrian Shia fled their homes for fear of being accused of colluding with Iran. Many have returned now that the government has provided guarantees. The Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque is currently operating normally. Aside from a security post at the entrance, everything else is normal.

















Another Shia holy site in the old city of Damascus is the tomb of Sakina bint Al Hussein and Umm Kulthum bint Ali, located inside the Bab al-Saghir cemetery in the south. Unfortunately, the tomb was closed when I arrived after Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), so I could not go inside.

Sakina was another daughter of Imam Hussein. She was taken to Damascus and imprisoned after the Battle of Karbala in 680. In Shia ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Karbala, Sakina is usually the one who tells the story of the battle. People perform scenes of Sakina jumping in front of her father's horse to spend the last few seconds with him before he is killed. Sakina was later released and returned to Medina. Early historical records describe her as beautiful, generous, and humble, and she was known for her eloquence and poetry. Sakina has tombs in Medina, Damascus, and Cairo, but people generally believe she is buried in Medina, while the tombs in Damascus and Cairo represent the longing people have for her.

Umm Kulthum was the youngest daughter of Imam Ali and Lady Fatimah. After the Battle of Karbala in 680, she was taken prisoner to Damascus. Once released, she returned to Medina and became a narrator of Shia hadith. There are two different accounts regarding the location of her tomb, with some saying it is in Medina and others saying it is in Damascus. view all

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Summary: Songpan County in Sichuan preserves old Hui Muslim mosque quarters, gongbei shrines, and residential lanes inside the ancient city of Songzhou. This travel account follows the Upper Mosque, Lower Mosque, Hui Muslim homes, graves, streets, and local religious landmarks recorded in the source.

The ancient city of Songzhou in Songpan, Sichuan, originally had two mosques, the Upper Mosque and the Lower Mosque. The Upper Mosque was destroyed after 1966, leaving only the Lower Mosque today. Songpan Lower Mosque is located on Middle Street inside the city and is an ancient mosque from the Ming Dynasty. In 1379 (the 12th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty), General Ding Yu rebuilt Songzhou City. As the tea and horse trade routes between Sichuan, Gansu, and Qinghai became busy, Hui Muslim horse and cattle caravans from Shaanxi, Qinghai, Gansu, and Yunnan traveled to Songzhou. Because the original Dongshan Mosque was destroyed in war, the local Tie, Sha, and Chang families of dost (dosti) funded the construction of the Songpan Lower Mosque in 1379.

Songpan Lower Mosque was destroyed multiple times in 1663 (the second year of the Kangxi reign), 1860 (the tenth year of the Xianfeng reign), and 1911 (the third year of the Xuantong reign), and was rebuilt each time. The main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1988, and the Moon-Watching Tower (wangyuelou) was rebuilt in 1996.

After the Friday prayer (Jumu'ah) at the mosque, when there is a funeral (janazah), many Han and Tibetan neighbors come to pay their respects, showing the harmony of the local community.





















After Jumu'ah, enjoy a slow moment drinking Pu'er tea in the 200-year-old Hui Muslim residence of Ma Chongxian inside Songzhou City.

The residence was first built by Songpan Hui Muslim Ma Chongxian in 1819 (the 24th year of the Jiaqing reign), and Ma's descendants have lived there for generations. After 1951, the house was used as a grain warehouse. It was returned to the Ma family in 1970 and has now been passed down for eight generations.

The Ma Chongxian residence still preserves its all-wood frame and column-and-tie (chuandou) structure from the Jiaqing era. It is a typical example of traditional northwest Sichuan architecture and was named one of the first historical buildings in Songpan County in December 2017.

Since 2012, the Ma family has run the Ancestral Home Inn here. You can stay, drink tea, or eat, and all dost are welcome to experience it.





















Hui Muslim residences in the ancient city of Songzhou include the Ma Zhiliang residence, the gatehouse of the Ma Zhide residence, and the gatehouse of the Sha family courtyard.



















After the Qing Dynasty, the tea and horse trade in Songpan flourished. In 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign), tea merchant Ma Jian built the Songpan North Mosque by the Minjiang River outside the north gate of Songzhou ancient city. Songpan North Mosque was destroyed twice, in 1911 and 1919, and was later rebuilt under the leadership of Imam Mi Depei from Gansu. The mosque houses a plaque inscribed by Bai Chongxi that reads 'Promote Education and Build the Nation.' The main hall was rebuilt in 2005, and the gatehouse and Moon-Watching Tower were rebuilt in 2011.



















Songpan Guangzhao Pavilion Gongbei is located northeast of Songzhou City and belongs to the Qadiriyya (Gaderenye) Sufi order (menhuan). According to the Republic of China-era 'Songpan County Annals,' in 1686 (the 25th year of the Kangxi reign), Huazhe Abudonglaxi traveled from Linxia to Songpan to preach, then continued to Langzhong to meet Ma Ziyun, the commander of northern Sichuan. In 1689 (the 28th year of the Kangxi reign), Huazhe passed away (returned to Allah) in Langzhong. On that same day, the dost in Songpan suddenly saw Huazhe arrive. He stayed for a few days and then left without saying where he was going. Only when the Songpan dost received a letter from Ma Ziyun days later did they learn the date of Huazhe's passing and realize that his visit was a miracle. The Songpan dost then built a pavilion over the grave (gongbei) under the elm tree at the foot of the mountain east of the city where he had stayed, naming it Guangzhao. Since then, whenever there are floods or droughts, people go to the gongbei to make dua.

According to the 'Biography of the Grand Master,' Qi Jingyi, a disciple of Huazhe and founder of the Great Gongbei, went to Guangzhao Pavilion Gongbei in 1694 (the 33rd year of the Kangxi reign) to teach. People came in an endless stream to listen, and even the local Songpan garrison commander came to see him. Later, the commander was inspired by Qi Jingyi, gave up his high position and wealth, and followed Qi Jingyi to pursue a life of spiritual practice.

The Light Pavilion (Guangzhao Ting) was torn down after 1966. In 1997, Yang Jiefang, the head of the Great Gongbei (Da Gongbei), led its reconstruction. It was renovated again in 2019 to reach its current appearance. I was welcomed by an imam at the Gongbei Mosque (Gongbei Si), where I learned a lot about Sufism and enjoyed tea and steamed buns (momo). I felt very grateful.



















In the dua hall of the Light Pavilion Gongbei, the mihrab features three wooden carvings of dua in the shapes of a fan, a circle, and an incense burner. Building a prayer hall inside a gongbei is a characteristic of the Great Gongbei menhuan, which is why it is also called the Gongbei Mosque. There is an imam inside the Gongbei Mosque.















Walking further up the mountain from the Songpan Light Pavilion Gongbei leads to a Hui Muslim cemetery. Continuing to climb higher, you can see another site, the Hidden Immortal Pavilion (Yinxian Ting) Gongbei. The Hidden Immortal Pavilion Gongbei is usually closed. You need to contact the imam at the Light Pavilion Gongbei Mosque down the mountain to open the door.

The Hidden Immortal Pavilion Gongbei is also called the Upper Gongbei. In 1736 (the first year of the Qianlong reign), it became the burial site for Ma Guangzu, who came to China to preach during the Kangxi reign. According to the Republic of China era 'Songpan County Annals, Volume 8, Miscellaneous Records,' Ma Guangzu traveled through Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces before finally arriving at a cave on a slope near the Light Pavilion in Songpan to meditate. He lived on dates and chestnuts. When local Songpan dostis (friends/disciples) came to seek his guidance, he taught them to respect Allah and purify their hearts to see their true nature. Ma Guangzu was 120 years old when he returned to Allah in 1736. To honor him, the Songpan dostis built a gongbei pavilion over his thatched hut. In the early years of the Jiaqing reign, when the White Lotus Sect attacked Songzhou City, they passed by the Gongbei. They suddenly saw an old man in a green robe who was as tall as the mountain, leading soldiers in white armor to fill the valley, which scared the White Lotus Sect members away. To thank the old man for his miraculous protection, the Qing official Hong Fan personally wrote the plaque 'Protect My People' (Bao Wo Limin) and hung it on the middle door of the main hall of the Gongbei.































Yousuotun Mosque is located in Yousuotun Village, 5 kilometers north of Songpan City. It was built over two years starting in 1933, after villagers Ma Bolong and Ma Qijun donated the land. It stopped being used after 1958, was destroyed after 1966, rebuilt in 1986, and reconstructed again in 2008 into its current form.









The Hui Muslim homes in Yousuotun retain the traditional architectural style of the Sichuan-Tibet region and are well worth seeing.





























Huoshaotun Mosque is located in Huoshaotun Village by the Min River, north of Songpan City. It was first built in 1920, and it was being rebuilt when I visited. Huoshaotun Village has branded itself as a 'Ten-Mile Hui Muslim Cultural Town,' but in reality, there are very few places to eat there. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This first part of the Yangon mosque guide records visits to twenty-three mosques in and around the old city, including Indian Sunni, Indian Shia, and Yunnan Hui Muslim sites. It keeps the source's mosque sequence, community background, architecture, and historical observations.

A detailed introduction to the twenty-three mosques in Yangon, Myanmar (Part 1)

On this trip to Yangon, I visited twenty-three mosques in the old city and surrounding areas. Eighteen belong to Indian Sunni Muslims, four to Indian Shia Muslims, and one belongs to Hui Muslims from Yunnan.

I have already introduced the Shia and Hui mosques in Yangon in my articles 'The Largest Shia Mosque in Southeast Asia—Yangon' and 'Hui Mosques and Hui Food in Yangon, Myanmar.' This time, I will introduce the eighteen Indian Sunni mosques in Yangon.

Although I have visited Southeast Asia many times, countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia follow the Shafi'i school of thought. Their prayer movements and timings are different from ours, and I often felt out of place during namaz. This time, I finally reached a Hanafi region in Southeast Asia: Yangon, Myanmar. The prayer movements of the brothers (dosti) in Yangon are exactly the same as those of the Hui Muslims, so I felt very at home in the mosques every time.

There is another special feature in Yangon's mosques: almost every mosque has a shoe storage area with a brother (dosti) specifically in charge of looking after the shoes. This man has a great memory. After you finish your namaz, he will bring your shoes out and hand them to you before you even ask. He never mixes up anyone's shoes. Also, he does not accept any tips at all. In India and Egypt, I have always been charged a tip for shoe storage. That is why some brothers (dosti) in India would rather carry a bag for their shoes than use a storage service.

In the mosques of Yangon, the time between the afternoon prayer (dhuhr) and the late afternoon prayer (asr) is for studying scripture. Both adults and children sit in a circle to learn from the imam, and the atmosphere is wonderful.

Unlike in Malaysia, mosques in Yangon are not open all day and are usually locked outside of the five prayer times. This made visiting them more difficult, but alhamdulillah, I managed to visit most of the ones I wanted to see.

Indian brothers (dosti) have been settled in Yangon for 200 years. After the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1826, merchants from British India began traveling to Myanmar for business. The first to arrive in Yangon were Gujarati merchants from Surat in western India. In 1826, they built the Surti Sunni Jumu'ah Mosque in Yangon. In the same year, two officers from the Konbaung Dynasty of Myanmar also built the Triangle Mosque in Yangon. These were the first two mosques in the city.

After the British occupied Yangon in 1853, brothers (dosti) from Gujarat, Bengal, and the Tamil and Andhra regions of South India arrived in Yangon one after another. Many Gujarati merchants opened companies and built mosques in Yangon. The Mamusa family alone built two. Because the British made Yangon part of the Bengal Presidency of British India, a wave of Bengali immigration to Yangon began. The Bengali community also built three mosques in Yangon. At the same time, Tamils from South India followed the Indian Ocean monsoon winds across the Bay of Bengal to Yangon and also built two mosques.

Below, I will introduce the eighteen Indian Sunni mosques in Yangon one by one.

The Sunni Jumu'ah Bengali Mosque is located next to the Sule Pagoda in the center of Yangon's old city. It was founded by Bengali brothers (dosti) in 1862. After the British occupied Yangon in 1852, they made it part of the Bengal Presidency of British India, which triggered a wave of Bengali immigration to Yangon.

The Bengali Mosque was originally a wooden structure. It was rebuilt as a brick building in 1902 and renovated into the current tiled building in 1992. Now, you can see Arabic, English, Bengali, and Burmese on the gate and the prayer schedule. Because it is in the center of Yangon's old town and due to the Rohingya issue, some Burmese nationalist groups have long wanted to tear down the Bengali Mosque.



















The Bengali Mosque (Bengali Dosti) was the second Sunni Friday mosque built in Yangon in 1932. It is located on 91st Street in the northern part of the old town, right next to the railway. The mosque looks very grand, and its minaret decorations are also quite ornate.



















The Chulia Friday Mosque is in Yangon's Indian quarter, not far west of the Bengali Mosque. It was built in 1856 by South Indian Tamil Dosti. The name Chulia comes from the Chola dynasty that once ruled the Tamils. Long ago, Tamil Dosti followed the Indian Ocean monsoon winds across the Bay of Bengal to the coasts of Southeast Asia. The Jamae Mosque in Singapore's Chinatown was built by Tamils in 1826. After the British occupied Yangon in 1852, the number of Tamils immigrating to Yangon kept growing, and the Chulia Friday Mosque was established as a result.

