Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Shaanxi: 12 Traditional Mosques (Part 1). 1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century. It is useful for readers interested in Shaanxi Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

I. Xi'an

1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century

2. Daxuexi Lane Mosque: Rebuilt in 1384

3. Xiaopiyuan Mosque: Renovated in 1611

4. Dapiyuan Mosque: 1411

5. Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque: 1774

6. Xiaoxuexi Lane Middle Mosque

II. Xixiang, Hanzhong

1. Xixiang South Mosque: Rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty

2. Xixiang North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1816

III. Ankang

1. Shuhe Mosque: 16th Century

2. Ankang Mosque

3. Ankang North Mosque

4. Jingning South Mosque

I. Xi'an

After the expansion of Xi'an city during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, Xi'an finally saw large-scale development since the end of the Tang Dynasty. Hui Muslims in Xi'an gradually settled in the northwestern part of the Ming-era Xi'an city, and by the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Muslim community known as the "Seven Mosques and Thirteen Neighborhoods" was formally established. At that time, there were seven mosques within the Xi'an Muslim Quarter: Huajue Lane, Daxuexi Lane, Dapiyuan, Xiaopiyuan, Yingli Mosque, Beiguangji Street, and Sajinqiao. During the Republic of China era, with the introduction of the Ikhwan ideology, two new mosques, the Middle Mosque and the West Mosque, were built in the Muslim Quarter, forming the "Nine Mosques of the Muslim Quarter" pattern where the Gedimu and Ikhwan traditions coexisted.

In November 2019, I traveled to the Xi'an Muslim Quarter and visited six of these traditional mosque buildings. I will share them with you below.

1. Huajue Lane Great Mosque: Rebuilt in the late 14th century

The Huajue Lane Great Mosque, also known as the "East Great Mosque," was rebuilt during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1398) and was renovated multiple times during the Jiajing and Wanli reigns of the Ming Dynasty and the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. The mosque is divided into four courtyards. From east to west along the central axis are the screen wall, the wooden memorial archway, the Five-Bay Building, the stone memorial archway, the Chixiu Hall (Imperial Decree Hall), the Shengxin Tower (Mind-Reflecting Tower), the Lian-San Gate (Triple Gate), the Phoenix Pavilion, the moon terrace, and the main prayer hall.

The Five-Bay Building is also called the Second Gate; after entering it, one reaches the second courtyard.



The Five-Bay Building



Stone memorial archway



Chixiu Hall



Chixiu Hall



The second floor of the Shengxin Tower with its three-eaved octagonal roof



Lian-San Gate



Phoenix Pavilion



Moon terrace



Main prayer hall





Architect Liu Zhiping wrote in the book "Chinese Islamic Architecture": "Because the upper part uses a ceiling and has very exquisite colored paintings, the floor is neatly paved with wooden boards, the dougong (bracket sets) are crafted very finely, and the clear height of the ceiling is very appropriate, while the light inside the hall is dim and soft, these points make people feel that the interior of the hall is very quiet and comfortable. This is the success of the main hall's architecture. The author has seen many mosques, and this one is the most comfortable, clean, and magnificent and solemn. "



















The mihrab (niche indicating the direction of prayer) inside the main prayer hall of the Huajue Lane Mosque. Liu Zhiping said in the book "Chinese Islamic Architecture": "The rear kiln hall of the main prayer hall is the most beautifully crafted. The walls are entirely inlaid with wooden boards, and golden pillars are used to create door covers, hanging pillars, and other objects, making the sanctuary part even more magnificent. On all the wooden surfaces, there are magnificent and powerful shallow carvings. Because animal patterns are not allowed for decoration inside Islamic prayer halls, the entire wall is covered with magnificent and robust plant flowers. Such patterns are also often found on the brick carvings of other mosques. Its magnificent atmosphere has opened up a direction for our country's pattern decoration. Not using animals for decoration made the pattern carvings in the mosque have limitations, but at the same time, it also developed the situation of using plant and geometric patterns and calligraphy for decoration, thus contributing to the characteristics of Islamic architectural patterns. "



















Details of the rear kiln hall













The moon gate and screen wall on the side of the main prayer hall









The north wing room of the first courtyard







A patio



A wing room door



2. Daxuexi Lane Mosque: Rebuilt in 1384

The Daxuexi Lane Mosque, also known as the "West Great Mosque," was rebuilt in 1384 (the 17th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty) by Tie Xuan, the Minister of War, who was granted the name of the mosque by imperial decree. It was renovated in 1413 (the 11th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and twice more during the Kangxi and Guangxu reigns of the Qing Dynasty.

