Islam in China

•The history of Islam in China began in the 7th century in Tang Dynasty just a few decades after the rise of Islam. •Othman (the third caliph from Arabia) sent envoys to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty•Second year of the reign of Emperor Yong Hui (651 AD)- historian marked as the beginning of Islam in China•Later many Muslims came to China to trade then dominated foreign trade, the export/import industry in the west and south. •Islam reached its peak in Yuan Dynasty when the Mongol ruled China. •Islamic influence came from the various steppe peoples who assimilated in Chinese culture. 

Tang Dynasty

NIUJIE GREAT MOSQUE

History of Great Mosque of NiujieNiujie mosque is the oldest mosque in

Niujie ,Beijing, China.

First built back in 996 with traditional Chinese Architecture decorated with Arabic calligraphy in the interior.

Rebuilt in 1442 during Ming Dynasty and renovated into a bigger mosque in 1696 during Qing dynasty.

On 13 January 1988,the government of China entitled the Niujie Mosque as the “Chinese Culture Heritage”

PLAN of Great Mosque of Niujie

CharacteristicThe mosque occupies an area of 250 meters

long and 47 meters wide (820 feet by 155 feet) that has been divided into four courtyards.

Covers an area of over 6000 square meters (7176 square yards)

Unlike south-facing Buddhist temples, the mosque points towards Mekka.

The layout of the mosque is symmetrical and compact.

Main Element In Great Mosque of Niujie EntranceWatching Moon TowerPraying HallStele pavilion Graves of Syeikhs

The entrance gate is fronted by a large wall with a white marble pedestal

Watching Moon TowerIt was used by the imam to observe the position of the moon to determine times for fasting.

Element on the roof of Moon Watching Tower

View inside the Moon Watching Tower

Praying HallMost important building in the mosque.Only open to Muslims.

The hall's arched gate is decorated with script from the Al-Quran.

 The room is also decorated with various paintings of flowers, strings of glass beads and colored glass, which contribute to the hall's air

of great importance and holiness.

Stele Pavilion

North Stele Pavilion

South Stele Pavilion

South pavilion

Outside of the main building,there are two pavilions : north and south pavilion

stone inscription on one of the pavilion:recording the statement of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty after the implementation of a major renovation in 1696

Restoration of the mosque in the reign of Kangxi finally makes the architecture influenced the Qing were also seen in the main buildings are designed to that period.

Grave of Sheikhs.

In the south pavilion Graves of Sheikh Ahmad Burdani and Sheikh Ali Two Imams who came from Persia to spread Islam. Both of them are the Earliest Imam of the Niujie Mosque

Floor plan of the mosque complex

Scroll depicting arial view of Great Mosque with west to right

Great Mosque of Xi'an

Arial drawing of mosque, looking southeast towards the Drum Tower at top right

Exterior view looking southwest, showing the northern precinct gate and walls

View showing damage to precinct wall with the removal of sculptural lozenges

Courtyard view of the eastern precinct wall

View looking west through the northern gateway into the first court

EXTERIOR

Pailou archway in the first court, adorned with five tiers of dougong brackets below the roof and supported on one side by diagonally propped beams

Library known as the Unmatched Pavilion along the northern wall

Reconstruction work on the Unmatched Pavilion

Detail of upswept roof eaves at the Unmatched Pavilion

FIRST COURT

View looking west in first court towards pillared pavilion leading into the second court

Stone pailou in second court, view looking west

Detail of central bay of stone pailou in second court

Freestanding brick pier with stone tablet in second courtOne of two brick piers in the second court, with floral motifs carved in brick and stone dragonheads crowning the hipped roof

Stele inset into brick pier in the second court

SECOND COURT

View looking west through pavilion separating the second court from the third court

Stone threshold detailThe Bangke Tower of Introspection in the third court

Rooms along the south side of the third court

Residential area beyond the southern side of the third and fourth courts

THIRD COURT

Caisson ceiling of the Bangke Tower of Introspection

One of three identical doorways between the third and fourth courts

Detail of carved detail on doorway

Gallery containing inscriptive tablets along the southern side of the fourth court

Light through lattice wallCarved stone stele on gate of the fourth court

View of Phoenix Pavilion

FOURTH COURT

Inner courtyard of tablet gallery in the fourth court

Interior of fourth court tablet gallery with furniture, screen, and vase

Fountains and garden to the west of the Phoenix Pavilion

Fountain resembling a pile of rocks set within finely carved walkways

View looking east across Moon Platform in the fourth court towards the stone archways known as the Cloud Gates

Two of three Cloud Gates between the prayer hall and the Moon Platform with lintel adornments carved in stone

Ornament atop lintel of the central Cloud Gate

View looking northwest across the Moon Platform towards the prayer hall portico

Detail of hipped roof of the prayer hall, with upswept eave and dragonheads along ridge

Rounded tiles of prayer hall roof covered in moss

Prayer hall portico with red lacquered woodwork and dougong brackets below the ceiling

FIFTH COURT

Elevations of prayer hall with co-joined hipped roofs

Interior view of the prayer hall with dougong brackets supporting the flat polychrome ceiling

View of the intricately worked mihrab in rich and somber hues

Moon Gate adjoining the southern wall of the prayer hall, leading out to the hillock fifth court

Lintel of the side entrance into prayer hall, facing south

Paneled wooden side doors to prayer hall

Carved screen wall along along the western precinct wall in the fifth court

Detail of carved stonework on the roof of the prayer hall

The imam of the mosque, in his office in the second court