The Chulia Friday Mosque was originally a wooden structure. It was rebuilt as a brick building in 1869, and in 1936, it was rebuilt into its current form by the Iranian-Armenian contractor AC Martin. AC Martin built many structures in Yangon, including the General Post Office.

There is a water well inside the Chulia Friday Mosque, and whenever there is a water shortage, it provides water for the Indian quarter. In 1941, the Japanese military bombed Yangon on a large scale, and the Chulia Friday Mosque was also damaged. Later, a porch was built in 1955, and the main hall was built in 1963. Currently, the shops on the first floor of the main hall are very busy, and the second floor can host wedding banquets. When we visited, there were wedding banquets being held every morning.



















The Chulia Muslim Dargah Mosque is located opposite Bogyoke Aung San Market in the northern part of Yangon's old town. It is the second mosque built in Yangon by South Indian Tamil Dosti. It was funded by a Tamil couple born in Myanmar, Kassim Kaderlt and Daw Nyein Mae, in 1886, and renovated into its current appearance in 1995.

The original meaning of Dargah in Persian is 'portal,' which later evolved to mean a Sufi gongbei shrine. However, I did not find any gongbei or shrine inside the mosque.



















The Surti Sunni Friday Mosque is located on Mogul Street in the Indian quarter of Yangon's old town. It was first built in 1826 by Gujarati merchants from Surat in western India, but it was destroyed during the British invasion of Yangon in 1852. In the 1860s, the wealthy Gujarati company Sooratee Bara Bazaar led the reconstruction of the Surti Mosque, and it officially opened in 1871.

Many of Yangon's Gujarati Dosti came from the town of Rander near Surat. Historically, this was an important port in western India. As early as the 13th century, a large number of Arab merchants from Kufa, Iraq, lived there, and by the 16th century, the port was piled high with Sumatran spices and Chinese porcelain. After the 19th century, Gujarati merchants from Rander began to go to Yangon for business. Currently, many old houses in Rander are built of Burmese teak, and restaurants in Rander even serve a snack called Yangon paratha.



















The Muhammadiyah Madrasa in Yangon, Myanmar, is located opposite the Surti Sunni Friday Mosque. It was first built in 1855 by Gujarati merchants from the town of Rander in Surat, western India. Before 1900, the madrasa only taught religious knowledge and Urdu. In 1900, it officially introduced English education, and in 1909, it officially transformed into the comprehensive Rander High School.

Although it was founded by wealthy Gujarati Dosti merchants, the school was open to everyone. Sunnis, Shias, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists could all enroll. By 1927, all the teachers except for the principal were British. Before 1948, the school was supported by the British and taught in English. After 1948, it switched to teaching in Burmese, and after 1965, the government officially took over the school.





The Mamsa Mosque is located on 26th Street in the Indian quarter of Yangon's old town. It was built in 1923 by the Mamsa family, who were Gujarati merchants from Surat in western India. The Mamsa family gained a great deal of wealth by investing in real estate and still collects rent from more than 150 buildings today.















The Esof Ahmed Mamsa Family Mosque is in Tamwe Township, north of Yangon's old city. The Mamsa family, merchants from Gujarat, India, built it in 1937. In 1995, they renovated it to its current look using rent collected from family-owned properties.

The mosque has a tall clock tower facing the street. At the top is a clock made by the old Berlin, Germany, watchmaker C. F. Rochlitz, which still works today. If you look closely at the clock tower, you can still see bullet holes left from when the Japanese army invaded Yangon in 1942. The German company C. F. Rochlitz started in 1824 and specialized in clocks for towers. It won many international awards in the 19th century and stayed under the Rochlitz family until it was bought in 1984.



















The Narsapuri Moja Sunni Jame Mosque is in the middle of Mogul Street in Yangon's old Indian quarter, north of the Surti Mosque. Friends (dosti) from Andhra Pradesh on the southeast coast of India first built it in 1855, and it was rebuilt into its current form in the 1890s.

Unlike northern India, where the faith spread through occupation, the faith in southern India mostly grew through merchants and Sufi saints. The dosti from Andhra Pradesh speak a special Deccan Urdu. Compared to northern Urdu, it keeps more ancient words from the pre-Mughal era and adds many loanwords from local Deccan languages like Telugu and Tamil.

The mosque is named after Narsapur, a coastal city in Andhra Pradesh, India. The dosti from Andhra Pradesh in Yangon boarded ships there to come to Yangon. The Dutch used Narsapur as a port in the 17th century. By the 18th century, it became an important Indian trade port and shipbuilding center, exporting large amounts of teak to the world.















The Gulam Ariff Mosque is on Lanmadaw Road in Yangon's Chinatown. The Indian real estate developer Gulam Ariff built it in 1888. Gulam Ariff owned a famous real estate company in Yangon. This mosque has fewer people, but it provides great convenience for the dosti who live and work near Chinatown.



















The Hashim Kasim Patel Trust Mosque is on the far west side of Yangon's old city. The Kasim Patel family from Surat, India, built it in 1922, and the family still manages it today.

After the First Anglo-Burmese War in 1826, merchants from British India began traveling to Myanmar for business. The Kasim Patel family moved from Mumbai, India, to Myanmar in the 1830s. They first worked in the silk trade in Mawlamyine. After the British occupied Yangon in 1853, they moved to Yangon to open shops. The family started a company named after the eldest son, Hashim Kasim Patel. They also ran the Gulam Ariff Company and the Boglay Bazzar Company. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the Kasim Patel family held a very high status among the Gujarati dosti in Yangon.



















The Chittagong Sunni Arkaty Chota Mosque is on 40th Street on the east side of Yangon's old city. Dosti from Chittagong, Bangladesh, built it. Chittagong is an ancient natural port in Bangladesh. It has been an important passage for the southern Silk Road since ancient times. Arab merchants began trading there in the 9th century, and the famous traveler Ibn Battuta and Zheng He's fleet both visited. After 1666, the Mughal Empire ruled Chittagong. During this time, Chittagong developed quickly and became a shipbuilding center. After 1823, the British occupied both Chittagong and Lower Myanmar, and the dosti from Chittagong began moving to Myanmar to make a living.













The Triangle Mosque is on Upper Pansodan Road, north of Yangon's old city. It is one of the oldest mosques in Yangon. Two officers of King Bagyidaw (who reigned from 1819 to 1837) of the Konbaung Dynasty, U Shwe Thie and U Shwe Mie, built it in 1826. This mosque was badly damaged during the Japanese invasion of Yangon in World War II, but it was later renovated.









The Mayin Gon Jame Mosque is in Sanchaung Township, north of Yangon's old city. It was first built in 1930. The spiral staircase inside the mosque was provided by Cowie Brothers, an exporter from Glasgow, Scotland. The company's founder, Charles, was once a manager at the Rangoon Oil Company and exported many goods to Myanmar from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

Mogul Street Jumu'ah Mosque (Mogul Street Jumu'ah Mosque) is located at the very busy Mogul Street intersection. Surrounded by many shopping malls, it is known as the New York Times Square of Yangon. Every Friday, many friends (dost) come to the mosque for Jumu'ah prayers. Although the mosque director has been applying to expand the mosque, it has never been approved due to the current situation.



















Musmeah Yeshua Sunni Jumu'ah Mosque (Musmeah Yeshua Sunni Jumu'ah Mosque) is located in the Tamwe Township in northern Yangon. It was founded in 1908 by the Indian businessman Musmeah Yeshua. The top of the main hall features twenty-two intricate domes and small towers, making it the most distinctive mosque in Yangon. Despite damage from two earthquakes, most of the original design of the main hall, including the stained glass windows imported from India, has been preserved to this day.

According to newspaper records from the early 20th century, Musmeah Yeshua was once a famous gang leader in Yangon. At that time, two major Indian families in Yangon, led by Musmeah and Mamusa, were long-term rivals, which led to many gang incidents. The Straits Times reported on December 21, 1923, that Musmeah Yeshua himself clashed with a rival gang called the Sultans. He was injured by a series of glass soda bottles thrown from a roof and was later forced to apply to the police for protective custody.

In every mosque in Yangon, the time between the dawn prayer (fajr) and the sunrise prayer (shuruq) is for studying the Quran. Adults and children learn the Quran sentence by sentence in the mosque, which is the best time to experience the religious atmosphere of Yangon.



















Kantaw Kalay Ywar Houng Mosque is located on Upper Pansodan Road, north of the old city of Yangon and not far north of the Triangle Mosque. Its founding date is unknown, and it was rebuilt into its current structure in 1940. This is another area in Yangon outside the Indian quarter where Indian friends (dost) live. Yunnan Hui Muslims also live here, so there is a lot of delicious food on the street, much like Shuncheng Street in Kunming or Niujie in Beijing. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This second part of the Yangon mosque guide continues through the city's old mosque quarters, including the shrine of Bahadur Shah II and other Muslim sites near the National Museum area. It preserves the source's mosque names, locations, community notes, and historical details.

A detailed guide to the twenty-three mosques of Yangon, Myanmar (Part 2)











The shrine (gongbei) of the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah II, is located inside the shrine complex, right next to the National Museum of Myanmar. In 1858, Bahadur Shah II was exiled to Yangon. He lived in a small wooden house near the Shwedagon Pagoda until he passed away in 1862. Because his grave had no markings and only his two children and a servant attended the funeral, his burial site was soon forgotten. In 1905, the local Muslims (dosti) in Yangon protested to the British, and in 1907, the British agreed to put up a tombstone. In 1991, workers digging a drainage ditch accidentally found a brick grave. After identification, it was confirmed to be the grave of Bahadur Shah II himself. The shrine (gongbei) for Bahadur Shah II was officially completed in 1994, and a prayer hall was built next to it.

Bahadur Shah II was a devout Sufi sheikh during his life, and today his shrine (gongbei) has become a famous Sufi holy site in Myanmar. Since there are no Muslims (dosti) living near the shrine (gongbei), not many people come here for namaz on a daily basis.



















The Thinchai Sunni Maha Maiden mosque is located inside the Yangon Sunni cemetery. It is mainly used by those visiting graves, and the current building was constructed in 1989. There are also several tombs (mazar) of Sufi saints inside the Yangon Sunni cemetery, and many Muslims (dosti) often come here to perform religious gatherings (gu'ermaili).



















I visited the Golab Khan Jumu'ah mosque on Tha Mein Ba Yan Street in northern Yangon, where I also met children studying the Quran. Overall, after walking around this time, I feel that the religious atmosphere in Yangon is very strong. view all

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Summary: Hanoi's Al-Noor Mosque is the only active mosque in northern Vietnam and was funded by Indian Muslim merchants from Mumbai in the late nineteenth century. This account follows the mosque, halal beef pho, Muslim restaurants, and local community details recorded in the source.

Al-Noor Mosque and beef noodle soup in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Al-Noor Mosque in Hanoi is the only active mosque in northern Vietnam today. It was built with funds from Indian merchants from Mumbai in 1885 and officially opened in 1890, featuring a classic Indian architectural style. In the early 19th century, Indian merchants began selling textiles and exchanging currency on Hang Dao Street in Hanoi's Old Quarter. Many settled there, and later they formally established the Al-Noor mosque community.

After the Vietnam War began, Indian merchants in Hanoi gradually left. In 1964, when the war escalated, Al-Noor Mosque officially closed, and the Hanoi mosque community dissolved. Fortunately, Al-Noor Mosque survived the U. S. military's widespread bombing of Hanoi, and the century-old building was preserved. In 1986, Vietnam announced its reform and opening-up policy. In 1990, Al-Noor Mosque reopened through the efforts of people like the Malaysia Airlines manager Khalid and the Iranian ambassador.

In 1990, the mosque community had no local members, and it was used mainly by diplomats and staff from embassies. Over the past thirty years, as Vietnam's international exchanges have increased, the number of people in the mosque community has also grown. In 2011, Al-Noor Mosque officially established a management committee. Today, to over 500 embassy staff and foreign workers, more than 100 local Vietnamese Cham people and local converts (dosti) regularly visit the mosque.

The current imam of Al-Noor Mosque is a Cham person from An Giang in southern Vietnam, and the director is a descendant of a Pakistani family who managed the mosque during the French colonial period. The Cham people have lived in southern Vietnam for generations. After the 16th century, Malays influenced the Cham through trade and intermarriage, leading the Cham to gradually embrace the faith. After the 18th century, the Cham began living in the Mekong Delta. The Mubarak Mosque in An Giang, built in 1750, is one of the oldest existing mosques in Vietnam.



















Hidden in the courtyard next to Al-Noor Mosque is a local halal eatery called Zaynab Restaurant. It specializes in beef noodle soup and rice sets. The owner, Zaynab, once cooked for the family of the Iranian ambassador to Vietnam for many years. They are open daily from 11:00 to 16:00, but they stop serving food after 3:00 PM, so be sure to go early for lunch.

