Dongsi Mosque

Dongsi Mosque is regarded as one of the most celebrated and famous Moslem mosques in Beijing and even in China. It is also a well-known travel spot for tourists both home and abroad. Dongsi Mosque was built in 1447 in the Ming Dynasty and made entirely of wood and contained many buildings, including a Repository Hall. This hall is located behind the main hall and is a beamless building with supporting walls that contain decoration in the style of the Ming Dynasty. Dongsi Mosque takes its name from the nearby Dongsi Archways in the Dongcheng District of Beijing. On the surface of the dome-shaped roof is engraved with the words of the Koran in Kufic script, Arabic calligraphy reserved for religious and official purposes. The mosque is noted for its combination of Chinese and Arabic styles of decoration, in the same way as the Niujie Mosque. Valuable and

important manuscripts such as the Koran, the Hadith and the Sunna (Islamic law) and many other works of Islamic history and literature are housed in the mosque's library, published from many different countries. In 1486, a minaret was built which fell into ruins in 1908. Today, only the bronze canopy remains, with the words "Cast in1486" still legible on its surface. Since the nation-wide liberation in 1949, Dongsi Mosque has undergone two major renovation efforts. The first took place in 1952 when all the dilapidated buildings were redecorated, and the second was in 1974. Dongsi Mosque is now where the Islamic Association of Beijing located, and it is also where Muslims pray took place. If you are a Muslim and travel to Beijing. Do not

worry about no where to do the pray, especially on Friday. Dongsi Mosque is the perfect place you can go. When you are there, you can also see the local Muslin members of Beijing. Today, Dongsi Mosque has three resident Imams who administer the five daily prayers and the Friday Djuma Service. When requested by foreign Muslim residents. they also perform religious ceremonies at births, weddings and funerals. In 1984, Dongsi Mosque was listed as a heritage conservation units of Beijing. Here are some guide information for your tour to Dongsi Mosque: Address: 13 South Road, Dongsi, Dongcheng District, Beijing. Admission Fee: CNY 2, Openning Hours: 09:00-16:30,  Contact Number: 86-10- 65251194.