Huaisheng Mosque
Huaisheng Mosque in Guanzhou, China
Huaisheng Mosque Photo Gallery (Downloadable Pictures)
That Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou is one of the oldest
mosques in China is not surprising, given that Guangzhou was
where Islam was introduced to China in the 7th Century. The
mosque is established for remembering the prophet of Islam,
Mohammed. So the name of the mosque, Huaisheng, means
'remember the sage'. It is one of the four most well-known
mosques in China, the other three being Yangzhou Crane
Mosque, Quanzhou Kylin Mosque and Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque.
Thus it is an excellent place to visit if you want to learn
about Islamic culture in China.
Huaisheng Mosque is located at No. 56, Guangta Road. Built
in 627, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the mosque covers
an area of more than 2,966 square meters (3,547 square
yards) and features six important buildings, the Imam Hall,
the Wangyue Attic, the Covered Corridor, the Storehouse of
Islamic Scripture, the Stone Steles Pavilion and the Light
Tower.
The mosque is also named Light Tower Mosque. The Light Tower
is a minaret, which used to serve as a beacon for boats on
the Zhujiang River. In addition, sailors often climb up to
the minaret to observe the weather conditions. Although the
mosque presents a typical architectural style of the Tang
Dynasty, the Light Tower seems to develop a new school of
its own, which is deeply influenced by Arabic architectural
flavor, an attractive feature of the mosque.
Today, Huaisheng Mosque still plays a very important role in
Muslim life in Guanzhou, welcoming Muslims from all over the
world, including many of the businessmen who attend the
Chinese Export Commodities Fair - Canton Fair, to worship.
(TravelChinaGuide.com)
