Shuyang Mosque

Shuyang Mosque

Shuyang Mosque is a cultural tourism attraction.

Shuyang County has historically maintained close trade ties with several western provinces of China, leading to the settlement of a community of Hui people since ancient times. However, during the feudal era, the Hui were marginalized, and there were no public spaces in Shuyang dedicated to promoting Islamic teachings or the customs of the Hui people. In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, a local gentry member surnamed Zhang from Shucheng was moved by the Hui people's devotion to Islamic doctrines. He voluntarily offered part of his home, renovated it, and turned it into a mosque for Islamic worship and Hui community gatherings. The mosque is located at the northern end of Maxiang in Shuyang County (currently 43 Maxiang, Shucheng), covering an area of 120 square meters. It is shaded by ancient trees and situated in a tranquil spot. Facing east with its gate to the north, the mosque features a brick-and-wood structure with gray-tiled roofing, designed in the Ming and Qing architectural style. A plaque bears the three elegant and flowing calligraphic characters “清真寺” (Qingzhen Si / Mosque) in semi-cursive script, exuding refined charm. The mosque includes three main prayer halls and four corridor rooms. The entire courtyard is designed in a simple yet classic fashion, embodying the beauty of traditional Eastern ethnic architecture.

The first imam was Ma Zhencai, followed by his son Ma Wenshan. In 1950, Sha Yuting, a Hui man from Sihong who had graduated from the Islamic School in Qinghai, came to Shuyang to preside over the mosque and promote Islamic teachings. In 1952, Sha Yuting was transferred back to his hometown. After 1956, the mosque was used by government offices and neighborhood committees, and later occupied as a private residence. After the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, religious policies were reinstated and the mosque was restored. Since 1974, the county government allocated funds multiple times to renovate the main prayer hall and auxiliary buildings. In January 1999, it was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Shuyang County. In 1985, the Shuyang County Mosque Management Committee was established. Today, the Hui community regularly gathers at the mosque during fasting periods, weddings, funerals, and other important occasions to perform prayers, preach Islamic teachings, carry out ritual ablutions, and observe other traditional customs. These practices reflect the respect given by the government and the people of the county to the dignity of the ethnic minority.

Source: Suqian Municipal People’s Government