Situated
in Dongguan Street, Xining City, Dongguan Mosque is the biggest
mosque in Qinghai Province. It was built in 1380, and now boasts
a history of more than 600 years. The Mosque is not only famous
for its magnificent architecture but also as a religious education
center and as the highest learning institution of Islam.
Covering an area of 11,940 square meters (about 3 acres), Dongguan
Mosque is built on a grand scale. Its style combines both Chinese
traditional architectural art and Islamic architectural features.
When traveling to the Mosque, the first thing you can see is the
elegant arched door on which is written 'Dongguan Mosque'. On either
side of the front door stands the Xuanli Lou (Xuanli Pavilion).
The Xuanli Lou is special as the place where the Imams invite people
to pray. It is 8 meters (some 26 feet) high, and consists of three
floors which are hexagonal in shape.
There is a square with an area of some 30,000 square meters (about
7 acres). The prayer hall is the main building in Dongguan Mosque.
It covers an area of 1,136 square meters (about 0.3 acres). The
whole prayer hall is resplendent and magnificent. It can hold more
than 3,000 people at prayer at the same time. Since the Mosque was
built, it has become an important place of worship and assembly
for Muslims. When Islam's important festivals come round, tens of
thousands of the Prophet's followers from every quarter come to
participate in ceremonies and religious activities. On such occasions,
the Mosque wears a festival mood.