The place is very small with only four tables. The waiter and the chef is just Zaynab's son. We arrived at 3:00 PM, which felt right. We ordered beef noodle soup (pho bo) and lemon fish with rice (ca ran sot chanh). I had previously eaten southern-style Saigon pho at a Cham restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City, and this time I finally got to try northern-style Hanoi pho.

Vietnamese pho is said to have developed from a fusion of French beef stew and Chinese rice noodles. It began appearing on the streets of Hanoi in the early 20th century and only spread to Saigon after the division of North and South Vietnam in 1954. Compared to Saigon pho, Hanoi pho noodles are thicker and the broth is lighter. The main garnish is green onion, unlike Saigon pho which uses bean sprouts and basil. Hanoi pho is usually seasoned with rice vinegar and fish sauce, while Saigon pho is seasoned with lime and seafood sauce.













The most authentic local halal eatery in Hanoi is Pho Muslim on Dong Xuan Street in the Old Quarter. It is very close to Al-Noor Mosque, right across from the largest market in the Old Quarter, Dong Xuan Market. They have very long business hours, open from 9:00 AM until 11:30 PM. We went at 9:30 PM and it was still very busy.

The owner, Maryam, is a local Vietnamese convert (dosti) who can make many types of traditional Vietnamese snacks. Besides their famous pho, their most recommended dishes are Hue-style beef noodles (bun bo hue) and fresh shrimp spring rolls (goi cuon tom thit). Since we were too full from dinner, we just ordered a bowl of Hue-style beef noodles and an iced lemon tea.

Hue-style beef noodle soup (bun bo hue) is very spicy. It contains beef meatballs, beef slices, and beef sausage. The broth is simmered with beef bones, beef shank, and lemongrass, seasoned with fermented shrimp paste, and finished with Vietnamese chili sauce (Ot Sa Te). Hue-style beef noodle soup dates back to the 16th century when Hue was the capital of the Vietnamese Nguyen Lords' territory, and it is said to have originated in the Nguyen royal court. The Nguyen Lords' territory was the predecessor to the Nguyen Dynasty and ruled southern Vietnam for over 200 years.



















Kachi Kitchen is a restaurant opened by Khanh Chi Vu, a local ethnic Kinh Vietnamese sister who converted to Islam. They have two locations in Hanoi and one in the Sapa ward of Lao Cai, near the China-Vietnam border. The branch we visited is in a small alley next to Hang Dau Street in the Old Quarter's 36 Streets area. The shop serves both Vietnamese and South Asian food.

We ordered grilled beef dry noodles (bun bo nuong), rolled pho noodles (pho cuon), and fried tofu with tomato sauce. Bun bo nuong consists of rice noodles topped with grilled minced beef, roasted peanuts, and lettuce, served with a drizzle of fish sauce. It is delicious. Pho cuon is made by wrapping stir-fried beef, ginger, garlic, lettuce, and mint inside uncut sheets of pho noodles. You dip them in a sauce made of fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and chili. A Hanoi pho vendor reportedly ran out of broth one day but still had noodles and toppings left, so they invented the rolled pho.



















Besides pho, you must try the Vietnamese-style baguette sandwich (banh mi) when in Hanoi. There is a shop across from Al-Noor Mosque (Nur Si) run by South Asian friends (dosti) where you can get takeout or sit by the door. We ordered beef and chicken banh mi with Vietnamese coffee to experience a classic Hanoi street breakfast.

The French introduced the baguette to Vietnam in the mid-19th century. During World War I, flour imports were interrupted, which led to the fluffy texture of today's Vietnamese baguette. In the 1950s, northern immigrants in Saigon invented the unique Vietnamese-style banh mi, which quickly became a popular street snack.













There are many other restaurants near Al-Noor Mosque, many run by South Asian dosti, so finding food in the Old Quarter is easy. The main problem in Hanoi's Old Quarter is that sidewalks are completely occupied and the streets are full of motorbikes, making walking very difficult and dangerous.



















Hanoi's Muslim community and Chinese community are both located in the Old Quarter's 36 Streets, so you can visit both while exploring the area.

The Hanoi Fujian Assembly Hall is located on Fujian Street (now called Lan Ong Street). It was built in 1815 and has been renovated many times. The main gate features a couplet that reads, 'Cultivating blessings in the hometown, building pillars of strength.' Inside, there are several plaques with inscriptions like 'Spring returns to the sea nation' and 'Harmony and peace.' The courtyard contains stone tablets recording the renovations, which list many Fujian merchant houses that donated funds, such as Chengxing, Heji, Hexing, and Futai Cheng.



















Old photos displayed in the Fujian Assembly Hall show that it once served as the First Primary School attached to the Chinese Middle School.









After Vietnam's anti-Chinese campaign in 1977, most Chinese in Hanoi's Old Quarter dispersed, while a few chose to hide their identities. Now, you can only imagine the former Chinese community by looking at the Chinese characters on the historic buildings.











The Hanoi Guangdong Assembly Hall is located on Fan Hang Street. It was built by Guangdong merchants in 1803, renovated in 1820 and 1844, and rebuilt into its current form between 1920 and 1925. Judging by the hometowns of the donors listed on the stone tablets, most came from Shunde and Nanhai counties in Guangdong.

The four characters for 'Guangdong Assembly Hall' above the main gate were written by Kuomintang veteran Hu Hanmin. In 1907, Sun Yat-sen and Hu Hanmin founded the Hanoi branch of the Tongmenghui, and the Guangdong Guild Hall (Yuedong Huiguan) became a key meeting place. After that, Hu Hanmin traveled back and forth between Hanoi and Hong Kong many times to raise funds and transport weapons.

Sail Street (Hang Buom), where the Guangdong Guild Hall is located, was once the main place where Chinese people from Guangdong lived. After the 1950s, they mostly made a living selling candy. After Vietnam's anti-Chinese policies in 1977, most moved away, and now only a few Chinese families remain on the street.



































Of the old city gates in Hanoi, only the East Gate (O Quan Chuong) on Mat Street (Hang Chieu) still stands today. The East Gate was first built in 1749 and rebuilt in 1804 and 1817. It features the classic watchtower style of the Nguyen Dynasty. When the French invaded Hanoi in 1873, one hundred Vietnamese soldiers fought the French army at the East Gate until the very last moment. Inside the gate, there is a stone tablet from 1881 during the reign of Emperor Tu Duc of the Nguyen Dynasty. It says, 'Guards must be strict, but they must not disturb the people.' view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: 50 Mosques I Visited - Muslim Heritage Across China 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 Mosque Travel, China Mosques, Muslim Heritage.

5 mosques in Heilongjiang

Qiqihar Buque East Mosque and Buque West Mosque

Harbin Daowai Mosque, Tatar Mosque, and Acheng Mosque

1 mosque in Jilin

Changchun Changtong Road Mosque

12 mosques in Liaoning

Tieling Kaiyuan Old City Mosque

Shenyang South Mosque, East Mosque, and Xinmin Mosque

Fengcheng Mosque in Dandong

Qingdui Mosque and Fuzhou Mosque in Dalian

Xinlitun Mosque, Beizhen Mosque, and Luyang Mosque in Jinzhou

Lingyuan Mosque in Chaoyang

Suizhong Mosque in Huludao

4 mosques in Inner Mongolia

North Mosque (Beidasi) in Chifeng

Longshengzhuang Mosque in Ulanqab

Hohhot Great Mosque and East Mosque

16 mosques in Hebei

Chengde West Mosque and Pingquan Mosque

Zhangjiakou Xinhua Street Mosque, Xiguan Mosque, Tu'ergou Mosque, Xuanhua South Great Mosque, Xuanhua North Mosque, and Xuanhua Middle Mosque

Baoding West Mosque, East Mosque, Women's Mosque, and Zhuozhou Mosque

Cangzhou North Great Mosque and Botou Mosque

Xingtai Hongguanying Mosque

Qinhuangdao Shanhaiguan Mosque

12 mosques in Beijing (continued in the next part)

Gubeikou Mosque and Mujia Yu Mosque in Miyun

Nankou Mosque, Wujie Mosque, Heying Mosque, Shahe Mosque, and Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping

Anheqiao Mosque, Shucun Mosque, Madian Mosque, Haidian Mosque, and Siwangfu Mosque in Haidian

Heilongjiang

1. Bukui East Mosque in Qiqihar

Bukui Ancient Mosque and the Hui Muslim community in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang

Bukui East Mosque in Qiqihar is the oldest mosque in Heilongjiang. The most common story is that it was built in 1676 by over 40 Hui Muslim families who moved to Bukui Village from Shandong and Hebei. Another theory says it was built in 1700 by the Wang and Xia families, who were Hui Muslims from Jinan, Shandong, and moved to Qiqihar with the Heilongjiang Naval Battalion. The original Bukui Mosque was just a thatched hut. It was rebuilt many times during the Jiaqing and Guangxu eras, eventually reaching its current size.

The most unique part of the East Mosque is the Moon-Sighting Tower (Wangyuelou) above the rear prayer hall. It is a three-story structure with a four-cornered pointed roof and intricate brick carvings. On the east side, there is a plaque that reads 'Tianfang Jiejing'. The copper lotus-base gourd finial on top of the prayer hall was added during the major renovation of the Bukui East Mosque in 1893 (the 19th year of the Guangxu era). People say Ma Wanliang bought it from a Tibetan Buddhist mosque near Zhangjiakou. Local legend says the finial was not installed until after the Republic of China era because it was taller than the nearby mansion of the Yikeming'an Eighth Prince.



2. Qiqihar

Bukui West Mosque

Bukui Ancient Mosque and the Hui Muslim community in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang

The Bukui West Mosque in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, belongs to the Jahriyya order. In 1817, the third-generation leader (murshid) of the Jahriyya, Ma Datian, was sentenced to exile in Qiqihar, Heilongjiang. Twelve families led by Master Niu volunteered to take his place and followed him into exile. Ma Datian passed away while passing through the Jilin Shipyard. He was honored as the Shipyard Master (Chuanchang Taiye) from then on, while the 12 families continued their exile to Qiqihar. After arriving in Qiqihar, the 12 families were welcomed by the local Gedimu community. In 1852, they built the West Mosque (Bukuixi Si) on the west side of the Bukui Mosque, making it the only Jahriyya mosque in Heilongjiang.

The mosque keeps a banner inscribed with the words 'Benevolence, Loyalty, and Harmony.' It reads: 'In memory of the 50th anniversary of the passing of the late Imam Niu Chenggong, offered by his humble juniors Ma Yongcai and Ma Yongzhi on the 13th day of the eighth lunar month in the 14th year of the Guangxu reign.' Imam Niu Chenggong is the same Master Niu who volunteered to take the blame and follow the Shipyard Master to Qiqihar. Master Niu was originally an imam from the Lingwu area of Wuzhong. Many stories of his miracles during the journey to Qiqihar are widely told among the Jahriyya menhuan. Every year, Jahriyya followers from places like Ningxia and Gansu travel thousands of miles to Qiqihar to visit Master Niu's grave.



3. Harbin Daowai Mosque

Daowai Mosque in Harbin and the century-old Laoguo Family Restaurant

Daowai Mosque, also known as the East Mosque or Binjiang Mosque, started in 1897 (the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign) when five thatched rooms were bought on South 12th Street. It was rebuilt in 1904. In the early 1930s, Imam Ma Songting proposed a new building. Head Imam Bai Yusheng traveled around to collect donations (nietie) and hired Russian designers, the Krabryov siblings, to build the current main hall of Daowai Mosque in 1935.

Daowai Mosque has a strong Russian style. Its Roman columns and onion domes modeled after Russian architecture are unique, making it a standout piece of mosque architecture from the Republic of China era.

The classic Russian onion dome actually started in the Middle East. The earliest visible onion domes appear in Syrian mosaic images from the Arab Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 AD), and the earliest physical examples were built by the Seljuk Empire in Iran during the 11th century. Historians are not sure when Russia started using onion domes. Some scholars guess they learned it from the mosques of the Kazan Tatars after Russia conquered the Kazan Khanate in the 16th century, while others think they developed from Byzantine domes.



4. Harbin Tatar Mosque

The history of Harbin Tatar Mosque

Construction of the Chinese Eastern Railway began in 1897 with Harbin as its center. After that, many Tatars from Russia came to live and work along the railway line. Tatars began settling in Harbin in 1901 and built the first wooden Tatar mosque that same year. As the Tatar population grew, they rebuilt the mosque using brick in 1906. The number of Tatar immigrants in Harbin rose after 1917, reaching over a thousand in the 1920s. Most of them made a living by trading furs, textiles, and clothing.

To mark the 1,000th anniversary of their ancestors, the Volga Bulgars, converting to Islam in 922 AD, the Harbin Tatars decided to build a new mosque. Construction of the new mosque started in 1923, but it stalled for a time due to the imam passing away, political instability, and poor management of funds. In 1936, Imam Münir Hasibullah traveled to every place where Tatars lived in the Far East to collect donations (niatie). The Millennium Mosque finally opened on October 8, 1937. After the Soviet Union entered Northeast China in 1945, most Harbin Tatars chose to move to the United States, Canada, and Turkey. By 1960, fewer than five Tatars remained in Harbin, and the Harbin Tatar community officially dissolved.



5. Acheng Mosque in Harbin

The beautiful Acheng Mosque in Heilongjiang

In 1770, a Hui Muslim named Yang Huaxian from Shen County, Shandong, settled in Acheng with the Qing army. Afterward, more Hui Muslims moved from Shandong to Acheng and rented homes from Manchu bannermen. By 1777, there were 26 (some say 28) Hui Muslim households in Acheng, including the Yang, Wang, San, Ma, Zhang, Ding, Jin, and Cai families. They rented houses and established the first Acheng Mosque, with Yang Huaxian serving as the mosque elder. In 1802, elder Yang Huaxian negotiated the purchase of land to build a formal Acheng Mosque. Construction took 50 years, spanning the Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Xianfeng reigns. In 1873, 12 years after the mosque was completed, a fire in Acheng destroyed the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) and the north lecture hall, leaving only the south lecture hall and the reception hall. In 1890, the mosque's imam, Liu Yuzhang, and manager Luo Yuzhang began organizing the reconstruction of the mosque. It took 10 years to complete the current structure in 1900.

Inside the main hall of Acheng Mosque, there is a beautiful pulpit (minbar). It is actually one of two models built in 1890 for the reconstruction of the mosque's moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou). After the mosque elders discussed it, they chose the style of the other model, so this one was used as the pulpit (minbar).



Jilin

6. Changchun Changtong Road Mosque

Hand-pulled noodles (chenmian) in Nanguan, Changchun, and the Changtong Road Mosque

The Qing Dynasty relaxed its ban on Jilin in the early 19th century during the Jiaqing reign. In 1800 (the fifth year of Jiaqing), Changchun Subprefecture was established in Changchunbao. Hui Muslims began moving to Changchun at this time, and because most came from Shandong, they were called the Shandong Group.

Changchun Changtong Road Mosque was first built in 1824 (the fourth year of Daoguang). It was originally located inside the east gate of Dongsandao Street. In 1852 (the second year of Xianfeng), elder Han Xuecheng and Gong Wanmei donated houses, and elder Shi Xuecheng donated trees to move the mosque to its current location in Tielingtun. In 1864 (the third year of Tongzhi), Imam Han Dengqing and others raised funds to expand the mosque, building the current five-room main hall and the three-story rear hall (yaodian). In 1889 (the 15th year of the Guangxu reign), Imam Han Laixiang bought land from the Xu family in front of the mosque. He built the main gate tower, east and west side rooms, a north lecture hall, an east reception hall, and a front porch for the main prayer hall. The mosque was expanded several more times during the Republic of China era.



Liaoning

7. Old City Mosque in Kaiyuan, Tieling

A tour of three mosques in Liaoning: Lingyuan, Shenyang, and Kaiyuan

The Old City Mosque in Kaiyuan, Tieling, sits inside the east gate of the old city of Kaiyuan. It was first built in 1406 (the 4th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and is the oldest mosque in Northeast China. The current main prayer hall follows the style of the 1680 (the 19th year of the Kangxi reign) reconstruction. It consists of a vaulted porch, the main hall, and a hexagonal pavilion-style prayer niche (yaodian), which is similar in style to the South Mosque in Shenyang. The reception hall of the Old City Mosque stores old items, including drip tiles, eave tiles, roof ridge beasts, and carved wooden railings from the main hall. It also holds the finial from the moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) of the prayer niche and a plaque inscribed with the words 'Ling Luo Sha Juan' (fine silks and satins).



8. South Mosque in Shenyang

A tour of three mosques in Liaoning: Lingyuan, Shenyang, and Kaiyuan

Shenyang South Mosque was built in 1636, the first year of the Chongde reign of the Qing Dynasty. The ancestors of the Tie family who founded it were Hui Muslims from Central Asia who arrived in China during the Mongol western campaigns. In the early Ming Dynasty, Tie Xuan served as a provincial official in Jinan. During the Jingnan Campaign, he led troops to defend the city of Jinan. After the Prince of Yan broke through the city, Tie Xuan was captured and executed by dismemberment. After Tie Xuan returned to Allah, his second son, Tie Fushu, fled outside the Great Wall. During the Wanli reign (1573-1620), he moved from Jinzhou to Shenyang.

In 1662, the first year of the Kangxi reign, Tie Kui expanded Shenyang South Mosque. He invited the famous imam She Yuanshan from Beijing to set up a school there. After Imam She's student, Tie Hongji, finished his studies, he became the leader of the mosque. From then on, the position of imam at the South Mosque was passed down through the Tie family for 11 generations. The last imam, Tie Zizhang, served until 1956.

The rear hall of the mosque was expanded in 1902. The main prayer hall is not the traditional T-shape but a hexagonal kiln-style hall. This design, which adds a loft-style kiln hall to the back of the main hall, is common in the Northeast region.



9. Shenyang East Mosque

A tour of three mosques in Liaoning: Lingyuan, Shenyang, and Kaiyuan

Shenyang East Mosque was built in 1803 (the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign). In 1935, the main hall was rebuilt in a Western style, but the Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) kept its original Chinese style. The East Mosque was taken over in 1958, returned in 1980, and became the Shenyang Islamic Institute (Shenyang jingxueyuan) in 1988.



10. Shenyang Xinmin Mosque

[Liaoning Trip during Dragon Boat Festival] Strolling through the morning market in Shenyang and visiting an old mosque in Xinmin.

Xinmin is in the northwest of Shenyang. During the early years of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, many new immigrants came here to farm after crossing the border, which is how it got the name 'Xinmin'. Many Hui Muslims came to Xinmin during the Qianlong reign, and they built the Xinmin Mosque in Nanyingzi in 1765 (the thirtieth year of the Qianlong reign). The Xinmin Mosque burned down in 1866 (the fifth year of the Tongzhi reign) and was rebuilt in 1883 (the ninth year of the Guangxu reign), which is the structure we see today.

The main structure of Xinmin Mosque consists of a porch (juanpeng), the main prayer hall, a rear vaulted hall (yaodian), and the Moon-Sighting Tower (wangyuelou) on top of the vaulted hall. The Moon-Sighting Tower has a double-eaved, four-cornered pointed roof, topped with a 1.5-meter-tall copper wind-mill finial. The beams of the porch are painted with Suzhou-style patterns, and the wooden screens feature intricate openwork carvings.



11. Fengcheng Mosque in Dandong

[Dragon Boat Festival Trip to Liaoning] Fengcheng Ancient Mosque and Dandong Food

Fengcheng Mosque was first built in 1775 (the 40th year of the Qianlong reign). It was renovated in 1862 (the 1st year of the Tongzhi reign), and in 1876 (the 2nd year of the Guangxu reign), the north lecture hall was rebuilt and side rooms were added. In 1890 (the 16th year of the Guangxu reign), the Moon-Sighting Tower was added, giving the mosque its current size. The most unique feature of Fengcheng Mosque is the Moon-Sighting Tower, built during the Guangxu reign. It has a double-eaved, four-cornered pointed roof with elegant upturned eaves, brackets, and finely carved decorative brackets (que-ti).



12. Qingdui Mosque in Dalian

[Dragon Boat Festival Trip to Liaoning] Dalian City, Fuzhou Ancient City, and Qingdui Ancient Town

Qingdui Town is a thousand-year-old town that has served as a fishing port and commercial hub on the Liaodong Peninsula since the Tang Dynasty. Qingbu Port officially opened in 1743 (the eighth year of the Qianlong reign), making Qingdui Town an important transit point for people from Shandong and Hebei migrating to the Northeast. During the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China era, Qingdui Town was home to over three hundred businesses, with shops lining the streets and bustling with activity. Today, Qingdui Town still preserves many old houses with green bricks and dark tiles from the late Qing and Republican periods, and Qingdui Mosque (Qingdui Si) is one of them.

Qingdui Mosque was first built during the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty, starting as just three thatched rooms. In July 1894, the First Sino-Japanese War broke out, and the famous Hui Muslim general Zuo Baogui led his troops to Korea to fight the Japanese, passing by Qingdui Mosque on the way. General Zuo Baogui got along very well with Imam Zhang Chaozhen of Qingdui Mosque. Later, he donated money, and with additional funds raised by his personal Hui Muslim guards and three local halal restaurants—Deshengyuan, Qingshengyuan, and Yongshengyuan—they worked together to expand the mosque. It is a pity that General Zuo Baogui died heroically fighting the Japanese in Pyongyang before the expansion of Qingdui Mosque was finished.

In 1895 (the 21st year of the Guangxu reign), Hui Wanchun, the elder in charge of Qingdui Mosque, led the rebuilding of the main hall into the three-room green brick and tile structure we see today. In 1920 (the 9th year of the Republic of China), the gatehouse was rebuilt and the lecture hall was expanded, giving the mosque its current size.

Above the gate of Qingdui Mosque is a brick-carved couplet that reads: 'The pure palace spreads the teachings of the Muhammadan path, the true sage passes down scriptures that bring grace from the Western Regions.' This is a very precious piece of Republic-era brick-carved calligraphy. The main gate is usually closed, so you have to enter the mosque through the south wing where the imam lives. The imam is from Gansu, and he warmly told us about the history of Qingdui Mosque; it is not easy for his family to stay here and keep this small community mosque running.



13. Fuzhou Mosque in Dalian

[Dragon Boat Festival Trip to Liaoning] Dalian City, Fuzhou Ancient City, and Qingdui Ancient Town

In the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims with the surnames Yin, Dai, Ma, and Hui arrived in Fuzhou. In 1649, the sixth year of the Shunzhi reign, they began planning the Fuzhou Mosque. By 1656, the thirteenth year of the Shunzhi reign, they finished building three thatched rooms to serve as the main prayer hall. The main hall was rebuilt in 1774, the thirty-ninth year of the Qianlong reign, and expanded again in 1880, the sixth year of the Guangxu reign, though it still had a thatched roof. In 1920, the front porch and rear kiln-style hall were added, and the roof was changed to grey brick tiles, creating the structure seen today.

Hanging in front of the Fuzhou Mosque main hall is a plaque inscribed with the words "Return to Simplicity and Truth" (Huan Pu Gui Zhen). It was presented in 1897, the twenty-third year of the Guangxu reign, by Wang Tingxiang, a high-ranking official who held several titles including Imperial Censor of the Jiangnan Circuit and Commissioner of Education for Shanxi.



14. Xinlitun Mosque in Jinzhou

[Dragon Boat Festival Trip to Liaoning] The ancient town of Xinlitun in western Liaoning and the coal city of Fuxin

Xinlitun is an ancient town in western Liaoning, known as the "First Town Beyond the Frontier." During the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from places like Jinzhou, Yixian, Heishan, and Yingkou came to settle in Xinlitun. They built the Xinlitun Mosque in 1842.

On the 15th day of the first lunar month in 1873, Xinlitun held a stilt-walking festival. During the event, a conflict broke out between a Manchu banner man named Dashan, also known as Fifth Master Da, and Hui Muslims including Liu Hua, Zhao Guang'en, and Wang Yao. This escalated into a clash between the Manchu and Hui communities, which ended with the Xinlitun Mosque being burned down. Afterward, both the Manchu and Hui communities learned from the incident and decided to rebuild the Xinlitun Mosque. After several years of preparation, General Zuo Baogui, an anti-Japanese hero who led the Fengtian Army, took the lead by donating 300 taels of silver to finally complete the reconstruction.



15. Beizhen Mosque in Jinzhou

Visiting an old mosque in Jinzhou, Liaoning

The Beizhen Mosque was first built in 1522, expanded in 1617, and renovated again in 1798. Beizhen Mosque was once inside the south wall of Guangning City. During the Qianlong reign, the south wall was abandoned when the city was rebuilt. The wall slowly disappeared, and later Guangning City was renamed Beizhen City. This turned Beizhen Mosque from a city mosque into one located outside the city walls.

Beizhen Mosque follows the traditional northern mosque layout of a porch (juanpeng), main prayer hall (dadian), and rear niche (yaodian). Unusually, the porch and the main hall are separate structures and do not connect. The beams and brackets are painted with floral patterns, and the wood carvings are very fine and detailed.



16. Luyang Mosque in Jinzhou

Visiting an old mosque in Jinzhou, Liaoning

Luyang Mosque in Jinzhou, Liaoning, was first built in 1531 (the tenth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty). It was rebuilt during the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty and reached its current form in 1925. Manager Wang of the Luyang Enliyong pastry shop oversaw the construction. He invited Yang Peiran (Yuchun), who was a brigade commander in the Northeast Army at the time, to help raise the funds. Luyang Mosque is a rare historic mosque in China that features a moon-viewing tower (wangyuelou) placed directly above the main prayer hall. You can climb up to the tower to view the moon using a hanging wooden ladder. A plaque inscribed by the anti-Japanese hero General Zuo Baogui once hung in front of the main hall, but it was destroyed. The current plaque was inscribed in 1984.



