China | Shaanxi | Xian | Great Mosque

After touring the City Wall in Xian I wandered by the Qing Zhen Si, or Great Mosque of Xian. The original mosque was founded here in 742 AD, during the reign of the Tang Dynasty emperor Xuanzong, Like Nestorian Christianity, Islam quickly migrated eastward on the Silk Road, resulting in the founding of this mosque a mere 120 years after the Hijah. The mosque was updated during the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties and is still active today, serving the 30,000 or so Huis—Chinese Moslems—in Xian.

Wooden Gateway to the Mosque
First Courtyard of the Mosque
Ming Dynasty Stone Gate

Inscription on Ming Dynasty Stone Gate: “The Courtyard of Heaven.” (All you Sinophiles out there—feel free to correct this.)

I think this structure houses one of the stelae recording the history of the mosque. I am not sure, since there are some other stelae on the grounds. Very little is available in English about the mosque, and it is hard to tell what is what. Anyone with any information is free to weigh in. The so-called Introspection Tower, which also serves as the Mosque’s minaret. This is the highest structure in the mosque compound.

Ceiling of the Introspection Tower
Another view of the Introspection Tower. This stele may be the one which records the mosque’s history. Gate to one of the courtyards
Gate to another one of the courtyards
Calligraphy on one of the walls of the compound
There is supposed to be a stone in the mosque which portrays the Moslem world with Mecca in the middle. This might be it, with the dark circle in the middle representing Mecca.
But on the walkway to the Phoenix Pavilion there is another stone which might also represent the Moslem world.
This stone also has a circle in the middle which might represent Mecca. If anyone has any information about this please come forward now.
The Phoenix Pavilion, or Main Hall of the Mosque.
Entrance to the Phoenix Pavilion. The inscription over the door reportedly reads “One God”.