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Summary: This travel note introduces Nine Traditional Mosques and Three Gongbei Shrines in Qinghai (Part 1). Hongshuiquan Mosque is located in Hongshuiquan Township, Ping'an District, Haidong City. It is useful for readers interested in Qinghai Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Muslim Heritage.

Above, mosque

1. Hongshuiquan Mosque

2. Qingshuihe East Mosque

3. Mengda Mosque

4. Tashapo Mosque

5. Labian Mosque

6. Zhangga Mosque

7. Kewa Mosque

8. Su Zhi Mosque

9. Ahetan Mosque

Xia, Gongbei

1. Shangmajia Gongbei in Bazang Valley

2. Bazanggou Shangmazhuang Gongbei

3. Jiezi Gongbei

Above, mosque

1. Hongshuiquan Mosque

Hongshuiquan Mosque is located in Hongshuiquan Township, Ping'an District, Haidong City. The buildings preserved today are basically in the style of the Qianlong era, and I personally think it is the most beautiful ancient mosque in Qinghai.

I took the early flight on Saturday from Beijing to Xining Airport, and called a Didi as soon as I got out. Although Hongshuiquan Mosque is less than 20 kilometers away from Xining Airport, the road is full of winding mountain paths, and with the rain, the drive felt a bit thrilling.





The mosque's screen wall is built from imitation wood blue bricks, and the side facing the main gate is carved with a 'Hundred Flowers Picture' made of 255 hydrangea petals, with each design being unique. The uncle who manages the mosque said that legend has it that when the mosque was being built, a lady steamed buns for the craftsmen every day, so the craftsmen carved the shapes of these buns onto it. The back of the screen wall features a large brick carving of 'Qilin and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity'.















The unicorn and the phoenix bring good fortune



The main gate has a beamless structure, and the ceiling is built entirely by stacking and interlocking short crossbeams instead of using roof beams.











On the splayed walls to the left and right of the main gate are two large green brick carvings of 'mice stealing grapes' and 'a qilin with a pine tree,' created using the traditional single-layer high-relief brick carving technique. The mouse represents 'zi,' symbolizing many children and grandchildren. The pine tree sounds like 'song' (to send), symbolizing 'the qilin bringing a child.'









The Bangke Tower is a three-eaved, hexagonal, spire-roofed pavilion supported by two massive central pillars, with 12 surrounding pillars, a structure known as 'two men carrying mountains with twelve oxen'. The ground floor of the Bangke Tower features brick carvings of 'cats leaping and butterflies dancing', 'rabbits guarding cabbage', and 'plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums', with a style somewhat similar to Shanxi brick carvings from the late Ming to early Qing dynasties. The words for 'cat' and 'butterfly' sound like 'taotie', symbolizing longevity. The word for 'cabbage' sounds like 'hundreds of wealth', and rabbits are considered good at guarding wealth.













The mosque is divided into front and back courtyards by brick walls on both sides of the minaret.







The main hall has a vaulted gable-and-hip roof and consists of three parts: the front porch, the main hall, and the rear kiln-style hall. The roof ridge of the main hall features openwork glazed brick carvings and architectural models of dougong-style halls, with ornaments inspired by the 'treasure vases' placed on the roof ridges of Tibetan Buddhist temples.













On both sides of the main hall, the eight-character screen panels are carved with patterns of 'peacocks playing with peonies', 'four arts and ruyi', 'bamboo and plum blossoms for double happiness', 'peace throughout the four seasons', 'jade hall and peace', 'joyful news of early spring', 'mandarin ducks playing in water', 'lotus flowers on a single stalk', and 'pomegranate bursting with a hundred seeds', as well as large seals, fish, conch shells, and various floral designs.









The front porch capitals use corbels to support the beam frame, which is in the Tibetan architectural style. The wooden carvings on the circular arch spandrels feature patterns such as 'two dragons playing with a pearl' and 'a dragon playing with a phoenix'. The wooden carvings at the junction of the eaves columns and inner columns feature 'dragon and tiger' patterns.















