Jining Xida Temple

Jining Xida Temple

Jining Xida Temple is a cultural tourism attraction.

Jining Xida Temple

Address: West of Santongbei Street, Jining City, Shandong Province

Postal Code: 272109

Introduction

The exact year of its establishment is unknown. According to local elders and historical records, it was founded during the Ming Dynasty's Wanli era by Master Chang Zhimei. However, Chang Zhimei was born in the 38th year of the Wanli era (1610), making this account clearly inaccurate. Architecture historian Professor Liu Zhiping believes that most of the structures in the temple exhibit styles typical of the early Qing Dynasty. During the Kangxi period, Islamic education flourished in Jining, with renowned scholars such as Li Yanling and Chang Zhimei preaching and teaching, giving rise to the "Shandong School." It is therefore more credible that Xida Temple was established in the early Qing Dynasty. The temple complex covers an area of 11 mu, enclosed by 6-meter-high walls, and features a symmetrical layout with a rigorous structure. The main gate consists of one central and two smaller side gates, all with front eaves and rear corridors, red doors, and hanging bronze ring handles. Flanking the entrance are eight wing rooms serving as residences for religious leaders. At the southern end are five screened rooms storing funeral supplies.

Inside the courtyard, there are five-bay lecture halls on both the north and south sides. Behind the northern lecture hall are 15 northern rooms that serve as accommodations for imams and students. Three eastern rooms function as a kitchen. Between the north and south lecture halls stands a two-story hexagonal pointed-roof minaret with 25 uniquely carved windowed doors. Above the door hangs a plaque inscribed with “Orthodox of the Islamic World,” while the lower level features a plaque reading “Carrying Forward the Past and Opening the Future” and gilded Arabic couplets. The minaret also serves as a secondary gate, with a small door on each side. Passing through the minaret, you will see the grand and magnificent prayer hall to the west. This hall is the largest of its kind among all Chinese-style mosques with traditional upturned eaves, consisting of 98 rooms and ranking only second in size to the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. The entire hall is divided into four sections: the front features three large roofinged bays; the front hall has five bays and 11 rafters under a single-eave hip-and-gable roof; the middle section has seven bays and 11 rafters under a double-eave hip-and-gable roof; and the rear hall has five bays under a double-eave hip-and-gable roof, surrounded by verandas on three sides. Its foundation and upper eaves are higher than those of the middle hall. All sections are connected via interlocking construction, gradually increasing in height with a clear hierarchy. The hall is supported by 120 carved pillars, featuring richly decorated beams and columns, creating a magnificent and resplendent interior. The hall is surrounded by a protective wall over one meter high. To the southeast of the hall lies a 10-room ablution area, and behind the hall stands a two-story octagonal pavilion-style moon-viewing tower. The entire architectural complex combines traditional Chinese structural elements with Arabic decorative styles, presenting a magnificent, solemn, and dignified aesthetic. The site also houses a large number of plaques and couplets inscribed in both Chinese and Arabic.