17. Lingyuan Mosque in Chaoyang

A tour of three mosques in Liaoning: Lingyuan, Shenyang, and Kaiyuan

Lingyuan City in Chaoyang, Liaoning, sits at the border of Hebei, Liaoning, and Inner Mongolia. It was originally called Tazigou. Since the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei kept traveling through the Great Wall gaps near Xifengkou to reach the northeast. Lingyuan was their first stop after crossing the wall, and some Hui Muslims settled there. Lingyuan Mosque was built during the Qianlong era. According to stone inscriptions in the mosque, a Hui Muslim doctor named Zhang Lichen and others cured the illness of a Mongol prince from the Harqin Left Banner. The prince's estate then provided the land and silver to build the Lingyuan Mosque.



18. Suizhong Mosque in Huludao

The mosque and halal snacks in Suizhong, Liaoning

Suizhong County in Huludao, Liaoning, sits right next to Shanhai Pass and is the southwesternmost county in Liaoning Province. Starting in the 18th century, more than ten families of Hui Muslims, including the Zhang, Ding, Li, and Jin families, moved to Suizhong from Hebei Province. The first Suizhong mosque was built in 1737 (the second year of the Qianlong reign) below the Kuixing Tower in the southeast of the city. It moved to its current location inside the West Gate in 1797 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign) and took on its present form after being rebuilt between 1924 and 1927.



Inner Mongolia

19. Chifeng North Mosque

Chifeng North Mosque in Inner Mongolia and halal food

During the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei continuously traveled through Gubeikou and Chengde to reach eastern Inner Mongolia to make a living. In the 1730s, ten Hui Muslim families with the surnames Zhang, Ma, and Bai moved from Shandong and Hebei to settle in Chifeng, where they became known as the ten great Hui Muslim families or the 'mountain-claiming households' (zhanshanhu). In 1739 (the fourth year of the Qianlong reign), village elder Zhang Yueming from Chifeng led the effort to lease seven point six mu of land from Mongolian princes. They built five mud houses and a three-room main hall, which became the earliest Chifeng Mosque.

In 1742 (the seventh year of the Qianlong reign), village elder Ma Fen, who once ran the Desheng Security Firm in Shenyang, initiated the renovation of Chifeng Mosque. He paid for a plot of land, and the imam along with several village elders traveled to various places to collect donations through written requests (nietie). Afterward, Ma Fen went to Shenyang to hire craftsmen. Construction took four years and finished in 1747 (the twelfth year of the Qianlong reign). All the wood used came from red pine trees on the south mountain of Chifeng. From then on, the imam of the North Mosque was always a scripture reader from the Ma family line.



20. Longshengzhuang Mosque in Ulanqab

Longshengzhuang, a former trading town for Shanxi merchants traveling to Mongolia.

Longshengzhuang sits on the border between Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. From the Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China, it was an important trading hub for Shanxi merchants traveling to Mongolia. During the early Qing Dynasty, Hui Muslims from Hebei and Shandong kept moving to Longshengzhuang for business. In the late Qing Dynasty, many Hui Muslims from Shaanxi also migrated there. During the reign of the Guangxu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty, the Hui Muslim population in Longshengzhuang grew to two or three thousand people, reaching a peak of over five thousand in the early years of the Republic of China. At that time, Longshengzhuang had nearly twenty businesses, including a large halal restaurant (qingzhen dafanzhuang), livestock traders, brokers, and inns for travelers with horses.

Longshengzhuang Mosque was first built in 1751. It started with only three main halls. As more Muslims came here for business, they added a main hall, a front gate, a second gate, side rooms, and a screen wall in 1831, creating a three-courtyard layout. The arched porch (juanpeng) of Longshengzhuang Mosque was expanded in 1926 and features beautiful ironwork decorations from the Republic of China era.



21. Hohhot Great Mosque

Summer halal food tour in Hohhot

Hohhot Great Mosque was first built between the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. It was expanded in 1789 (the 54th year of the Qianlong reign) and again in 1923. The mosque gate was built in 1892 (the 18th year of the Guangxu reign). Above it hangs a plaque inscribed with "Great Mosque" (Qingzhen Dasi) from 1890 (the 16th year of the Guangxu reign), with plaques reading "National Prosperity" (Guotai) and "Peace for the People" (Min'an) on either side. Inside the entrance, you can see a brick-carved screen wall behind the main hall. It was built in 1896 (the 22nd year of the Guangxu reign) and is inscribed with phrases meaning "rectify the heart and be sincere in self-cultivation," "recognize the oneness of Allah," "brighten the heart," and "see one's true nature." These were written by Ma Fuxiang, who served as the Suiyuan Military Governor in 1924. The main hall was expanded in 1923 and consists of a porch, a front hall, a middle hall, and a rear kiln-style hall. The roof features a connected structure with four gables and five pointed pavilions, which symbolize the five pillars of Islam: faith, prayer (namaz), fasting, charity, and pilgrimage. The porch blends Chinese and Western styles with arched doorways. The walls are decorated with Arabic plaques, couplets, and floral patterns. The Moon-Sighting Tower (Wangyue Lou) was built in 1939. It stands 36 meters tall with a hexagonal brick base and a single-eave hexagonal pointed roof at the top.



22. Hohhot East Mosque

Summer halal food tour in Hohhot

Hohhot East Mosque was first built during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty. It started as a school and was expanded into a mosque during the Guangxu reign. The current building was rebuilt in 2014.



Hebei

23. West Mosque (Xisi) in Chengde

Mosques and halal food in Chengde

Hui Muslims began settling in Chengde after the Qing Dynasty built the Mountain Resort. Whenever Emperor Kangxi held the Mulan autumn hunt or visited the resort to escape the summer heat, Hui Muslim soldiers and merchants followed him. In the early years of the Yongzheng reign, the Qing government stationed Green Standard Army troops in Chengde. Because most soldiers came from Shaanxi, it was called the Shaanxi Camp, and the Left Camp within it was mostly made up of Hui Muslims. From then on, the Shaanxi Camp became the main residential area for Hui Muslims in Chengde.

By the Qianlong era, Chengde had become a major city in the north. Hui Muslims from Shandong and Hebei came to do business, working in the food industry and cattle and sheep slaughtering, a movement known as 'chasing the imperial camp'. Today, the ten major surnames of Chengde's Hui Muslims, including Wang, Ma, Shi, and Chen, all moved here from Shandong. The Wu family moved from Cangzhou, Hebei, and the Kong family moved from Beijing. The earliest mosque in Chengde, the East Mosque (Dongsi), was built during the Kangxi reign and was occupied in 1958. The existing West Mosque (Xisi) was built during the Daoguang reign. The prayer hall consists of a porch (juanpeng), a main hall, and a rear niche (yaodian). The moon-sighting tower (wangyuelou) sits on top of the main hall, topped with a decorative finial (baoding).



24. Pingquan Mosque in Chengde

Go to the small town of Pingquan outside the Great Wall to drink lamb bone broth (yangtang).

The South Street Mosque in Pingquan, Hebei, was first built in 1647 (the fourth year of the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty) and originally consisted of only three thatched rooms. As the number of Hui Muslims in Pingquan grew during the Qianlong reign, the mosque's imam, Zhang Hongye, and his son, Zhang Jin, traveled to Beijing in 1742 (the seventh year of the Qianlong reign). They made a model out of straw based on a mosque outside Qihua Gate (it is not verified whether it was the one at Nan Shangpo or Nan Xiapo) and brought it back to Pingquan to hire craftsmen to build the mosque. In 1915, Wu Zijian, the head of the Pingquan branch of the Islamic Promotion Association, led a renovation of the mosque.



25. Xinhua Street Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

Xinhua Street Mosque in Zhangjiakou was originally called Shenggou Mosque. It was built in 1863, the second year of the Tongzhi reign, by over eighty Hui Muslim families from Ningxia who had taken refuge in Zhangjiakou. Because these people mainly worked in the camel transport trade, Xinhua Street Mosque is also known as Camel Caravan Mosque (Tuofang Si).

These Hui Muslims were mostly from the Ma, Liu, Li, Du, Wu, Wang, and Ding families. They used camels to transport furs, silk, and tea for merchants, traveling between Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Gansu, Mongolia, and Russia. They first built a simple prayer hall next to a business called Baoshun Camel Shop. It reached its current size at Xinhua Street Mosque after several expansions. In front of the main hall of Xinhua Street Mosque, there are beautiful stone railings with pillar tops carved into the shape of fruit plates. All the large pine beams and pillars in the main hall were brought from Mongolia, serving as a witness to the camel transport trade in Zhangjiakou.



26. Xiguan Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

The Xiguan Mosque in Zhangjiakou was built during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng (1723-1735) by Hui Muslims from the Xiao, Zheng, Song, and Wang families who had lived in the Xiabao area of Zhangjiakou since the Ming and Qing dynasties. It was renovated several times during the Qianlong, Jiaqing, and Daoguang eras. The original mihrab inside the main hall of the Xiguan Mosque was destroyed due to historical events, and it could not be restored for a long time because of a lack of records. Fortunately, the mosque management committee kept searching and recently found a clear photo in a foreign book. In June 2020, they invited the famous Arabic calligrapher Wang Qifei to restore the Ming-style calligraphy on the mihrab. At the same time, he used Ming-style calligraphy to write the 99 Names of Allah on the caisson ceiling of the arched hall.



27. Turgou Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway opened, the Qiaodong area of Zhangjiakou became prosperous. Hui Muslims with the surnames Yang, Chen, He, and Ma, who moved from the Dachang and Sanhe areas of Hebei, raised funds to build the Turgou Mosque in 1917. It was known as the Beijing and Jingdong Fangshang. The current main hall was rebuilt in 1990.



28. Xuanhua South Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

The South Mosque (Nandasi) in Xuanhua, Zhangjiakou, Hebei, was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty). In 1820 (the 25th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty), Hui Muslims from the Ding, Shan, and Yu families decided to move it to Miaodi Street. At that time, they dismantled the gate, plaques, and Moon-Watching Tower (Wangyuelou) from the Ming Dynasty mosque and moved them to the new site. Construction finished in 1854 (the fourth year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty), making it the largest mosque in Zhangjiakou.

After the 1960s, the South Mosque suffered severe damage. The Moon-Watching Tower, corridors, stone arch bridge, and memorial archway were torn down, and all historical stone tablets, plaques, and couplets were destroyed. Restoration was finally completed between 2004 and 2007.

The South Mosque is laid out symmetrically along an east-west axis, with 15 halls and pavilions forming a complete architectural complex. Entering the main gate leads to a small courtyard with a stone arch bridge in the center. Directly ahead is the Heart-Reflecting Tower (Shengxinlou), which has a hallway on the ground floor. The Moon-Watching Tower features upturned eaves with bracket sets and a double-eaved, hexagonal, pointed roof. The Moon-Watching Tower connects to the north and south lecture halls through covered corridors. The prayer hall consists of a front porch (juanpeng), a main hall, and a rear niche (yaodian). It uses a traditional timber frame structure with hardwood palace lanterns hanging from the beams. During Ramadan each year, all the lanterns are lit, making the hall as bright as day. Four pillars support the 17.6-meter-high roof of the rear niche (yaodian). The roof of the rear niche (yaodian) is an octagonal pointed structure with upturned eaves and a decorative caisson ceiling (zaojing) inside.



29. Xuanhua North Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

Xuanhua North Mosque in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, was first built in 1722 (the 61st year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty). The side rooms and auxiliary halls were rebuilt in 1860 and 1865. The North Mosque originally featured a gate tower, a minaret (xuanlilou), corridors, north and south side rooms, and a main hall, all decorated with ornate carvings and paintings. The main hall is unique because the front porch (juanpeng), main hall, and rear niche (yaodian) form a cross-shaped floor plan. The overall structure is shallow and wide, which is very different from the long and deep prayer halls common in eastern regions, but is actually more common in Xinjiang. The kiln-style prayer hall (yaodian) is also unique, featuring a square, multi-story roof built on top of the arched shed structure.

After the 1960s, the North Mosque suffered severe damage. The gate tower, side gate, perimeter walls, hanging flower gate (chuihuamen), corridors, and minaret were all torn down and have not been restored to this day. Currently, the main hall and the north and south side rooms are rented out as warehouses. The roof of the kiln-style prayer hall has collapsed, and the north side hall and the ablution room (shuifang) were converted into a workshop for a halal pastry factory, which still occupies the space.



30. Xuanhua Middle Mosque in Zhangjiakou

Mosques and halal food in Zhangjiakou and Xuanhua

Located between the North Mosque and the South Mosque, the Xuanhua Middle Mosque in Zhangjiakou, Hebei, is smaller in scale. It was first built in 1821 (the first year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty) and underwent renovations in 2016.