The rear hall is entirely made of wood carvings, with the upper part in the style of a celestial pavilion, featuring carved railings, partition doors, and dougong brackets. The caisson ceiling at the top resembles a giant open umbrella, commonly known as the 'heavenly canopy umbrella'.













The lower part uses a partition screen design, carved with various landscapes, plants, and pavilions, but unfortunately, the Arabic wood carvings were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. The door apron panels are entirely carved with the character 'Shou' (longevity) in different calligraphic styles.



The mihrab niche is shaped like a vase. The mouth of the vase is carved with flowers, the petals feature some patterns of the Buddhist 'Eight Treasures', and the outer edges are carved with floral patterns.





2. Qingshuihe East Mosque

Qingshuihe East Mosque is located in Shangzhuang Village, Qingshui Township, Xunhua County. It is the Haizi Mosque (the main mosque) of the Salar Bagong Qingshui Gong, originally built in 1425 and rebuilt many times throughout the generations.

First, let's admire the 17-meter-high minaret, with its double-eaved hexagonal spire featuring exquisite brick and wood carvings.





















The main hall of the mosque features a ridge-top hip-and-gable roof with projecting dougong brackets, brick-carved splayed walls on both sides, and brick-carved corridor walls to the north and south of the veranda, with each window featuring a unique lattice design.



















Inside the main prayer hall



















The vaulted hall and the mihrab, with intricate wood carvings.













3. Mengda Mosque

Mengda Mosque is located in Dazhuang Village, Mengda Township, Xunhua County. It was first built in 1408 (the sixth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and expanded three times during the Qing Dynasty. It is the Haiyi Mosque of the Mengda Gong, one of the eight Salar Gong.

The outermost part of the mosque consists of two wooden memorial archways with five-step dougong brackets, and in the middle is a three-eaved, hexagonal-roofed minaret. The minaret is 17 meters high, with the lower level made of hexagonal blue bricks, featuring brick-carved imitation wooden dougong brackets and brick-carved 'Tasmiyah' calligraphy.

















Main prayer hall



















Murals in the main prayer hall



















The mihrab of the kiln-style hall view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Nine Traditional Mosques and Three Gongbei Shrines in Qinghai (Part 2). Tashapo Mosque in Xunhua was first built in 1480 (the 16th year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty) and rebuilt in 1755 (the 20th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty). It is useful for readers interested in Qinghai Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Muslim Heritage.

























The combination of flowers, plants, and calligraphy















4. Tashapo Mosque

Tashapo Mosque in Xunhua was first built in 1480 (the 16th year of the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty) and rebuilt in 1755 (the 20th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty).

The base of the mosque's minaret is made of brick, while the upper part is a wooden pavilion with a double-eaved hexagonal spire. Inside, there is a hexagonal caisson ceiling that tapers layer by layer, which is very exquisite.























The gatehouse is a three-bay, three-story hip-roof structure, with grey brick splayed walls on both sides and a screen wall in front of the gate.















The main prayer hall of the mosque



















Inside the main hall, there are exquisite wood carvings. It is a great pity that only a very few parts of the murals have been preserved, and this is the first time I have seen quotations inside the main hall; previously, I had only seen them on the outer walls of the main hall.



















5. Labian Mosque

Labian Mosque in Xunhua County was first built during the Qianlong reign; the main hall was rebuilt in 2015, and only the minaret and the two side gate towers remain of the ancient architecture. The minaret is 18 meters high, with a brick-built lower level and a wooden pavilion on the upper level, featuring dougong brackets, upturned eaves, and a hexagonal spire.



















6. Zhangga Mosque

Zhangga Mosque in Xunhua County was first built in 1406 (the fourth year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and rebuilt during the Qing Dynasty. The minaret is 23 meters high, with a brick-built lower level and a wooden pavilion on the upper level, featuring a double-eaved hexagonal spire, and the top-level hexagonal caisson ceiling is formed by three layers of stacked dougong brackets in an inverted bucket shape.

















