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Summary: Halal Food Guide: Ashura Porridge — Muslim Memory and Home Cooking is presented here as a firsthand travel account in clear English, beginning with this scene: Yesterday was the 10th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, the honorable Day of Ashura, which is the first important day after the Islamic New Year. The account keeps its focus on Ashura Food, Muslim Culture, Halal Food while preserving the names, places, food, and historical details from the Chinese source.

Yesterday was the 10th of Muharram in the Islamic calendar, the honorable Day of Ashura, which is the first important day after the Islamic New Year. Hui Muslims in China traditionally fast and make Ashura porridge on this day. After work, Zainab and I made the Urumqi Hui Muslim version of Ashura lamb and bean rice (doudoufan). We prepared seven types of beans and cooked them in a pressure cooker first. Then, we diced the sacrificial lamb (qurbani), rendered the lamb fat, and stir-fried it with chopped green onions, salt, and Sichuan peppercorn powder. Once the beans were cooked, we added rice and glutinous rice, followed by the stir-fried diced meat, and simmered everything until the rice was done. When we ate it, it had the fresh fragrance of the beans and the savory taste of the lamb. I ate two big bowls and still wanted more. Actually, making Ashura bean porridge is to commemorate the landing of the ship of Nuh, also known as Noah's Ark. I am sharing the origin of Ashura bean porridge as told by Imam An from the Jingjue Mosque in Nanjing: On the Day of Ashura, the Prophet Nuh and his followers stepped off the ship and fasted on this day to thank Allah. At that time, they had almost run out of food. One person took out a handful of wheat, another took out a handful of mung beans, and someone else took out a handful of fava beans. After the Prophet Nuh gathered seven types of seeds, he cooked them so everyone could break their fast. By the will of Allah and the miracle (mu'jiza) of the Prophet. This small amount of food was enough to feed everyone who came off the ship. This was the first meal cooked on the ground after the flood covered the earth, so people treat it as a blessing from the Prophet Nuh. The Prophet Nuh is known as the second ancestor of humanity. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Book Notes on Hui Muslim Speech: Language, Identity and Muslim Culture in China. Today I am sharing two books related to the language of Hui Muslims. It is useful for readers interested in Hui Muslims, Chinese Language, Muslim Culture.

Today I am sharing two books related to the language of Hui Muslims.

The first one is the Urumqi Hui Muslim Language Gazetteer; Zainabu and I speak in this 'AA-zi' style in our daily lives, and it also includes the unique Urumqi Hui Muslim way of teasing others: 'zi-zi-zi'.









Some religious terminology.



The differences between Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect and Han Chinese dialect.



The characteristics of the Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect.



The differences between Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect and Han Chinese dialect. The Hui Muslim dialect is based on the Shaanxi dialect, while the Han Chinese dialect is based on the Gansu dialect.



The second book is a selection of Hui Muslim language published by the Tianjin Beisi (North Mosque) in 2001. The Hui Muslim language is a precious cultural treasure, and some young people today can no longer master it proficiently.



Alim, meaning 'scholar' in Arabic. Example sentence: The ink of an Alim is more precious than the blood of a Shahid (martyr).

Akhirah, meaning 'the afterlife' in Arabic. Example sentence: This world is the sowing field for the Akhirah. Bakhil, meaning 'stingy' in Arabic. Example sentence: A Bakhil person cannot enter Paradise. Bala, meaning 'disaster' in Arabic. Example sentence: Wasting food will bring about a Bala. Bandah, meaning 'servant' in Persian. Example sentence: The intention of a Bandah, the joy of sincerity. Barakah, meaning 'blessing' in Arabic. Example sentence: When a guest enters the home, Barakah comes with them. Dushman, meaning 'enemy' in Persian; in daily life, it is often used to describe someone who is unreasonable and likes to go against others. Du'a, meaning 'supplication' in Arabic. Example sentence: Keep the Du'a in your heart, and peace be upon you. Dunya, meaning 'the present world' in Arabic. Example sentence: Work for the Dunya as if you will live for a thousand years, and work for the afterlife as if you will pass away in an instant. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Hui Muslim Language in China: Urumqi Dialect, Identity and Everyday Culture. Today I am sharing two books related to the language of Hui Muslims. It is useful for readers interested in Hui Muslims, Chinese Language, Muslim Culture.

Today I am sharing two books related to the language of Hui Muslims.