31. Baoding West Mosque

The ancient mosques and halal food of Baoding

The West Mosque in Baoding, Hebei, was first built in 1616 (the 44th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty). According to the stone inscriptions in the mosque, a man named Fa Gong from Hanji Village in Fangshan served as a military officer in Baoding during the Wanli years. He noticed there was no mosque in the city, which meant local Hui Muslims had to travel elsewhere for prayers during Eid (Erde). He bought 12 mu of land from the Wei family vegetable garden to build one. Besides building the mosque, the surrounding land was used for housing, which officially established the mosque community layout in Baoding. The West Mosque was renovated many times after the Qing Dynasty. The bathing room was rebuilt in 1906 (the 23rd year of the Guangxu reign), and the north and south lecture halls were rebuilt during the Republic of China era, creating the current layout.

The main prayer hall has two sections. The roof of the rear hall features an octagonal pavilion over 7 meters high, with a couplet that reads, 'The Lord is formless but can be understood by the heart, to leave room for others is a high virtue,' and a horizontal plaque that says, 'Looking toward Mecca (Tianfang).' The roof ridges originally had animal statues, but during the Republic of China era, Bai Yunzhang, the owner of the famous local halal steamed bun shop Bai Yunzhang Baozipu, paid to have them replaced with flower and plant designs. As a famous mosque in North China, the West Mosque had a thriving religious community and trained many scholars (alim), including Xie Jinqing, Yang Yuzhen, An Shiwei, and Yang Yongchang. The mosque also once had a training ground that produced many famous wrestling masters and martial arts teachers.



32. Baoding East Mosque

The ancient mosques and halal food of Baoding

During the Tongzhi reign, the West Mosque in Baoding became too crowded as the number of worshippers grew, making the main prayer hall feel small. Local residents Shi Xie and his son Shi Jun built a scripture room to the east of the West Mosque. A few years later, the famous imam Yan Mingpu oversaw its official completion as the Baoding East Mosque. The Baoding East Mosque was renovated many times. During the Guangxu reign, Imam Zhang Ziwen and Mr. Shi Tongshan led the construction of the south lecture hall and the washroom (shuifang). During the Xuantong reign, Imam Xie Jinqing oversaw the building of the north lecture hall, while Shi Changchun and Shi Tongshan managed a full renovation. In 1936, Imam Yang Baozhai led another major restoration. Although the Baoding East Mosque is not large, many well-known imams taught here, including Imam Wang Gui, Imam Li Ba, Imam Zhang Li, and Imam Bai Da, helping to train many talented students. After 1958, the East Mosque was taken over for use as a blueprint paper factory. In 1979, ownership was returned to the West Mosque, and it currently serves as a warehouse for the Xinyue Halal Food Factory.



33. Baoding Women's Mosque

The ancient mosques and halal food of Baoding

The Baoding Women's Mosque in Hebei was founded in 1916 in the mosque's north alley by Imam Yan Fengshan from the Baoding East Mosque, with Jin Shiniang from Shandong serving as the prayer leader. In 1932, Imam Sha Zhijun from Jilin was hired to start a halal girls' primary school inside the mosque, which closed after the Japanese occupation in 1937. In 1940, Imam Sha and Elder Shi traveled to Beijing, Tianjin, and Jinan to raise funds. With additional help from local community elders, they bought a house from Bai Yunzhang, the owner of the famous Baoding halal steamed bun shop (baozhi), to build the current Baoding Women's Mosque. The mosque was taken over after 1958. In the 1970s, digging an air-raid shelter under the main prayer hall caused structural damage. After it was returned in 1982, the walls began to crack. A new building was constructed on the north side during the 2015 urban renewal project, and the old main hall is now used as a storage room.



34. Baoding Zhuozhou Mosque

Going to Zhuozhou, Hebei, for Friday namaz.

Hui Muslims in Zhuozhou, Baoding, Hebei, mainly live in the areas of Ximen North Street and Yingfangqian Street. The area still keeps its traditional courtyard-style housing, and the thick rammed-earth sections of the old Zhuozhou west city wall are still standing nearby. The local Gao family in Zhuozhou City came here with the Prince of Yan during his northern military campaign in the early Ming Dynasty. The mosque was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, renovated in the 60th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and the main hall was rebuilt in 2000 to reach its current appearance. In front of the mosque gate stand two 350-year-old Chinese scholar trees (guohuai), and the courtyard holds several 500-year-old Chinese arborvitae (cebai), all of which witness the history of the Zhuozhou mosque.



35. Cangzhou North Mosque

[Halal Travel Review] Hebei Cangzhou in 2016

Hui Muslim merchants began settling in Cangzhou with their families as early as the Yuan Dynasty. However, during the Jingnan Campaign in 1399 (the first year of the Jianwen reign of the Ming Dynasty), the Prince of Yan, Zhu Di, led his army to capture the old city of Cangzhou, killing thousands of surrendered soldiers and tens of thousands of residents, and destroying the entire old city. Afterward, the Prince of Yan ordered the city of Cangzhou to be moved to Changlu by the Grand Canal and brought in residents from Shanxi, Shandong, Anhui, and other places to settle, which included many Hui Muslims.

In 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty), Wu Zuoyong, a Hui Muslim from Anhui, was appointed as the Assistant Magistrate of the Cangzhou Salt Transport Commission in Hejian Prefecture, Zhili, and moved to Cangzhou from Shexian County in Huizhou, Anhui. The area near the south gate of Cangzhou was once a key route to the Grand Canal. Many Hui Muslims, mostly craftspeople and small vendors, chose to live here. In 1420, during the 18th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, the North Mosque of Cangzhou (Cangzhou Beidasi) was completed after Wu Yongzuo donated the land and oversaw its construction. This marked the official beginning of the current Hui Muslim community in Cangzhou.



36. Botou Mosque in Cangzhou

[Halal Travel Review] Botou, Hebei in 2017

Botou suffered heavy damage during the Jingnan Campaign in 1399, the first year of the Jianwen reign, and its population dropped sharply. In 1404, the second year of the Yongle reign, Emperor Zhu Di ordered residents to move to Cangzhou, which brought many Hui Muslims to Botou. Records show that seven Hui Muslim families—Yang, Cao, Dai, Hui, Zhang, Wang, and Shi—moved to Botou by imperial decree in 1404 from Erlanggang, Shangyuan County, Yingtian Prefecture in Nanjing. The first Botou Mosque was also built that year.

After that, more Hui Muslims moved here from Shandong, Shanxi, and Anhui. Botou Mosque underwent a large-scale expansion during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, which gave it the layout it has today.



37. Hongguanying Mosque in Xingtai.

The ancient canal city of Linqing, Shandong.

Hongguanying Mosque is in Linxi County, Xingtai, Hebei, just across the Wei Canal from Linqing. Hongguanying is named after the Hong family of Hui Muslims. According to the Hong Family Genealogy of Linqing, the ancestor of the Hong Hui Muslims was Sayyid Ajjal Shams al-Din. His sixth-generation descendant, Hong Badan, served as an official in Linqing during the Ming Dynasty. His descendants took Hong as their surname and settled in Linqing. One branch settled in the urban area of Linqing and built the Hong Family Mosque (North Mosque). Another branch settled in Hongguanying Village and built the Hongguanying Mosque. Hongguanying Mosque was first built between the Xuande and Tianshun periods of the Ming Dynasty. It was burned down in 1854 (the fourth year of the Xianfeng reign) during the Northern Expedition of the Taiping Rebellion, and it was rebuilt in its current form in 1874 (the thirteenth year of the Tongzhi reign). We were warmly welcomed at Hongguanying Mosque by Imam Lan. He is a talented Arabic calligrapher, and his scripture paintings and stone carvings are truly impressive.



38. Shanhaiguan Mosque in Qinhuangdao

In July, I visited the mosque, the sea, and the Great Wall in Shanhaiguan.

Shanhaiguan Mosque in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, sits just outside the west gate of the Shanhaiguan fortress. According to the Kangxi-era Records of Shanhaiguan, in the first month of 1381 (the 14th year of the Hongwu reign), General Xu Da sent 15,100 soldiers from the Yanshan Garrison to build 32 passes, including Yongping and Jieling. People say the original Shanhaiguan Mosque was built by the Hui Muslim soldiers brought by Xu Da. Because of this, the local Hui Muslims in Shanhaiguan have a saying: The mosque came before the Shanhaiguan Pass. The current main hall of the mosque was rebuilt between 1998 and 2003. In the courtyard, there is a 600-year-old Chinese pine (yousong) planted when the mosque was first built, along with a Chinese arborvitae (cebai) planted at the same time. The north wing of the mosque houses Ming and Qing dynasty brick and wood carvings removed during the 1998 renovation, as well as some old-fashioned mantel clocks.



Beijing

39. Gubeikou Mosque in Miyun

Visiting the old mosque in Gubeikou

Gubeikou Mosque is in Hexi Village, Gubeikou, Miyun, Beijing. Its original construction date is unknown, but a stone tablet from the Ming Dynasty Chongzhen era inside the mosque says it was rebuilt in the second year of Chongzhen (1629). During the Kangxi era, Gubeikou was a key military site for Kangxi’s campaigns against the Dzungars. It was also an imperial road for his northern hunting trips and inspections, making it very important. In the 34th year of Kangxi (1695), a Hui Muslim military officer named Ma Jinliang was promoted to commander-in-chief of Gubeikou in Zhili due to his outstanding battle achievements. People called him General Ma the Hui Muslim. While in Gubeikou, Ma Jinliang led the renovation of Gubeikou Mosque. In the ninth year of Tongzhi (1870), Zheng Kuishi, a famous late Qing Dynasty general and the Gubeikou commander at the time, worked with local elders from Rehe, Dage Town (now Fengning, Chengde), and Gubeikou to donate money to rebuild the mosque's kiln hall (yaodian), turning it from one story into two.

As the imperial road fell into disrepair at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Hexi Village gradually became quiet. After the 1960s, the Gubeikou Mosque was used by the brigade headquarters. It was renovated in 2004 for the Olympics, but it has not resumed religious activities since. Today, the key to the Gubeikou Mosque is held by an elderly Hui Muslim man living next door. I only managed to get inside to visit after I happened to run into him.



40. Mujiayu Mosque in Miyun (rebuilt)

A halal tour around Miyun Reservoir

Mujiayu is located northeast of Miyun's urban area. Historically, it sat on the trade route from Gubeikou and Shixia Ancient City to the center of Miyun. The Hui Muslims with the surname Mu in the village came from Tianmu Village in Tianjin. They moved to Miyun during the Qianlong reign, over two hundred years ago.

In 1771 (the 36th year of the Qianlong reign), Mu Guobao was arrested for accidentally injuring someone while standing up for justice at a market in Tianjin, but he was rescued by his younger brother while being escorted. The two brothers fled Tianjin and came to Mengjiayu in Miyun (now Nanmujiayu Village) to work. In less than ten years, they built a house, bought land, married, and had children. They founded Mujiayu, and Mu Guobao was the first ancestor to move there. According to research by local scholar Cao Rongxin, Mujiayu originally only had the Mu family. Later, Hui Muslims with the surname Ha fled famine and settled there. In 1958, the construction of the Miyun Reservoir flooded the ancient city of Shixia. Hui Muslims with the surnames Li, Cao, Ma, and Zhang from the ancient city, along with the Mu family from Qianchao Duzhuang (whose first ancestor was the younger brother of Mu Guobao), all moved to Mujiayu. This eventually created the current size of Mujiayu.

Mu Chaoyu, the son of the first ancestor Mu Guobao, built the Mujiayu Mosque on a small hill by the river east of the village in his later years. In 1946, the Mujiayu Mosque was seized by the armed landlord group Huohui from West Mujiayu. It was destroyed in 1948 during the liberation of Miyun, and only two pine trees remain today. After 1949, Mujiayu used compensation money to build six rooms on the west side of the village. They originally planned to rebuild the main hall, but the project failed due to road construction. Later, the mosque buildings were occupied by a collective canteen and other units. It was not until 1991 that the Mujiayu Mosque was finally rebuilt on the west side of the road in the west of the village. The Mujiayu Mosque was demolished and rebuilt again in 2023. What I am showing now is the Mujiayu Mosque before it was rebuilt.



41. Changping Nankou Village Mosque

Visiting seven ancient mosques during Ramadan.

Nankou is the first gateway for Beijing to reach 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. To defend against Mongol invasions, the Ming Dynasty built Nankou City in 1404 (the second year of the Yongle reign), and it was renovated many times later. After the Qing Dynasty, trade with the grasslands flourished, filling Nankou City with shops and a constant stream of merchants and travelers. After the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was completed in 1909, the commercial importance of Nankou City was gradually replaced by Nankou Town, where the railway station was located.

Nankou Mosque is located outside the south gate of Nankou City. Its exact founding date is unknown, but it is estimated 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 Renovation of the 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), and then renovated the south lecture hall in 1879, the north quiet room in 1880, and built a water well in 1881. In 1887, Imam Yang was hired by Shacheng Mosque in Huailai County, and Nankou Mosque 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 keeps the layout from its renovation during the Guangxu reign.

