Linqing Dong Mosque

Linqing Dong Mosque

The Linqing Dong Mosque is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The East Mosque, standing in distant harmony with the North Mosque, is one of the renowned Three Great Mosques of Linqing. Originally built in the first year of the Chenghua era during the Ming Dynasty (1465), it boasts a history of over 500 years. Covering an area of more than 20,000 square meters, the mosque complex includes the main gate, second gate, corridor hall, main prayer hall, facing hall, southern and northern scripture lecture halls, ablution rooms, and more. The main prayer hall is designed in a palatial style, with a convex-shaped roof featuring upturned eaves on all four corners and a door adorned with floor-length lattice windows. The interior is floored with pine wood, and features six Arabic inscribed plaques hanging from the ceiling, as well as eight watercolor-painted wooden pillars with Arabic calligraphy in various forms. Particularly precious are the 30 rice-paper murals preserved inside the hall to this day, which are unique among similar structures in China. Unlike traditional Chinese buildings that use hemp-lime plaster for walls, these murals were created on walls coated with wool-lime plaster—an absolutely singular technique nationwide. The murals also notably differ from the single-line flat coloring method seen in other temples, possessing an artistic effect akin to the ink diffusion on rice paper. The colors have remained unfaded for centuries, with nuanced shades and vivid imagery, making a special contribution to the history of Chinese painting and offering significant research value. On either side of the sacred niche inside the hall are Arabic circular motifs: the left reads, “Enter the ranks of Muslims,” while the right says, “Enter the paradise of the Lord.” The hall is richly decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, exuding grandeur. The facing hall is three bays wide and two bays deep, with floor-to-ceiling lattice windows, six interconnected doors, and two octagonal windows. It also features an elaborately painted and uniquely shaped entrance gate adorned with three ancient plaques inscribed with the phrases “All Things Turn to the True,” “From One Stem Many Branches,” and “The Way Has a Unified Origin.” The entire architectural complex seamlessly blends traditional Chinese architectural art with Islamic culture, making it a rare masterpiece of architectural artistry. In June 2001, it was approved by the State Council as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Xianfeng Road Subdistrict: Located in the urban area and surrounding suburbs of Linqing City, the Xianfeng Road Subdistrict Office governs 49 neighborhood committees, encompasses 52,000 mu of arable land, and has a total population of 61,000. The subdistrict borders Hebei Province and Dezhou City in Shandong Province, enjoying a prime geographical location. It features well-developed urban functions, convenient transportation, and abundant resources in water conservancy, electricity, and heating. Communications infrastructure is advanced, and the area has distinct industrial advantages. Within its jurisdiction lies the 65.2-square-kilometer Canal Economic and Technological Development Zone, which is planned and designed to high standards, making it a prime destination for investors and entrepreneurs from all walks of life. [1]

Economic and Social Development

Xianfeng Subdistrict Office... More details about Xianfeng Road Subdistrict ++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units