The first one is the Urumqi Hui Muslim Language Gazetteer; Zainabu and I speak in this 'AA-zi' style in our daily lives, and it also includes the unique Urumqi Hui Muslim way of teasing others: 'zi-zi-zi'.









Some religious terminology.



The differences between Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect and Han Chinese dialect.



The characteristics of the Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect.



The differences between Urumqi Hui Muslim dialect and Han Chinese dialect. The Hui Muslim dialect is based on the Shaanxi dialect, while the Han Chinese dialect is based on the Gansu dialect.



The second book is a selection of Hui Muslim language published by the Tianjin Beisi (North Mosque) in 2001. The Hui Muslim language is a precious cultural treasure, and some young people today can no longer master it proficiently.



Alim, meaning 'scholar' in Arabic. Example sentence: The ink of an Alim is more precious than the blood of a Shahid (martyr).

Akhirah, meaning 'the afterlife' in Arabic. Example sentence: This world is the sowing field for the Akhirah. Bakhil, meaning 'stingy' in Arabic. Example sentence: A Bakhil person cannot enter Paradise. Bala, meaning 'disaster' in Arabic. Example sentence: Wasting food will bring about a Bala. Bandah, meaning 'servant' in Persian. Example sentence: The intention of a Bandah, the joy of sincerity. Barakah, meaning 'blessing' in Arabic. Example sentence: When a guest enters the home, Barakah comes with them. Dushman, meaning 'enemy' in Persian; in daily life, it is often used to describe someone who is unreasonable and likes to go against others. Du'a, meaning 'supplication' in Arabic. Example sentence: Keep the Du'a in your heart, and peace be upon you. Dunya, meaning 'the present world' in Arabic. Example sentence: Work for the Dunya as if you will live for a thousand years, and work for the afterlife as if you will pass away in an instant. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Ashura in Tehran: a Muslim Travel Note on Faith, Rituals and City Life. I went to Tehran during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2019, just in time for the various activities of Ashura, and truly felt the warmth of the Iranian people. It is useful for readers interested in Tehran Travel, Ashura, Muslim Culture.

I went to Tehran during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday in 2019, just in time for the various activities of Ashura, and truly felt the warmth of the Iranian people.

Ashura originally means 'the tenth,' and the Day of Ashura refers to the tenth day of the first month of the Islamic calendar (Muharram). On the Day of Ashura in 680 AD, Imam Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, refused to pledge allegiance to the Umayyad Caliphate. While leading his family and followers from Mecca to Kufa, they were attacked by the Umayyad army, and Imam Hussein and all 72 of his companions were killed. Since then, Shia Muslims around the world have held activities every year during the month of Muharram to mourn Imam Hussein and his 72 companions, gradually forming the important Shia festival of Ashura.

During Ashura, Shia Muslims perform Azadari (mourning) rituals, including memorial services (majalis al-ta'ziya), mourning processions (al-mawakib al-husayniyya), theatrical performances (shabih), and flagellation (tatbir). Some Shia Muslims believe that participating in Ashura can cleanse their sins, and there is a saying that 'a tear shed for Hussein washes away a hundred sins.'

Grand Bazaar

On ordinary days, the Tehran Grand Bazaar is a massive wholesale market selling small commodities from Yiwu, but it takes on a different look during Ashura. As soon as you reach the entrance, people are handing out free honey water, tea, and various snacks; sugar cubes are held in the mouth while sipping tea.



















During Ashura, stalls are set up all over Tehran to provide free tea, drinks, and food, and an area near the north gate of the Grand Bazaar is specifically set aside for preparing drinks. A staff member, an older man, kindly invited me into the drink preparation area, offered me tea, and let me take photos.















This area is for distributing food for free.





Walking further into the Grand Bazaar, you can see processions performing the Ashura mourning march (al-mawakib al-husayniyya), where everyone mourns together for Imam Hussein and his 72 companions who were killed by the Umayyad army on the Day of Ashura, singing rhythmically together.



During the procession, the group stops intermittently, and one person delivers a eulogy for Imam Hussein, while everyone cries and wails along, with many people weeping bitterly.











In addition to the singing, various flags are also very eye-catching.





This is a procession composed of hundreds or thousands of people holding hands, which is very spectacular.



Outside the Grand Bazaar, there are also shops specifically selling Ashura flags.