Nankou Mosque closed in 1958 and has not opened since. In 2005, the Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office renovated the main prayer hall and the north quiet room. They planned to open it afterward, but it has remained closed due to disputes over the mosque's property. The Changping District Cultural Relics Management Office repaired the mosque again between 2020 and 2021.



42. Changping Wujie Mosque

Visiting seven ancient mosques during Ramadan.

Changping Wujie Mosque is also called Changping City Mosque. Legend says it was built by Chang Yuchun during his northern military campaign. It was rebuilt during the Wanli reign using stone and wood left over from building the Ming Tombs. The golden nanmu wood beams and pillars in the main hall still remain today.

Changping Wujie Mosque is currently the only Jahriyya mosque in Beijing. The prayer rug used by Imam Jin Zichang is still kept inside the mosque. Imam Jin Zichang comes from the Jinjiadian Daotang in Jinan, Shandong. He is the Eastern Rais of the Jahriyya and manages the religious affairs of the Jahriyya in Jiangsu, Shandong, Hebei, and the three northeastern provinces. Imam Jin's ancestor, Jin Shizhang, joined Ma Mingxin in 1770 to study Jahriyya teachings. 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 managed the religious affairs of the Nanshangpo Mosque outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing and the Wujie Mosque in Changping. His grandfather, Jin Shiyi, became the Rais of the Jahriyya in Xinjiang in 1912 and helped expand the Nanda Mosque in Urumqi.



43. Heying Mosque in Changping

Visiting the tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi

The tomb of the Western Region sage Bo Hazhi is located in Heying, Changping, Beijing. Locals also call it the Sheikh Baba grave. Records say Bo Hazhi came from Medina and arrived in China to spread the faith in the early years of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty. He eventually passed away in Heying, Changping, and is deeply respected by Hui Muslims. Local legends say Bo Hazhi killed a giant python on Mangshan Mountain to save the people, and that he appeared in white robes to protect villagers from soldiers when the rebel leader Chuang Wang marched on Beijing.

In front of the tomb of Bo Hazhi, there are five stone tablets from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The people who set them up include General Yang Yingrui, a Hui Muslim from Niujie in Beijing during the Ming dynasty; General Ma Fang, a legendary Hui Muslim who won many battles in the mid-Ming dynasty; and Ma Jinliang, a famous Hui Muslim officer from the early Qing dynasty. The cemetery holds 68 ancient cypress trees from the Ming dynasty. Outside of the Ming Tombs, this is the best-preserved collection of Ming-era trees in Changping.

A local Hui Muslim family named Zhang has guarded the tomb of Bo Hazhi for generations. Today, the guardians are Zhang Youjin and his wife. On the south side of the cemetery stands Heying Mosque (Heying Si), built by the Zhang family in the 1930s. The imam of Heying Mosque was forced to leave after the 1960s, and since then, the building has mainly been used for visiting graves and funeral rites (mayiti). When policies were updated in the 1980s, Heying Mosque was not included in the heritage protection area along with the tomb of Bo Hazhi, so it still does not have official status as a cultural relic. Heying Mosque is now being repaired step by step, and the north building has been rebuilt.

According to a tablet record from the first year of the Xuantong reign, officials and Hui Muslims from past dynasties have come here every year on the 24th day of the third lunar month to pay respects and visit the grave, a tradition that has lasted a long time. From the Ming dynasty until today, Hui Muslims from the local area and nearby have come to visit the grave of the Sheikh Baba (Shaihai Baba) on the 24th day of the third lunar month without fail. On this day, we invite the imam from a nearby mosque to lead the scripture reading and closing prayers. The villagers slaughter sheep to make meat porridge and fry dough fritters (youxiang), making it a very grand occasion.



44. Shahe Mosque in Changping

Visiting seven ancient mosques during Ramadan.

During the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, the northern capital road to Zhangjiakou moved to Shahe. Hui Muslims who traded cattle and sheep began to settle in Shahe. Shahe Mosque was first built during the Ming Dynasty and was renovated twice, once during the Guangxu reign of the Qing Dynasty and once during the Republic of China era.

The renovation stele from the 31st year of the Guangxu reign (1905) on the north side of the main hall's porch records the mosque's renovation process between 1895 and 1905. The text notes that at the time, the local sheep market donated five wen from the sale of every sheep, and one hundred wen from every cow and camel, to cover the mosque's various expenses. The 1920 renovation stele on the south side of the porch records that the mosque renovated its water room in 1917. Later, they collected donations (nieti) to build the rear hall and a Western-style gate in 1920. The first donor mentioned is the Republic of China-era Hui Muslim general Yang Kaijia. His ancestral home was Dachang, Hebei, and he served for a long time as a military guard for Yuan Shikai. He was promoted to lieutenant general for his many contributions. Most of the names that follow are various businesses, many from Madian outside Deshengmen. The most famous one among them is likely Donglaishun.



45. Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping

Xiguanshi Mosque

Visiting old mosques in Beijing during the Islamic New Year

Xiguanshi Mosque in Changping, Beijing, was first built in 1494 (the seventh year of the Hongzhi reign of the Ming Dynasty). The main hall was rebuilt in 1709 (the forty-eighth year of the Kangxi reign), the main gate in 1723 (the first year of the Yongzheng reign), the hall rooms in 1732 (the tenth year of the Yongzheng reign), and the kiln hall (yaodian) in 1761 (the twenty-sixth year of the Qianlong reign). It was renovated many times during the Guangxu reign and the Republic of China era.

On August 15, 1900, the Eight-Nation Alliance entered Beijing. Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor left the city to head west, arriving at Xiguanshi by evening. Hui Muslim Li Xilun from Xiguanshi led a group to welcome the imperial party south of the village. He guided Cixi and her entourage to stay at Xiguanshi Mosque, where they were received by Imam Cai Wanchun. Afterward, Empress Dowager Cixi slept in the main hall, Emperor Guangxu and his consorts slept in the side halls, and the rest of the group stayed in nearby private homes. The next day, Li Xijun, the owner of the Xiguangyu Escort Agency in Xiguanshi, prepared twenty mule-drawn sedan chairs, several silver ingots, and grain for Cixi’s group. A villager named Yang Juchuan volunteered to lead the way, and Li Jintang provided protection for the journey to the next stop. Two years later, Cixi returned to Beijing and donated silver to renovate the Xiguanshi mosque. She also ordered the imperial kilns at Liulihe to fire glazed tiles, roof finials, and ridge beasts, which were gifted to the Xiguanshi mosque and the mosque in Gaotou Village, Wuji County, the hometown of Imam Cai Wanchun.

Cixi inscribed a plaque for the Xiguanshi mosque that read 'Linggan Zhaozhu' (Manifestation of Spiritual Inspiration), Guangxu inscribed 'Zhongshu Qinshang' (Loyalty Dedicated to the Sovereign), Prince Su Shanqi inscribed 'Qingxu Weidao' (Pure and Void Taste of the Way), and Prince Li inscribed 'Aomiao Wuqiong' (Infinite Profundity). She also bestowed the title 'Marquis of Leading the Way' upon Yang Juchuan for his service, and granted Li Jintang the rank of a second-grade official with a peacock feather, serving as a candidate for a circuit intendant in Zhejiang. Others, including village elder Li Xilun and Imam Cai Wanchun, were awarded fifth, sixth, and seventh-grade official buttons. In 1958, when the communal canteen was established, the plaques from the main hall were taken down and used as cutting boards, and their whereabouts are now unknown. After the 1960s, the main hall was turned into a warehouse, and all the plaques and couplets were burned. Every building except for the main hall and the front gate was demolished, until the site was restored and reopened in 1982.



46. Anheqiao Mosque in Haidian

Anheqiao Mosque in Haidian, Beijing, sits by Xiangshan Road at the southern foot of Hongshan Mountain. It was first built at the end of the Ming Dynasty. During the Kangxi reign, the Qing Dynasty built the Three Hills and Five Gardens in western Beijing. Many Hui Muslims settled in Anheqiao and expanded the mosque. It was renovated several times during the Qianlong and Guangxu periods and the Republic of China era. In 1950, the mosque moved to make way for the Jingmi Diversion Canal. It moved again between 2003 and 2005 because of the construction of the Fifth Ring Road, resulting in its current four-story, octagonal pavilion-style main hall.



47. Shucun Mosque in Haidian

Visiting old mosques in Beijing during autumn

Shucun Mosque in Beijing is located outside the north gate of the Old Summer Palace. It was first built during the Kangxi (or possibly Yongzheng) reign. In 1873 (the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign), a eunuch named Ma donated 300 taels of silver. Hui Muslims from the local community and surrounding areas—including Sanjiadian, Xiguanshi, Anheqiao, Shangqinghe, Siwangfu, Landianchang, outside Deshengmen, and Xuanhua Prefecture in Zhangjiakou—raised over 2,000 taels of silver to restore it. In the early years of the Republic of China, a family named Shen from outside Deshengmen donated 2,000 silver dollars and asked a village elder named Man from Shucun to lead the renovation of the main hall. Shucun Mosque was occupied in the 1950s and damaged in the 1960s. It resumed activities in 1983 and has been renovated several times since. Shucun Village has been demolished, and the villagers have moved into apartment buildings. The mosque grounds hold 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), gifted by a fourth-rank imperial bodyguard in 1873 during a renovation.



48. Haidian Madian Mosque

Madian sits on the Jingbei Avenue outside Deshengmen in Beijing. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, it has been a hub for cattle and sheep trading with a large population of Hui Muslims. The number of Hui Muslims here is no less than that of Niujie. After the Qing Dynasty, hundreds of thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses entered Beijing from Mongolia via Zhangjiakou every year. Hui Muslims in Madian opened many horse and sheep shops to feed and sell these animals for a commission. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi reign. In 1850 (the 30th year of the Daoguang reign), it was renovated with funds raised by over ten sheep and horse shops in Madian, and it was renovated again during the Republic of China era.

The ceremonial gate of Madian Mosque features a ridged hip-and-gable roof and a carved stone arched doorway. The hanging flower gate (chuihuamen) has a curved-shed gable-and-hip roof, and the lintels are decorated with blue-green paintings. The main hall uses a raised-beam timber frame and is spacious and bright. The arched door in front of the kiln hall (yaodian) is painted with intertwined passion flower patterns.



49. Haidian Mosque

Haidian Mosque in Be view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Ramadan in Beijing 2023 — Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Every year during Ramadan, I make it a habit to visit a few different mosques. Last Ramadan, I visited seven mosques in Beijing: Shahe, Changping Wujie, Heying, Nankou, Chadao, Majuqiao, and Mishi Hutong. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Ramadan, Mosque Travel, Iftar while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Every year during Ramadan, I make it a habit to visit a few different mosques. Last Ramadan, I visited seven mosques in Beijing: Shahe, Changping Wujie, Heying, Nankou, Chadao, Majuqiao, and Mishi Hutong. I wrote about them in my article, "Visiting Seven Ancient Mosques During Ramadan." This year, I visited eight mosques in Beijing: Dongsi, Nandouyacai, Nanxiapo, Dongzhimenwai, Dewai Fayuan, Madian, Changying, and Balizhuang. I will share these in two separate posts. The first part covers the first seven mosques, and the second part focuses on Balizhuang Mosque.

March 23

On the first day of Ramadan, I received a traditional halal plaque hand-carved by Mu Ningduosi.



I broke my fast in the evening at Nanxiapo Mosque, where I had various traditional pastries and fruits.

Nanxiapo Mosque, also known as the Small Mosque (Xiao Libaisi), was built in the early years of the Kangxi reign. It is the only ancient mosque remaining outside Chaoyangmen in Beijing. According to local elders, during the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, a shed builder lived in Nanxiapo. He used bamboo poles and reed mats to build a large shed, where an imam named Hu Zhonghe led the local Hui Muslims in worship. This was the earliest version of Nanxiapo Mosque. In the early Kangxi period, a Hui Muslim surnamed Ma who sold bows and arrows inside Chaoyangmen heard about the situation in Nanxiapo. He happened to receive payment for a bow and arrow order from some Mongols, so he donated the money to build the Nanxiapo Mosque.

After the 1960s, Nanxiapo stopped its regular activities but continued to serve as a funeral service center for Hui Muslims, helping them with end-of-life arrangements. At that time, more than twenty local elders, including Ma Yulin, Ma Yuhai, and Tuo Jihua, took turns guarding the mosque day and night to protect it from destruction, saving the ancient site from disaster.













After breaking my fast, I had pilaf (zhuafan) at Hetian Restaurant on Ritan Shangjie. The meat was incredibly tender, though the wait for the food was a bit long, which isn't ideal for Ramadan.





I discovered that Hetian Restaurant opened a shop on the street selling yogurt, shaved ice, and sticky rice dumplings (zongzi)—it felt like being back on the streets of Xinjiang! It felt so authentic. Once the weather in Beijing warms up, it will be so pleasant to sit on the street, eating yogurt zongzi and drinking shaved ice.













