Yangcun North Mosque

Yangcun North Mosque

Yangcun North Mosque is a cultural relic protection unit of Tianjin Municipality.

Yangcun North Mosque

Era: Ming Dynasty

Address: Fangxiang Hutong, Xindian Street, Yongyang West Road, Yangcun Town, Wuqing District, Tianjin

Category: Ancient Architecture

Yangcun North Mosque was first built in the 48th year of the Wanli reign during the Ming Dynasty (1620). It faces east and is a brick-and-wood courtyard complex. The main prayer hall spans five bays, featuring towering, closely-spaced pillars that create a spacious and lofty interior. The roof is constructed with interlocking sections, including 24 upturned corners, covered with glazed tiles. The moon-viewing tower has four stories and stands 32 meters tall, topped with an emerald-green dome and high, upturned eaves, giving it a magnificent and resplendent appearance. The mosque has a long history and once housed many cultural relics, but most were lost during the Cultural Revolution. Currently, only a few surviving plaques remain, including the “Sincerity Never Ceases” plaque gifted by Emperor Qianlong, the “Utmost Justice and Goodness” plaque from the Daoguang era, and the “Utmost Compassion and Justice” plaque from the Tongzhi era. On the back wall of the rear hall, there is a brick carving reading “The Ancient Religion Since Time Immemorial,” inscribed by Wu Peifu. The mosque covers a total area of 2,929 square meters, with a built-up area of 1,171 square meters. It is the only well-preserved ancient building in Wuqing District.

Yangcun North Mosque is a historic, large-scale, and well-preserved ancient Islamic mosque in Tianjin.

The main structure of Yangcun North Mosque combines architectural techniques from southern China with Arabic styles. Its ingenious structural design and exquisite decoration feature unique elements in both construction and detailing.

The mosque is located on the west bank of the Grand Canal, which was historically one of China’s most significant and busiest waterways, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Hui people have a strong commercial tradition, and the mosque serves as evidence of their long-standing settlement and rich cultural heritage in Tianjin.