The area outside the north gate of the Grand Bazaar has been turned into a venue for performing Ta'zieh opera. Ta'zieh opera performance is an important part of Ashura activities. During the month of Muharram, numerous venues for performing Ta'zieh opera are set up in various squares in Tehran, and there are many spectators.

Ta'zieh opera formed in Iran in the late 17th century and is a type of traditional Persian theater; this form of expression can be traced back to the pre-Islamic era. During Ashura, Shia Muslims use Ta'zieh opera to recreate the scene of the Battle of Karbala on the Day of Ashura in 680 AD, when Imam Hussein and his 72 companions were all killed by the Umayyad army.

In the opera, the villains are the rulers of the Umayyad dynasty, and they wear red. The heroes are Imam Hussein and his family and companions; the male characters among them wear green, and change to white when they are about to die. All female characters are played by male actors dressed in all black. If a person walks in circles around the stage, it means they are on a long journey, usually between Mecca and Karbala.







While watching the performance, you can eat honey cake and drink honey water freely.













Ashura memorial service (majalis al-ta'ziya) at Parvaz Park

I attended an Ashura memorial service (majalis al-ta'ziya) at Parvaz Park in Tehran and experienced a wonderful Iranian Shia musical performance.

In the afternoon, tea stalls were already set up in the square, and Iranian black tea was available for free. Then, accompanied by the Ney (flute), the lead singer began to sing soothing songs. Amidst the singing, a bonfire was lit in the square, and baskets nearby were filled with various fragrant fruits. After a few soothing songs, a percussion ensemble consisting of drums and cymbals walked onto the stage while playing. The rhythm of the songs began to become more and more passionate, the atmosphere grew more intense, and it reached a climax accompanied by the sound of horns.





















During the singing, a group of actors in costumes walked slowly toward the stage, led by two boys holding incense.





When they reached the stage, they began to perform the Ta'zieh play.



Tajrish Bazaar

At the end of Tajrish Bazaar in the north of Tehran, there is a Tekyeh. In the Shia tradition, a Tekyeh generally refers to a place specifically for commemorating Imam Hussein, especially for performing Ta'zieh opera during the month of Muharram. Tajrish Tekyeh can be traced back to the Qajar dynasty 220 years ago. It is a very old Tekyeh in Tehran, and the current layout is also very traditional, although the wooden pillars have been replaced by metal ones.









Outside the venue, there are some shops selling Shia supplies. The picture below shows the whips used during the flagellation (tatbir) ritual on Ashura, which recreates the scene of the Umayyad army whipping Imam Hussein's family. This ritual used to involve intense self-harm, but later, the Supreme Leader of Iran's Shia, Khamenei, publicly stated that during Ashura: 'Any act that harms the body is Haram (forbidden).' Therefore, you no longer see cases of self-harm during the festival in Tehran.



The red hat represents the villainous Umayyad dynasty, and the green hat represents the heroic Imam Hussein.





The lump of clay is called a Turbah, which symbolizes the earth; Shia Muslims must place their foreheads on it during prayer.





Turning out of Tajrish Bazaar, you reach the most important Shia shrine and mosque in northern Tehran, Imamzadeh Saleh, which houses the tomb of Saleh, the son of Musa al-Kadhim, the seventh Imam of the Twelver Shia. Today, the large wooden box inside the mausoleum dates back to the late Safavid dynasty to the Afsharid dynasty in the 18th century.















During the month of Muharram, Ta'zieh opera is also performed in the courtyard of Imamzadeh Saleh.





At the place where drinks are distributed for free at the entrance of Imamzadeh Saleh shrine and mosque, Khakshir (seeds of the Flixweed plant) is a very common drink in Iran during the summer to relieve heat and quench thirst.









Then, next to it, you can also see places selling various Shia supplies. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Tehran Bazaar Travel Guide: Iranian Markets, Muslim Culture and Local Life. I traveled to Tehran in 2019. The local prices were truly very affordable, and after arriving, I couldn't help but visit various bazaars to shop and shop. It is useful for readers interested in Tehran Bazaar, Iran Travel, Muslim Culture.

I traveled to Tehran in 2019. The local prices were truly very affordable, and after arriving, I couldn't help but visit various bazaars to shop and shop.