March 24

Today is the first Jumu'ah of Ramadan. I went to Changying Mosque at noon for the prayer. The magnolia trees in the mosque are in bloom, full of spring spirit.

Changying is located not far from the north side of the Chaoyangmen official road. The "Beijing Chaoyang District Gazetteer" mentions a rhyme from the Republican era about Changying: "Three treasures of the Changying Hui Muslims: pushing carts, selling hay, and pulling rickshaws." Pushing carts meant using wheelbarrows to transport grain from the Tongzhou earth dam to the "Thirteen Granaries" inside and outside Chaoyangmen. Pulling rickshaws meant transporting passengers along the Chaoyangmen official road. Both were directly related to the canal transport system.

Changying Mosque was built during the Ming Zhengde period (1505-1521), renovated in 1796 (the first year of the Jiaqing reign), renovated again in 1986, and underwent large-scale expansion in 2004 to reach its current form.









March 29

I was at Nanxiapo Mosque again today. After breaking the fast, everyone drank tea and ate fruit and pastries. The elders were very welcoming, and the atmosphere was wonderful.















Beijing snack honey-coated fried dough cubes (mishandao).



March 30

Today I was at Nandouyacai Mosque. We had the usual fruit, pastries, and tea. I also received some braised chicken from Jiaoxiao Zhai, a gift from an elder in his eighties. I felt very grateful. Nandouyacai Mosque is surrounded by the Dongsi Olympic Park. The park is full of spring, and the evening breeze felt very comfortable.

People say Nandouyacai Mosque was originally a mosque, bought and converted by Hui Muslims in 1798 (the third year of the Jiaqing reign). In 2002, due to the demolition of Chaonei Small Street, the mosque was moved 20 meters south and rebuilt, with its entrance now facing west toward Douban Hutong.



















After breaking my fast, I had dinner at Xinyue Zhai at the entrance of Nandouyacai Mosque. I ordered a few home-style dishes: stir-fried trio (bao sanyang), shredded pork with garlic sprouts, shredded tofu with hot peppers, and hot and sour soup. I have been eating at this place for over ten years, and it is one of the most reliable Beijing-style stir-fry restaurants near my home. Their main selling point is how fast they serve the food! Everything is cooked instantly over a high flame. I especially love the stir-fried trio (bao sanyang)—lamb with scallions, lamb liver, and lamb kidney. The aroma of the scallions and the meat blend perfectly, making it great to eat with rice.













For iftar, I ate some braised chicken (paji) donated by an elder.





March 31

It is the second Jumu'ah of Ramadan, and I am at Changying Mosque again. The sky turned blue today, and I feel great.

In the book 'Narrative of the North China Campaign of 1860' by Swinhoe, it is written that after the Anglo-French forces landed in Tianjin, they passed through Changying on their way to Beijing:

On the afternoon of October 3, we struck our tents, crossed the canal, and marched into a Hui Muslim village in Changying. This village was near the rifle regiment's outpost. Lord Elgin and Sir Hope Grant, along with their staff, stayed in a beautiful mosque, while about six thousand strong soldiers camped in the surrounding fields.

The village was very small, and it was full of mud huts. But this time, not all the houses were empty. The villagers were Hui Muslims who practiced Islam, and you could tell them apart from the other locals by the strange pointed hats they wore on their heads, with their braids tucked inside. Inside the mosque, there were many inscriptions in Arabic and Chinese, and several books and scriptures printed in Arabic were scattered around. Many of the Prophet's Chinese followers could recite a few sentences from these books, but very few could explain what they meant. However, they were very familiar with the prayers and chapters of the Quran and often recited them to the Sikh cavalry (Note: the author mistook Indian Muslims for Sikhs). The villagers recited these prayers repeatedly, which always moved the weary Indian warriors to tears and often made them take silver out of their pockets. The Hui Muslims of the Celestial Empire knew better than to refuse this sympathy.







An ancient tree from the Ming Dynasty Zhengde era inside the mosque.





I continued to break my fast at Nandouya Mosque in the evening. Many university student friends (dosti) came to the mosque, and I am very grateful to be able to visit the mosque more often during Ramadan.







After the Maghrib prayer, I had dinner at Xinyuezhai as usual. The spring breeze was gentle, so we ate at the entrance. We ordered pan-fried lamb (guota yangrou), braised winter bamboo shoots and mushrooms (shao erdong), and dough drop soup (gedatang). I have been eating the pan-fried lamb at this place for over ten years, and it goes so well with rice! The winter bamboo shoots in the braised dish are sweet and delicious, and the dough drop soup is very thick; if you don't want rice, a big bowl of this is enough to fill you up.











April 2

I broke my fast at home over the weekend. Zainab made hand-pulled noodles (latiazi), and I made eggplant with meat and bamboo shoots with meat. Compared to the ones in Xinjiang, they are quite light.









April 3

I broke my fast at Dongsi Mosque today. There were pastries and fruits donated to the mosque by an elder.

Dongsi Mosque is one of the four major official mosques in Beijing from the Ming Dynasty. It was built in 1447 (the 12th year of the Ming Zhengtong era) with funds donated by Chen You, a famous Hui Muslim military officer of the Ming Dynasty. In 1450 (the first year of the Ming Jingtai era), the Jingtai Emperor bestowed the title 'Mosque' upon it.

During the Yongle era, Chen You followed Zhu Di on two northern expeditions against the Mongols and performed meritorious service. During the Xuande era, he was mainly engaged in pacification work along the northern and northwestern borders of the Ming Dynasty. During the Zhengtong era, the tribute trade between the Ming Dynasty and the Mongols entered a prosperous period. In 1436 (the first year of the Zhengtong era), Chen You became an envoy for the mission to the Oirat Mongols. Later, he led Oirat envoys to the capital to present horses many times, and due to his achievements, he was promoted several times to the position of Assistant Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In 1444 (the ninth year of the Zhengtong era), Chen You was appointed as a Guerrilla General and began patrolling the borders in places like Ningxia. During this time, he defeated the Mongol army and achieved great military success, leading to his promotion to Assistant Commander of the Rear Chief Military Commission, becoming a high-ranking military officer. He donated money to build the Dongsi Mosque during this period.

In 1449 (the 14th year of the Zhengtong reign), war broke out between the Ming Dynasty and the Oirat Mongols. Chen You followed the Ming Emperor Yingzong into battle, but they were defeated and the emperor was captured. During the crucial defense of Beijing, Chen You fought bravely and earned military honors, leading to his promotion to Commander-in-Chief of the Rear Military Commission. In 1450 (the first year of the Jingtai reign), the Jingtai Emperor sent Chen You to the Guizhou and Huguang regions to suppress the Miao uprising, and he was promoted twice for his military achievements. It was during this time that the Jingtai Emperor bestowed the plaque reading "Mosque" (Qingzhensi) upon the Dongsi Mosque.

Because of his outstanding military service, Chen You was granted the title of Count of Wuping in 1457 (the first year of the Tianshun reign), a title his descendants inherited. Later, Chen's descendants often served as officers in the Beijing military camps and funded the repairs of several old mosques, including those in Dingzhou and Yizhou, Hebei.













After Shamu finished, he rode his bike home. He passed a Niujie fried chicken shop on Dongsi North Street and bought a freshly fried chicken leg. When he got home, he ate the stir-fried rapeseed, spring bamboo shoots, carrots, and potatoes I had made earlier, along with the steamed buns (momo) my father-in-law had made for us.







April 4

We went to the mosque outside Dongzhimen to break our fast in the spring rain. There were fried cakes (zhagao) freshly made by the elders; I hadn't eaten them in a long time! Shamu ate dumplings at the mosque. They were fennel and chive, which tasted better than the ones in restaurants and really reminded me of my childhood.

The mosque outside Dongzhimen was originally called the 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 Group and a Danish investor built international apartments in Erlizhuang, so the old mosque was moved one kilometer to the northwest and rebuilt. It was completed in 1991 and reopened in 1993.

















After coming out, I bought two milk flatbreads (naizi nang) at the bakery by the mosque gate to eat for the next day's fast.





April 6

In the evening, we broke our fast at the Nanhxiapo Mosque and had some glutinous rice strips (jiangmitiao), which I loved as a child. After Shamu finished, he ate some meat pies (xianbing) given out by the elders, which were delicious.















April 7

It was the third Friday (Jumu'ah) of Ramadan, and we were at the Changying Mosque again. The sky today was as blue as if it had been washed, clear and vast, just like a painting.

Inside the Changying Mosque, there is a 1937 stone tablet titled "Last Words of My Late Mother," which is a precious record of the Changying Women's Mosque. It says, "Sacrificing the family house in the west courtyard, we converted the former girls' school into a women's bathing facility." But the two rooms on the east side were kept as a place for Lin and others to stay when they returned home. "" The "Lin" mentioned here refers to Zhang Zhaolin, a Hui Muslim from Changying who was known as one of the "Five Great Hui Journalists of the Republic of China."

According to the article "With the Zhang Zhaolin Brothers," Zhang Zhaolin, whose courtesy name was Ziqi, was born in Changying in 1865. His grandfather and great-uncle were both military scholars (wujinshi) in the same year during the Daoguang reign. When he was four or five, his family's fortunes declined. He only attended a private village school before becoming an apprentice at a grocery store. In 1909, Zhang Zhaolin founded the "Xingshi Bao" (Awakening Times) in Fengtian, which was the most important vernacular newspaper in Fengtian at the time.



















April 8

I spent the weekend at home taking care of Suleiman. I went out in the morning to buy vegetables and meat. I bought fresh lamb at a lamb stall next to Dongzhimen Hospital and made lamb soybean paste noodles (zhajiangmian) for breaking the fast, with noodles pulled by Zainab.



















April 9

Today I made tomato sauce noodles (dalumian) at home, which are lighter than the soybean paste noodles.





April 10

I broke my fast at Fayuan Mosque outside Deshengmen. Fayuan Mosque is also called Dewai Guanxiang Mosque. It was originally located on the north slope of Jiaochangkou outside Deshengmen. It was 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 pavilion with a pointed top.

















After the evening prayer (sajdah), I rode my bike home along the North Moat. The breeze felt great.



April 18

I broke my fast at Madian Mosque. I ate noodles with eggplant and tomato-egg sauce. The noodle bowls at Madian Mosque are huge, they feel like small basins, haha.

Madian was once the second-largest residential area for Hui Muslims in Beijing after Niujie, and it was also the center of the sheep trade in Beijing. Since the Qing Dynasty, sheep transported from Mongolia through Zhangjiakou were kept in the sheep pens of various sheep trading firms in Madian after arriving in Beijing, before being sold to mutton stalls inside the city. Madian Mosque was first built during the Kangxi reign. It was rebuilt with donations from 14 local sheep trading firms during the Daoguang reign and was renovated again in the 1980s. It is an important ancient mosque in Beijing. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: Ramadan in Beijing 2023 — Mosques and Iftar is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: I had two skewers of red willow lamb (hongliu) and a bowl of yogurt at the entrance of the Madian Mosque at the Kashgar Restaurant. The account keeps its focus on Beijing Ramadan, Mosque Travel, Iftar while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.















I had two skewers of red willow lamb (hongliu) and a bowl of yogurt at the entrance of the Madian Mosque at the Kashgar Restaurant. The meat on the red willow skewers was quite tender, and the yogurt had no sugar added, giving it a pure taste of Xinjiang. The Kashgar Restaurant is an old Uyghur eatery that has been around since I was a child, but I rarely visit because it is out of my way. They also sell yellow carrots (huangluobo), which are perfect for friends (dosti) who want to take some home to make pilaf (zhuafan).















April 22

Today is Eid al-Fitr. In the morning, we attended the congregational prayer (namaz) at the Balizhuang Mosque. At noon, we visited Teacher Chen Hui at his Jingyi Farmhouse at the foot of the Western Hills in Beijing. We tasted authentic Xinjiang starch noodle soup (fentang) and pilaf made by his wife. It was my first time eating Eid starch noodle soup (erde fentang) cooked in a large firewood pot!

Every year during Eid (erde), every Hui Muslim household in Xinjiang makes starch noodle soup and fried dough (youxiang). Usually, they stew the meat and mix the pea starch a day in advance, then cook everything together on the morning of the holiday. After the congregational prayer, Hui Muslims in Xinjiang usually visit graves first and then go to see relatives. At each house, they are served a bowl of starch noodle soup. Sometimes they drink five or six bowls in a single day. This is a classic memory of Eid for Hui Muslims in Xinjiang.





















After eating the Xinjiang starch noodle soup and fried dough, we sat around the stove to drink tea and chat. We had a barbecue in the orchard with grilled fish, chicken wings, sweet potatoes, corn, and lamb skewers handmade by Hui Muslims from the Xiguanshi Mosque at the foot of the mountain. We also tasted the meat porridge and fried dough distributed (chusang) by the Xiguanshi Mosque. The Xiguanshi Mosque also stewed meat for a whole day before Eid, then used the meat broth to cook wheat porridge (mairen zhou). It was very fulfilling (shukr). view all