One often connects all architecture of China to Buddhism but there are traces of Islam to be found here too. The Niujie Mosque is a great example of Islamic religion taking shape influenced by Chinese architecture. The Mosque gets its name from the street on which it is built. The Niujie Street was formerly known as a vegetable and fruit market but over the years the mosque has become one of its most popular spots. The Niujie Mosque is one of the largest in China since it covers a large 6000 square meters of space. It is also the most ancient mosques of Beijing.  It was constructed under the reign of Liao dynasty in 996. The Ming dynasty as well as the Qing dynasty followed up on the duty of renovating it as well as repairing it in 1442 and 1696 respectably.

Unlike south-facing Buddhist temples, the mosque points towards Mekka, the holy land of Islam, in the west. The layout of the mosque is symmetrical and compact. The entrance gate is fronted by a large wall with a white marble pedestal, which stretches for around 40 meters (44 yards). A series of relief sculptures sit on the wall, depicting images of happiness and fortune. After passing through the entrance gate, visitors are faced by the Watching Moon Tower; a hexagonal, two-storied structure, reaching over 10 meters (33 feet) tall and housed under a golden-glazed roof. The tower is so named because it was used by the imam to observe the position of the moon to determine times for fasting.

Walking along the path that runs beside the tower, visitors eventually reach the Prayer Hall - the most important building in the mosque. It is a place only open to Muslims. Covering an area of 600 square meters (718 square yards), the hall has the capacity for a few thousand worshippers. The hall's arched gate is decorated with script from the Koran and poems of worship. Some of the text is written in the ancient Arabic characters of Al-Kufi, which is rarely seen in China. The room is also adorned with various paintings of flowers, strings of glass beads and colored glass, which contribute to the hall's air of great importance and holiness.

Outside of the Prayer Hall, two stele pavilions sit either side of the hall. In each of them stands a stone tablet details the history of the mosque. There are two tombs on the southeast side of the main hall. These are of the monks who had come to china to spread the religion and passed away. These are highly regarded and the inscriptions on the graves are in perfect condition. Although hundreds of years old, the epigraphs on the gravestones remain clearly readable and are of great importance to research into the history of Islam in China.

The Niujie Mosque offers visitors not only the chance to admire a truly unique building, but also the opportunity to broaden their knowledge about Islam and its place in Chinese cultural history. The mosque should certainly rank highly on any visitor to Beijing's itinerary.

Tips:
1. Proper dress is required. No admittance if you are wearing shorts or a skirt.
2. Admittance to the Prayer Hall is limited to Muslims only.
3. Some areas in the mosque are not open to the public. Please refer to the information on the ticket.

Admission Fee: CNY 10
Opening Hours: 08:00-16:00
Bus Route: 61