Jomeh Bazaar

Tehran's Jomeh Bazaar (Friday Bazaar) is usually a multi-story parking garage in the city center, but every Friday it turns into a very interesting flea market. Compared to the monotonous Yiwu small commodities in the Grand Bazaar, Jomeh Bazaar is a place where you can truly find treasures. There are second-hand dealers selling old records, old books, and antiques, as well as young women selling handmade jewelry, canvas bags, and coasters, along with various ethnic-style clothing and woven fabrics. It takes at least two or three hours to browse carefully.























Canvas bags and coasters I bought.

















This was quite interesting; I kind of regret not buying it.



The felt hat and the Turkmen small floral cap, Takhya, that I bought. Takhya is a symbol of Turkmen tradition and identity. It is generally made of linen fabric, and the triangles on it are said to represent unity.









Tajrish Bazaar

Tajrish Bazaar is in the new urban area at the northernmost part of Tehran and stays open until 10 PM, making it very suitable for evening shopping. I bought some saffron at the Melal shop for Mashhad saffron in the bazaar. Buying saffron in Iran is actually quite cheap.









I bought traditional Iranian candy, Sohan asali (honey, sugar, saffron, and nut brittle), at a candy and dried fruit shop near Tajrish Bazaar. It is often eaten during Nowruz.









Carpet Bazaar

I bought a small carpet at the Carpet Bazaar next to the Tehran Grand Bazaar. It was produced in Qom, a Shia holy city in Iran. The owner is named Reza, a native of Kashan who has been in the carpet business in Tehran for over 20 years and speaks very fluent English.









Esfahan Art House

Esfahan Art House on the street at the north gate of the Grand Bazaar is a great one-stop place to buy traditional Persian handicrafts, and the prices are very reasonable. I bought two types of Iranian-style handicrafts here.





The first is a jewelry box made with the traditional Persian inlay technique, Khatam. Khatam is made by arranging bundles of wood, bone, and metal by color, then compressing and cutting them into geometric patterns. It is generally used to make doors, windows, mirror frames, chessboards, and boxes. The jewelry box I bought is made of hardwood, brass, and camel bone. Khatam flourished in the Safavid dynasty court and gradually declined after the 18th and 19th centuries, but it was revived during the reign of Reza Shah (reigned 1925-1941) of the Pahlavi dynasty, when handicraft schools were opened in Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan.





The second is a piece of fabric made with the woodblock printing craft, Ghalamkar. Ghalamkar is made by using woodblocks carved from pear wood to print on fabric, which is then hammered hundreds of times for repeated overprinting. The center of Ghalamkar art is Isfahan.









Tehran Museum of Islamic Art

After visiting the Tehran Museum of Islamic Art, I went to the souvenir shop. The prices were a bit high, but you can't buy these things anywhere else.





A notepad with Qajar dynasty paintings.



A bookmark featuring 15th-century Timurid dynasty Shiraz-style miniature painting.



A tile magnet from the 13th-14th century Ilkhanate period; the original is in the museum.







Golestan Palace

A replica of a wall tile from the Qajar dynasty period bought at the Golestan Palace souvenir shop. view all

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Summary: This travel note introduces Linxia Weekend Travel Guide: Songmingyan Hua'er Festival and Muslim Culture. Around the 28th day of the fourth lunar month every year, a grand Hua'er Festival (a traditional folk song festival) is held at Songmingyan in Hezheng, Gansu. It is useful for readers interested in Linxia Travel, Hua'er Festival, Muslim Culture.

Around the 28th day of the fourth lunar month every year, a grand Hua'er Festival (a traditional folk song festival) is held at Songmingyan in Hezheng, Gansu. I attended the Songmingyan Hua'er Festival for the first time in 2019, missed it in 2020 due to travel restrictions from Beijing, and 2021 was my second time attending.

I arrived in Lanzhou on Friday night and first had sheep head with milk and egg jiangzao (fermented glutinous rice) at the Jianlan Road night market; the hot-mixed version tastes different from the stir-fried one, and it is also quite delicious!



















On Saturday morning, I had Hezhou baozi (steamed stuffed buns) at Xiaoxihu in Lanzhou, then set off for Dahejia Town in Linxia.









At noon in Dahejia, I had shouzhuarou (hand-grabbed mutton), laotangji (old-broth chicken), and laochao mianpian (stir-fried dough slices); my standard order whenever I go to the Hehuang region is shouzhuarou and mianpian. This long-established restaurant was very crowded at noon; most people were eating cold noodles, while some ordered heyan (river-bank style dishes) and laochao (stir-fried dishes). Their kettles were filled with beef broth, and empty bowls were set out with chopped green onions and salt, so you could pour the broth directly to drink.