The structure of the mosque is similar to the Huajue Lane Great Mosque. In front of the main gate is a four-pillar, three-bay stone memorial archway. After entering the main gate, there is a three-bay hall, followed by the three-story, three-eaved Shengxin Pavilion (Mind-Reflecting Pavilion) with four corners. After passing through the Shengxin Pavilion, one enters the second courtyard. The north and south wing rooms are the Imam's residence and the lecture hall, respectively. There are two stele pavilions in the courtyard. Then, after passing through a small stone slope and a stone memorial archway, one enters the moon terrace, in the center of which is the main prayer hall.







Shengxin Pavilion













Main prayer hall

















Interior of the main prayer hall



















3. Xiaopiyuan Mosque: Renovated in 1611

The Xiaopiyuan Mosque, also known as the "North Great Mosque," was renovated in 1611 (the 39th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty) and is divided into four courtyards. Passing through the second and third courtyards from the "Second Gate" and "Lian-San Gate," one can reach the bluestone imperial path covered by a stone-carved shade shed.















Walking to the end of the imperial path is a coiled dragon stone slope, above which is a stone memorial archway. After entering, there is a large moon terrace paved with large square blue bricks, on which a "Pin"-shaped main prayer hall is built.















Interior of the Xiaopiyuan Mosque main prayer hall. In the 1930s, there was a Japanese bombing, and a bomb fell on the main prayer hall, but fortunately, it was a dud. Between 1960 and 1970, the entire mosque was demolished, and only the main prayer hall survived. I still want to express that every historical building we see that has been preserved to this day is truly rare, truly rare.



















4. Dapiyuan Mosque: 1411

The Dapiyuan Mosque was built in 1411 (the 9th year of the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty) and renovated in 1781 (the 46th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty). After being occupied in 1959, the main prayer hall and the north and south pavilions collapsed one after another. After being returned to the believers in 1985, it was renovated successively.

















Main prayer hall and its interior



















5. Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque: 1774

The Xiaoxuexi Lane Yingli Mosque was built in 1774 (the 39th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty) and is the latest one established among the "Seven Mosques and Thirteen Neighborhoods" of the Ming and Qing dynasties in the Muslim Quarter. It is said to have been built by Muslim officers and soldiers. The scale of the Yingli Mosque is much smaller than the mosques built in the Muslim Quarter during the Ming Dynasty, and it is connected to Xiaoxuexi Lane by a narrow "arrow path." The internal structure of the mosque is similar to the Xiaopiyuan Mosque, and it also has an imperial path covered by a stone-carved shade shed.



















Yingli Mosque main prayer hall view all

Reposted from the web

Summary: This travel note introduces Halal Travel Guide to Shaanxi: 12 Traditional Mosques (Part 2). In the early years of the Republic of China, the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque in Xi'an adopted the Ikhwan (a reformist Islamic movement), which led some local residents who insisted on the Gedimu. It is useful for readers interested in Shaanxi Mosques, Chinese Muslims, Islamic Heritage.

















6. Xiaoxuexi Lane Central Mosque

In the early years of the Republic of China, the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque in Xi'an adopted the Ikhwan (a reformist Islamic movement), which led some local residents who insisted on the Gedimu (traditional Islamic practice) to raise funds for a new mosque. Among them, Li Shenghua voluntarily donated his private residence, and with donations from the Great Mosque, the Xiaopiyuan Mosque, and many other prominent figures in the community, it was completed in 1919. Because the mosque is located between the Daxuexi Lane Mosque and the Yingli Mosque, it is called the Central Mosque.

The Central Mosque ceased activities in 1958 and was later converted into a workshop and a kindergarten. It was reclaimed by the community in 1986, and the current main prayer hall was built in 1987.



















I. Hanzhong Xixiang

1. Xixiang South Mosque: Rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty

The Xixiang South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty. It was closed and occupied after the religious reforms in 1958, returned in 1986, and officially reopened in 2001. The current main prayer hall was rebuilt in 1997, but the main gate and the south wing room are still Qing Dynasty buildings. On the main gate, there is a 'Mosque' plaque from the Daoguang era.











After coming out of the South Mosque, you can see the 'Mosque Lane' wooden archway built during the Xianfeng era.







2. Xixiang North Mosque: Rebuilt in 1816

The Xixiang North Mosque was originally named Jingning Mosque and was built in 1614 by Hui Muslims who moved to Xixiang from Jingning Prefecture (now Pingliang, Gansu). The North Mosque was expanded in 1723, later destroyed by war, rebuilt in 1816, and renovated many times. It was occupied after the Cultural Revolution, returned in 1984, and the north wing room was rebuilt in 2009.



















The mihrab (niche in the wall indicating the direction of Mecca) is painted with very distinctive Shaanxi-style Arabic calligraphy.







