South Mosque

South Mosque

The South Mosque is a cultural tourism attraction.

There are four mosques in Xuanhua District: the South Mosque, North Mosque, Central Mosque, and Dongtuguan Mosque. The oldest among them is the South Mosque, located on Miaodi Street, which was first built in 1400. The entire mosque complex features an elegant design, sturdy and generous structure, simple yet classic style, and rigorous layout, making it one of China’s renowned hundred major mosques.

The South Mosque is located on Miaodi Street in the ancient city of Xuanhua, where the Hui ethnic community resides. It is the earliest and largest mosque in the northern Yan region. Listed among China’s 100 famous mosques, it is also known as one of the “Three Great Northern Mosques” along with Beijing’s Niujie Mosque and Baotou’s Great Mosque, enjoying high influence and recognition.

The South Mosque was established in the first year of the Yongle reign during the Ming Dynasty (1403) by local Hui Muslim residents. In the 25th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty (1820), due to “the long tradition of the mosque, growing Muslim population, and the desire to expand, but being constrained by its proximity to government offices,” the community proposed and funded the relocation of the South Mosque to Miaodi Street.

The relocated South Mosque is grand in scale, structurally complete, and exquisitely decorated. It consists of 15 halls covering an area of over 4,400 square meters. The overall layout faces east, with visitors entering through a grand gateway, crossing a stone arch bridge, passing the minaret, walking along the corridor, ascending the platform, and finally entering the main prayer hall, all the way to the moon-viewing tower, forming a continuous spatial experience throughout the mosque. On the north and south sides are symmetrically arranged lecture halls, corridors, and side chambers. The bathing facility for Muslims to perform ritual purification before prayer is located on the south side of the main hall—an essential feature in Islamic architecture. Additionally, there are decorative structures such as memorial archways, screen walls, and wing walls. The entire complex is well-planned, with spacious courtyards, clear functional zoning, and a uniquely harmonious layout.

The main prayer hall is where Muslims gather for worship. It is tall and spacious, with a construction area of 662 square meters. The central hall features nine bays and a hip-and-gable roof with nine ridges. It is connected to a five-bay front hall and a seven-bay rear hall, all integrated into a single unit with a rolled shed-style roof. In the middle of the rear hall stands an octagonal moon-viewing tower, 17.6 meters high, serving as the iconic structure of the mosque. With its upturned eaves and majestic presence, it is a striking architectural highlight. The building is adorned with unique carved patterns. The wooden windows engraved with Islamic calligraphy are not only exquisitely crafted but also vividly expressive, radiating a strong religious atmosphere that conveys the solemnity and reverence of the space.

As a carrier of Islamic culture, the South Mosque holds significant historical research value due to its rich cultural connotations. As an exemplary piece of ancient architecture, its graceful form and ingenious structure give it high scientific research value. In terms of architectural artistry, the extensive use of distinctive wood carvings, brick carvings, and stone carvings adds considerable artistic appreciation value. Judged from any perspective, the South Mosque stands as a masterpiece of ancient architecture, fully demonstrating the exceptional wisdom and creative talent of the ancient Islamic community in the field of architectural art.

After more than 600 years of weathering, the South Mosque had fallen into disrepair and suffered severe damage. In recent years, to protect this precious historical and cultural heritage, the Xuanhua District government listed the South Mosque as one of the first district-level cultural relics protection units and actively applied for its recognition as a provincial-level protected site. To fulfill the earnest wishes of the Muslim community, from 2004 to 2006, through a combination of government funding, social donations, and contributions from the Muslim populace, multi-channel fundraising efforts were made. A comprehensive restoration project was carried out on the South Mosque. Restoring this mosque has been a shared aspiration of the Muslim community. With strong support from the local government, various sectors of society, cultural heritage authorities, and the Muslim population, the South Mosque has regained its historical splendor.