Dahejia is located at the border of Gansu and Qinghai; once you cross the Yellow River Bridge, you are in Minhe, Qinghai. People from many ethnic groups live here, including the Bonan, Dongxiang, Salar, Han, Hui Muslims, and Tibetan people, and the town is full of Dongxiang shouzhuarou restaurants and Bonan knife shops.





I bought tianmaizi (sweet wheat) in Dahejia at noon and yogurt at Bafang Thirteen Alleys in Linxia in the evening; combining them made a delicious tianmaizi yogurt.













The fresh jiangshui (fermented vegetable juice) in the shop is especially refreshing in the summer.



In the evening, I had beef casserole and stir-fried fazi mianchang (sausage made with sheep intestines and meat) at Lao Dongxiang Mainai in the Linxia North Street night market. Fazi, also called fazi, is sheep fat intestine stuffed with offal and minced meat. I think the specialty of the Linxia North Street night market is the variety of stir-fried dishes; flames over a meter high can rise from the stoves, but unfortunately, I didn't capture it on camera.





















Drinking Gannan yak yogurt at the night market.









A night tour of the Bafang Thirteen Alleys in Linxia. This was my fourth time here, but the first time for Zainab, so I took her around for a good stroll.

Zainab had a very high opinion of the Bafang Thirteen Alleys and the entire Hezhou city; she liked it very much. At night, the Bafang Thirteen Alleys were full of locals out for a walk to enjoy the cool air; it was very lively. The scenic area is neat and clean, without excessive commercial development, selling only local snacks like handmade yogurt and youguozi (fried dough snacks); Zainab regretted not buying youguozi to eat while hiking the next day.













In the scenic area, you can also admire various exquisite Hezhou brick carvings. I took her to see the famous Beisi Longyingbi (Dragon Screen Wall at the North Mosque), which can be considered a representative work of Hezhou brick carving.









On Sunday morning, I visited the Hongyuan Square in Linxia. Hongyuan Square is a truly magical place; it is located right next to the Dagongbei, the core area of the Jahriyya Menhuan (a Sufi order), and at night it is a brightly lit children's playground, while in the morning it becomes a bustling morning market with everything. Besides vegetables and fruits, there were also fazi mianchang, highland barley, potato chips, ganba chicken (dried chicken), and tianmaizi; we bought corn and xiangdou (fragrant bean) guokui (flatbread) here to eat.



















I met an auntie knitting hats on the spot, so I bought one; in these two years of not being able to go abroad, I feel like I have rarely bought new hats.









I had beef noodles and fentang (vermicelli soup) at the Xin Kuan Hezhou Noodle Restaurant in front of the Xinhua Mosque. Their place is clean, bright, and tastes good; the fentang here in the Hehuang region uses vermicelli, not the starch blocks like in Xinjiang, and it tastes quite fragrant.









After breakfast, we set off for Songmingyan. Every year during the Hua'er Festival, the entrance to the Songmingyan scenic area becomes a large market, selling everything and very lively. Before going into the mountains to listen to Hua'er, we first had cold noodles and half a jin (250 grams) of shouzhuarou at the entrance, then bought a corn cob to take inside.















At Songmingyan, you can buy the local specialty fruit, piteguo (a type of wild pear). Piteguo grows on mountains near Songmingyan at an altitude of over 2,000 meters; when first picked, they are sour and astringent, and they need to be placed on a fruit rack for half a month to soften, and their color will turn into a dark shade like frozen pears. The ripened piteguo is very juicy; you have to bite a small hole to suck out the juice before you can eat the flesh, and the taste is sweet and sour, very refreshing.





Entering the Songmingyan Hua'er Festival venue. After two years, I saw that Songmingyan had installed wooden walkways on the mountain this year, and some roads had been newly paved, but the environment had not changed much; it is still a very free mountain field for Hua'er.



Translation from my friend Caigen: "This flower is yellow, oh, yellow to death.

My dear sister, this flower has been picked by a bee.

I haven't seen you for these few years.

I have missed you to death.

I just want to ask you,

Who have you been attracted to?" "















Saying goodbye to Songmingyan, heading to Lanzhou to catch a flight back to Beijing. Before leaving, I bought Halal Dicos (a Chinese fast-food chain) at Lanzhou West Station; it is a childhood memory for Zainab. view all