|
Great Mosque
The Great mosque is
the focus of more than 30,000 Chinese Muslims, Hui in Chinese, of Xi'an.
They are always distinguishing them from Han Chinese with the obvious
beards and white caps. The Great Mosque is one of the oldest, largest
and well-preserved Islamic mosques in China.
The Mosque is located on Huajue Lane to the northwest of the Drum Tower
in Xi'an, far apart with the other Mosque in the Da Xue Xi Lane. Due to
its locations, it is also called th eGreat Eastern Mosque.
History
In accordance with the record inscribed on the stone tablet, we were informed
that time for the Mosque's construction could be traced back to the first
year of the Tian Bao reign under the seventh Emperor Li Longji of the
Tang Dynasty, by which some 1,200 years has passed. During the following
years, it had been renovated and expanded on several occasions in the
Song, Yuan, and particularly Ming, Qing Dynasties. The present layout
dates from the 14th century.
The reason why such
kind of temple would be appearing in China could arouse questions to most
people. In ancient China about the mid-7th century, some Arab merchants
and travelers from Persia and Afghanistan had settled down in China and
got married with women of Han Nationality. It was also an important process
in introducing Islam into the Northwest China. Moreover, their descendants
became Muslim of today. Beside, the Mosque buildings as well be a kind
of commemorator to the Muslim for their contribution to the unifications
of China.
Architecture
The architecture is a particular design of mixed architecture-traditional
Muslim and Chinese style, with eaved roofs of turquoise tills and walls
of decoratively carved bricks. It covers an area of over 12,000 square
meters with totally four separate courtyards. The whole layout is 250
meters long and 47 meters wide. And it's incredibly be well escaped from
damaging during the Cultural Revolution, exists the present compact group
of harmonious, solemn and respectable building decorated with tower and
pavilions. Plus the ancient tree, ornate arches and stone steles, all
add up to an atmosphere of serenity.
Let's say the fourth
one first, know as the most important place, inside of which centered
the Pavilion of The Only God. The pavilion in a phoenix-shape with spreading
wings that ready to dance, which owe another name "Phoenix Pavilion".
As the principle composition, it contains the Prayer Hall, the surrounding
walls of which are covered with colored designs. Behind the hall in south
is the tablet corridor in which are exhibited stone tablet bearing the
record of reconstructions and renovations of the Great Mosque. A Chinese
flowering crabapple shaped fish pool with fountain in the center is right
after the Pavilion Of The Only God. The spreading water beads and rainbow
presented by the fountain give visitors another view.
Entering the stone gate, stepping on the spacious platform, the Main Worship
Hall is right in front of you, which takes up about 1,300 square meters
accommodating some 1,000 for worship at one time.
The third courtyard is stele storage hall and with the Xingxin Tower inside,
where Muslims attend prayer service. As for the second courtyard, a stone
arch stands with two steles with calligraphy scripts engraved on. One
is from Mi Fu of the Song Dynasty and the other is Dong Qichang of the
Ming Dynasty, both of which had be considered to be great treasure in
the art of handwriting. The very enterance of the Mosque is the five-roomed
house with hanging vertical plaque with chsrscters of "Qing Zhen
Si" only.
Today
Nowadays, the Great Mosque still receives as many as 500 worshippers for
daily praying. So that it is only open to visitors from 8:00 am to 7:30
pm, and is closed to non-Mulims during prayer period.
|
You are here: