Grand Mosque
大清真寺
The Grand Mosque of Xi`an, located near the Drum Tower in Xi`an, the capital of Shaanxi province, China, is one of the oldest and most renowned mosques in the country. The Mosque is a major spot for religious activities of over 60,000 Moslems in Xi`an, likewise, an important cultural relic protected by the province's government.
It was first built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and renovated in later periods. It remains a popular tourist site of Xi'an, and is still used by Chinese Muslims today as a place of worship. The Mosque here in Xi'an possesses much Chinese traditional touch in both its design and artistic outlook: besides the style peculiar to Islamic mosques, this Mosque also holds characteristics of Chinese pavilions with painted beams and engraved ridgepoles. Unlike most mosques in Middle Eastern or Arab countries, the Great Mosque of Xi'an is completely Chinese in its construction and architectural style, except for some Arabic lettering and decorations, for the mosque has neither domes nor traditional-style minarets. The four courtyards of the mosque cover an area of more than 12,000 square meters, out of which about 4,000 were occupies by various structures. There is a wooden memorial arch in front of the entrance. Arch built at the turn of the 17th century, with glazed tiles on the top, spectacular corners and upturned eaves, is about 9 meters high, and has a history of about 360 years. Memorial arch in the center of the second courtyard, with carved stone dragons on each, recording the repair work ever since the building of the Mosque. On the back of the steles are engraved characters by the master calligrapher Mi Fei: "May Buddhism Fill the Universe", on the other, "Royal-Bestowed" by Dong Qichang, another master of the same art of the Ming Dynasty. They are treasures in Chinese calligraphy.
The Xi`an Grand Mosque is really worthwhile visting. Taking a stroll in the nearby "Souvenir Street" in the Moslem Part of the central city; you’ll feel the vivid and lively atmosphere of different culture and lifestyle. |