II. Ankang City

1. Shuhe Mosque: 16th Century

The Shuhe Mosque is built on a steep cliff behind the ancient town of Shuhe and is connected to the street below by a hundred-step staircase. The mosque was first built during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty (1522-1566), expanded in 1915, severely damaged during the Cultural Revolution, and renovated again in 1994. The current main entrance was added during the expansion in 1915, and the original main entrance has now become the back door. The Shuhe Mosque possesses a 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall, which is very unique among traditional Chinese mosques. Some traditional mosques in southern China have fire-blocking walls, each with its own characteristics depending on the region, such as the 'wok-ear' walls of the Guilin Old Village Mosque and the 'horse-head' walls of the Nanjing Jingjue Mosque. The 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall is a characteristic feature of the Hunan-Hubei region and extends into the Qinling-Bashan region. Currently, besides the Shuhe Mosque, the only other traditional mosque I know of that has a 'cat-arched back' fire-blocking wall is the Jingziguan Mosque in Xichuan, Henan. In addition, there are ink paintings and inscriptions on the brick carvings of the fire-blocking wall, which is also a very southern style.

















The courtyard of the mosque is very small, and a stone concave pool in the middle is used to collect dripping water from the eaves, which is very suitable for the rainy climate. Behind it are the north and south wing rooms and the main prayer hall. The main prayer hall has the three-section structure traditional to Chinese mosques: a front shed, a middle hall, and a rear kiln hall.



















Most of the mosque's colorful paintings were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, with only a portion preserved outside the rear kiln hall, where various traditional Chinese patterns can be seen. In addition, there are ink paintings on the door frame of the main gate. One of the beams of the mosque has an inscription from the fourth year of the Republic of China (1915) regarding its renovation, and it still retains 100-year-old Arabic calligraphy. In the last photo, you can see that the mosque is adjacent to a cliff.



















Traces of the 1915 expansion of the Ming Dynasty main prayer hall.



After performing Jumu'ah (Friday prayer) at the mosque, we happened to catch a 'ten-bowl' banquet, a specialty of Shuhe. Zainab ate very happily, and in the end, we were given a lot of youxiang (fried flour dough). The ten bowls include liancai hezi (lotus root slices stuffed with lamb, coated in egg, fried, and then steamed), lamb meatballs (coated in egg, fried, and then steamed), braised beef, fenzhengrou (lamb coated in flour and steamed with sweet potato chunks), steamed white meat (fatty meat near the lamb cartilage, steamed), chicken (stir-fried until half-cooked and then steamed), fish chunks (grass carp chunks coated in flour, fried, and then steamed), and three vegetable dishes. The dishes at a Hui Muslim banquet are different from ordinary home-cooked stir-fries because they usually have to serve many people. Most of them are prepared half-cooked and then steamed in a large pot, which ensures both efficiency and that the food does not get cold.









2. Ankang Mosque

According to the stele inscription, the Ankang Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty. It was initially called the Libai Mosque (Worship Mosque), later renamed Jingjue Mosque, and changed to Mosque in 1767. In 1583, the mosque was destroyed by a flood and the mosque grounds were occupied. It was returned and rebuilt on the original site in the early years of the Kangxi era. It was destroyed again in 1862, with only the screen wall remaining. The north and south lecture halls were rebuilt in 1867, and the prayer hall and other buildings were rebuilt in 1871. In 1923, a five-story, hexagonal, pointed-roof minaret was built, reaching a height of 37 meters. The main prayer hall was expanded in 1931. In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang. The mosque's minaret collapsed, the north and south lecture halls were destroyed, and only the main prayer hall survived. In 1984, the north and south lecture halls, minaret, and water room were rebuilt. In 1999, the archway-style gate tower was rebuilt, and in 2013, the main prayer hall was rebuilt.









3. Ankang North Mosque

The North Mosque was first built in 1502. In 1983, a major flood occurred in Ankang, and all the buildings of the North Mosque were washed away. It was planned in 1984 and completed in 1994.

















Next to the North Mosque is a 232-year-old ailanthus tree, nearly 40 meters high. During the 1983 Ankang flood, 31 people climbed this tree and survived, so this tree is also called the 'Life-Saving Tree'.



4. Jingning South Mosque

The Jingning South Mosque was first built in the Ming Dynasty. In the 1583 Han River flood, the South Mosque was submerged, and the buildings collapsed, leaving only the Wangyue Tower (Moon-Watching Tower). It was renovated twice during the Kangxi era and in 1890. It was occupied after 1957. During the Cultural Revolution, a fire broke out, and the South Mosque was burned down, with only the Wangyue Tower surviving. After the property was returned, the main prayer hall, north and south wing rooms, water room, and gate tower were rebuilt. In 1998, the Ming Dynasty Wangyue Tower was demolished and replaced with a reinforced concrete building. In 2018, the stone archway, Wangyue Tower, and north and south wing rooms were rebuilt again. The main prayer hall of the Jingning South Mosque is the largest among the mosques in Ankang. From the top view, it can be seen that it is composed of three buildings connected together, and the style of each building is different. view all