Shanjie Mosque

Shanjie Mosque

Shanjie Mosque is a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province.

The mosque is situated on the east side of Shanjie Road in the western part of the city, now known as Mosque Street, also known as the Western Grand Mosque. Initially constructed during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, it experienced repeated cycles of establishment and disrepair before being rebuilt in the 12th year of the Tongzhi era (1873). It underwent another renovation in 1982. The surroundings feature blue brick walls on a stone foundation, with a gate tower topped by bracket sets and an opposing screen wall. Inside the main gate, there is a porch with a central bay, a hallway, and corridors. The main prayer hall spans five bays, with a flush-gable roof, fronted by a covered porch. Its beams are painted with colorful designs, and it faces large wooden screens, while arched doorways are set on both sides. The interior of the hall is used for religious ceremonies.

The main gate tower has three bays in width and two in depth, flanked by carved brick walls forming an eight-character gate design. The gate bears the bold characters “清真寺” (“Mosque”) in regular script. In front of the hall is a courtyard, and to the east is a reception hall used for hosting visitors. The main prayer hall of the mosque is its central structure and the place where Muslims gather for worship, and it is the largest of its kind in the province. The overall layout of the architectural complex features both the characteristics of traditional Chinese palace-style architecture and elements of Arabic architectural art. The interior is adorned with Arabic calligraphy and geometric patterns, comprising nearly 800 different decorative motifs and over 1,000 individual patterns. The complex includes a prayer alcove and a moon-sighting tower – both important sites for worship. It was designated as a cultural relic protection unit of Jiangsu Province in 2011.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Jiangsu Province