The main hall of the mosque, though it is a pity that much of the wooden structure has been renovated and replaced.



















The murals remaining in the main hall depict Mecca using traditional Chinese painting techniques.













7. Kewa Mosque

Kewa Mosque in Xunhua County was first built in 1403 (the first year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and expanded during the Qing Dynasty; it is the Hayit Mosque (Jumu'ah Mosque) for the Salar people's eight Gong and nine Gong groups. The lower level of the minaret is made of brick with exquisite calligraphy and landscape brick carvings, while the upper level is a wooden pavilion with a double-eaved hexagonal roof.



















To the right of the main hall is a larger main hall that was newly built in the northern part of the complex in recent years. I believe this approach of building a new main hall next to the historic one is the best choice at this stage, as it meets the needs of religious activities while protecting the original historic building. However, this approach is still in the minority; most practices involve demolishing the original historic building and rebuilding a new one. It is only because the Kewa Mosque itself is a national-level cultural relic protection unit that it is impossible to demolish the historic building.



















Kewa Mosque has the richest murals among traditional Salar mosques. Let me first share the murals on the south side of the main hall, which are all about Surahs. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Nine Traditional Mosques and Three Gongbei Shrines in Qinghai (Part 3). Wall paintings in the kiln hall. It is useful for readers interested in Qinghai Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Muslim Heritage.

























Wall paintings in the kiln hall.

















Mihrab niche





















Seal script mural













8. Su Zhi Mosque

Suzhi Mosque in Xunhua County was first built in 1460 (the fourth year of the Tianshun reign of the Ming Dynasty) and expanded during the Qing Dynasty; it is the Haizi Mosque for the Salar people of the Suzhi area and is currently a cultural relic protection unit of Qinghai Province.



















9. Ahetan Mosque

Although Ahetan Mosque in Hualong County is located north of the Yellow River in Hualong County, it is still a Salar mosque and, like Suzhi Mosque, belongs to the Suzhi Gong of the Salar Eight Gongs.

The mosque's three-bay, four-pillar, three-story hip-roof gate tower is 9 meters high, with the Five Pillars of Islam—Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj—carved in the center, topped by a triangular arrangement of dougong brackets with nine steps and four cantilevered arms.







The brick-carved screen wall outside the gate tower.





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The 18-meter-high minaret has a brick base and a wooden pavilion on the upper level.















In the main hall of the mosque, we were warmly welcomed by the Imam.



















Xia, Gongbei

1. Shangmajia Gongbei in Bazang Valley

Shangmajia Shang Gongbei is located on the summit of Woniu Mountain in Bazanggou, Ping'an District, Haidong City, so it is also called Woniu Mountain Gongbei; it is the tomb of Ma Diangong (1643-1715) of the Hufeiye Xianmen Menhuan.

Ma Diangong is known as Ma Ahong Taiye and is a local from Shangma Village in Bazanggou. He was eager to learn from a young age, entering the Xining Dongguan Mosque at 7 to study, and at 24, he was appointed as the Imam of the Xining Beiguan Mosque after completing his religious training. During his time at the Beiguan Mosque, he was entrusted by Huazhe Abdullahi and Apak Khoja to teach the scriptures to Xian Meizhen (Zhuzi Taiye). After Xian Meizhen founded the Xianmen Menhuan, Ma Diangong became his Naib (deputy). Before Xian Meizhen returned to Allah, because his eldest son Xian Huazhe was still young, he entrusted him to Ma Diangong and asked him to preside over religious affairs.

During the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, the third-generation Sheikh Xian Chengde (Grandfather Chuanli) built the Gongbei for Ma Diangong; it was destroyed in 1867 and rebuilt in the early years of the Guangxu reign under the leadership of the fourth master, Grandfather Xian Linqing.

Today, the Gongbei preserves the two-courtyard layout from the Guangxu era very well and has been designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Qinghai Province.

