Praising Allah for seven centuries
By Tan Weiyun |
March 15, 2013, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
SHANGHAI'S oldest Muslim shrine, the Zhenjiao Mosque, sits on a small lane off Zhongshan Road, the busiest street in Songjiang District.
The mosque was built in the 14th century.
Despite the vicissitudes of centuries, the mosque today remains an active place of worship. The beautiful mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca for the faithful, faces west.
On Friday afternoons after prayers, several halal food shops open to sell tasty snacks.
The mosque fuses the traditional style of ancient Chinese palaces with Arab architecture. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368), renovated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and expanded in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). That gives the structure a blend of various ancient Chinese styles.
The front gate faces north. Upon stepping into the mosque, a visitor is greeted by a huge stone screen wall, inscribed with qing zhen si ("mosque" in Chinese) in kai (regular) script in firm, solid strokes.
Further into the interior, along the corridor to the western wall, is the tomb of the basqaq, a local governor appointed by the Mongolian royal court that established the Yuan Dynasty. The mosque was first established during the Zhizheng reign (1341-1368) of that dynasty.
The mosque's history is engraved in ancient steles.
On the western side of the stone stele park is the Mi'dhanah Pagoda, a tower for calling the faithful to prayers. Built in 1559, the pagoda combines Arabian and Chinese architectures. Its door is inscribed with ancient scriptures.
A stone main hall in the Ming style stands opposite the pagoda. It is decorated with brightly colored pictures and Arabic writings.
The mosque's prayer niche is lined with bamboo mats and woolen carpets in the winter.
Two sermon halls are located in the north and south of the mosque. They were added in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, the southern sermon hall is used for religious ceremonies and as an exhibit area to retrace Islamist culture in Shanghai.
To the north of the mosque is a 400-year-old cypress tree that stands in silent homage to an illustrious history.
It is said the famed General Chang Yuchun of the Ming Dynasty once tied his horse to the tree and drank water from a nearby well.
Address: 75 Gangpeng Lane, Songjiang Old Town, Songjiang District
Hours: 8am-4pm
Admission: 6 yuan (90 US cents)
The mosque was built in the 14th century.
Despite the vicissitudes of centuries, the mosque today remains an active place of worship. The beautiful mihrab, which indicates the direction of Mecca for the faithful, faces west.
On Friday afternoons after prayers, several halal food shops open to sell tasty snacks.
The mosque fuses the traditional style of ancient Chinese palaces with Arab architecture. It was built in the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368), renovated during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and expanded in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). That gives the structure a blend of various ancient Chinese styles.
The front gate faces north. Upon stepping into the mosque, a visitor is greeted by a huge stone screen wall, inscribed with qing zhen si ("mosque" in Chinese) in kai (regular) script in firm, solid strokes.
Further into the interior, along the corridor to the western wall, is the tomb of the basqaq, a local governor appointed by the Mongolian royal court that established the Yuan Dynasty. The mosque was first established during the Zhizheng reign (1341-1368) of that dynasty.
The mosque's history is engraved in ancient steles.
On the western side of the stone stele park is the Mi'dhanah Pagoda, a tower for calling the faithful to prayers. Built in 1559, the pagoda combines Arabian and Chinese architectures. Its door is inscribed with ancient scriptures.
A stone main hall in the Ming style stands opposite the pagoda. It is decorated with brightly colored pictures and Arabic writings.
The mosque's prayer niche is lined with bamboo mats and woolen carpets in the winter.
Two sermon halls are located in the north and south of the mosque. They were added in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Today, the southern sermon hall is used for religious ceremonies and as an exhibit area to retrace Islamist culture in Shanghai.
To the north of the mosque is a 400-year-old cypress tree that stands in silent homage to an illustrious history.
It is said the famed General Chang Yuchun of the Ming Dynasty once tied his horse to the tree and drank water from a nearby well.
Address: 75 Gangpeng Lane, Songjiang Old Town, Songjiang District
Hours: 8am-4pm
Admission: 6 yuan (90 US cents)
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