Songjiang Mosque

Songjiang Mosque

Songjiang Mosque is a national AA-level tourist attraction and a protected cultural heritage site of Shanghai Municipality.

Songjiang Mosque is located on Gangbanghang Street in Songjiang Town and is also known as Zhenjiao Temple. According to the "Record of the Reconstruction of Zhenjiao Temple" stele preserved in the prayer hall, dating back to the 16th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1677), the mosque was originally built by a Mongolian family during the Zhizheng era of the Yuan Dynasty (1341–1367). The main gate of the mosque faces north and is fronted by a screen wall inscribed with the words “Qingzhen Miaoyuan.” Upon entering, there is an inner screen wall inscribed with “Qingzhen Temple.” On the western side of the passageway, beneath the wall, lies a small tomb believed to be that of a Yuan-era Darughachi. To the west inside, there is the Bangke Tower, which faces east, has a rectangular floor plan, and is constructed from brick, covering a construction area of 12 square meters. Its architectural style imitates the prayer hall, featuring an external double-eaved, cross-ridged roof with upturned corners, all mimicking wooden structures; the interior has a pointed arch dome ceiling, with an arched doorway below serving as the entrance. Opposite the west wing of the Bangke Tower is the prayer hall, a brick-and-wood structure with three bays, spacious and serene, covering a construction area of 130 square meters, and built in the Ming Dynasty style. Its interior is adorned with rich painted patterns composed of Arabic calligraphy. Behind the main hall is the double-eaved, cross-ridged domed prayer chamber, the oldest building in the mosque, made entirely of brick, simple yet majestic. It features arched doorways on the south, north, and east sides, with sloped roof structures built outside the north and south arches, covering a total construction area of 48 square meters. The top of the prayer chamber features a double-eaved, cross-ridged, dragon-finial ridge, crafted with openwork designs, exuding elegance. The upturned corners lack traditional angle beams. The walls between the upper and lower eaves were originally painted with landscape and floral-themed murals. Inside the prayer chamber is a spherical dome ceiling, beneath which the four corner stacked bricks feature a diamond-tooth pattern, all preserving the architectural style of the Yuan Dynasty. This ancient building, which blends Chinese and Arab architectural styles, is one of only two remaining examples in China today—the other being the Phoenix Mosque in Hangzhou.

This mosque is the oldest Islamic structure in the Shanghai area. During the Yuan Dynasty, many Muslims served in the Mongol military, and some later settled in Songjiang, leading to the construction of this mosque. It underwent major renovations in the 24th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1391), was expanded during the Yongle era (1403–1424), and saw three major restorations in the 16th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1677), the 17th year of the Jiaqing reign (1812), and the 9th year of the Tongzhi reign (1870). During the War of Resistance (1937–1945), the entrance hall collapsed and parts of the building were damaged by fire. After the liberation, the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government allocated funds for repairs in 1955. Due to budget constraints, the grass framework and veranda sections of the prayer hall had to be demolished. During the Cultural Revolution, the site was repurposed as a factory and warehouse.

Major renovation work began in September 1985. The project was carried out in two phases: the first phase included the restoration of the prayer chamber, corridor, main prayer hall, Bangke Tower, northern and southern lecture halls, ablution area, imam’s office, screen walls, the Darughachi tomb, and the dragon wall, among others. Some buildings were reconstructed to their original designs to restore the mosque’s original appearance. The courtyard retained existing trees and rocks while adding new plants to enhance the serene, classical garden atmosphere. The second phase focused on restoring the cemetery, reinstalling dozens of ancient tombstones, planting more trees, and preserving the cemetery layout. The entire project was completed in May 1989.

In 1980, it was designated as a municipal-level cultural heritage site.