Pushing open the gate of the Gongbei, it feels as if you could step right into the Qing Dynasty; it has a very special atmosphere. The interior has not been over-restored at all, allowing you to appreciate the exquisite Qing Dynasty brick and wood carvings, and the elder guarding the Gongbei is also very warm and friendly. Although the entire Gongbei is built on a hilltop, it does not have the helmet-roofed tomb pavilion typical of renovated Gongbeis, but is instead a traditional courtyard, which gives it a unique charm.



The mountain opposite









The screen wall outside the gate



Main gate





Looking at the main gate from inside



As soon as you enter the courtyard



The side rooms on both sides







Second gate











Mausoleum







2. Shangmazhuang Gongbei in Bazanggou

The Xia-Gongbei of Shangmazhuang in Bazanggou, Ping'an District, Haidong City, is the Gongbei of Xian Chengde (known as Chuanli Taiye), the third-generation Sheikh of the Xianmen Menhuan of the Khufiyya order. Xian Chengde built this Gongbei during the Jiaqing reign, and shortly after its completion in 1812, Xian Chengde returned to Allah, and the followers buried him here. In 1895, the fifth-generation Sheikh of the Xianmen, Xian Linyuan, returned to Allah and was also buried in the Xia-Gongbei.

Like the Upper Gongbei, the Lower Gongbei is a cultural relic protection unit of Qinghai Province, and it also consists of two courtyards, one in front and one behind, but it is larger in scale than the Upper Gongbei. The front courtyard has been destroyed and only the main gate remains, but the back courtyard is very well preserved and is a masterpiece of Qing Dynasty brick carving art.



The front courtyard gate; after entering, you can see the ceremonial gate of the back courtyard. The ceremonial gate features brick-carved dougong, with the Tasmiya carved in the center and various flowers below it.







The screen walls on both sides are carved with numerous hydrangea petals, each with a unique shape. The center is carved with a 'Joyful News of Early Spring' pattern, surrounded by four bats. The Sumeru pedestal is carved with the Eight Immortals' emblems, as well as patterns of pomegranates, finger citrons, peonies, and lotus flowers.









The brick carvings of pomegranates, peonies, the Eight Immortals' emblems, and hydrangea petals on the screen wall of the ceremonial gate. This hydrangea petal design is exactly the same as the one on the screen wall of the famous Hongshuiquan Mosque in Haidong.













The north wall screen has brick-carved dougong brackets at the top and a gabled roof. The upper part of the central screen is carved with the four Chinese characters 'Can Xia Bi Luo', with Arabic calligraphy in the center, Arabic couplets on both sides, and brick carvings of carp leaping over the dragon gate at the bottom of the couplets. The centers of the side screens feature the Chinese character 'Shou' in seal script, along with the couplets: 'Riding the phoenix to fly to the pure land, transforming into a crane to return to the pure palace.' "

















The main mausoleum is under renovation, and you can see the exquisite Arabic brick carvings and the removed roof tiles.



















Various brick carvings on the screen wall.

"Rabbit guarding cabbage," where "cabbage" sounds like "hundreds of wealth," and rabbits are considered good at guarding wealth.



"A mouse stealing grapes," where the mouse represents "zi" (the first of the twelve earthly branches), symbolizes having many children and grandchildren. view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Nine Traditional Mosques and Three Gongbei Shrines in Qinghai (Part 4). A cat playing with a butterfly is a homophone for 'longevity'. It is useful for readers interested in Qinghai Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Muslim Heritage.





A cat playing with a butterfly is a homophone for 'longevity'.



3. Jiezi Gongbei

Hidden in the cemetery on the north side of the Jiezi Grand Mosque in Xunhua, the Jiezi Gong Gongbei is the only historical relic preserved in Jiezi Gong. Currently, only the lower brick section remains, featuring exquisite brick carvings and an inscription stating it was 're-erected in the first year of Xianfeng,' which corresponds to 1851.

It is very precious that Pastor Carter Holton, who was preaching in Xunhua in the 1930s, took photos of the well-preserved Jiezi Gongbei over 80 years ago. view all