| Originally
built in 996 by Nazruddin, the son of an imam, Beijing's Niujie
Mosque was an unremarkable place when Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
forces captured Beijing, changing its name to Zhongdu, which
Ghengis Khan's armies later razed to the ground in 1215.
Located
in Beijing's Muslim Quarter, Nuijie Mosque is the most noteworthy
of the three mosques in Xuanwu district in southwestern part
Beijing. Niujie, or Ox Street, is the name of the street on
which the mosque is located. The oldest and largest
of all the mosques in Beijing, Niujie Mosque offers a tantalizing
blend of Chinese and Islamic architectural and religious structures.
Despite
Beijing's major modernization of Xuanwu district tin 2000-2002,
when the Muslim Quarter was stripped of its labyrinth its
traditional lanes (hutong) and ramshackle quadrangle
(siheyuan) houses, Niujie Mosque itself was not touched.
Recent visitors to Beijing now only see a wide, straight boulevard
bordered on either side with high-rise residential and commercial
cement buildings. Many Beijingers miss the cluttered, cozy
lanes, conveniently spotted with small, privately owned and
operated Moslem restaurants offering a profusion of Moslim
specialties of beef and mutton dishes as well as some of the
best grilled lamb shashliks in town.
Historical
records of the mosque date to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368),
when Beijing was known as Dadu. Significantly expanded in
1442 during the Ming dynasty (14?? -1644), the mosque was
known as Libaisi, or Temple of Worship, a term still used
today. On the anniversary of its 1000th year of existence
in 1996, the Beijing government undertook major repairs of
Niujie Mosque, now under special protection as a cultural
site.
A
visual incorporation of the Liao, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties,
architectural styles from each era are represented. Facing
the front entrance gate is a 30 meter long screen, in the
center of which is a stone carving made of white marble with
clouds on the top and a ruyi at the base. Also depicted
is a bell on a tree, a chessboard under the bell and an incense
burner by the chessboard, but according to Islamic traditions,
no human figures are portrayed.
The
front gate of the mosque is open only during the Ramadan and
Corban festivals. The first structure inside the Mosque
is the Wangyue Lou, or Tower for Observing the Moon, a hexagonal
minaret with a two-story cornice, the roof of which is covered
with glazed green tiles. Imams check for a crescent moon each
year at Ramadan to determine the correct start and close to
Ramadan.
The
Hall of Worship, facing Mecca, is the most important part
of Niujie Mosque. Supported by five main columns, the hall
is separated into three sections and can accommodate more
than 1000 worshippers. Arabian styled arches grace the hall,
combining Chinese styled columns engraved with golden lotus
and painted red floors.
To
the north and south of the Hall of Worship are two classrooms
for teaching Islamic codes. The two-storied Bangkalou,
stands to the east; it is here that the iman summons the faithful
to prayer. The western building houses ancient porcelain
and classical Islamic texts. Two tombs, belonging to
Islamic sages who died in the mosque after coming to China
to preach in the 13th century, can be found in another courtyard
within the mosque. The Arabic epitaphs lauding the two
sages can still be seen there.
Also
of historical interest is a stele by the Kangxi emperor, absolving
Chinese Moslems, or the Hui ethnic minority, of a conspiracy
to overthrow the Qing dynasty (1644-1922).
Niujie
Mosque is open to visitors from 09:00-16:00 every day but
Friday for RMB10.- (USD1.20). |
