Ningling Dongguan Mosque

Ningling Dongguan Mosque

Ningling Dongguan Mosque is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

Ningling Dongguan Mosque, a key cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province, is located on Mosque Street in Dongguan Village, Chengguan Hui Ethnic Town, Ningling County. Facing east and situated westward, it is said to have been originally built during the Yuan Dynasty and expanded gradually over time. It was further expanded in the ninth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1581). The site includes over 70 rooms such as the main prayer hall, lecture rooms, ablution facilities, a women’s mosque, and a scripture depository, covering an area of 10.4 mu. The layout is ingeniously designed with distinct levels, featuring exquisite carvings and a classic, simple elegance. It underwent a major renovation only once during the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty. During the “Cultural Revolution,” the mosque suffered severe damage. Not only were the south and north lecture rooms, the reception hall, inner residences, and ablution facilities demolished, but all interior decorative paintings were also destroyed, walls cracked, and the main hall tilted as a whole, leading to an overall decline in the condition of the mosque buildings. Since the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, thanks to funding from higher authorities and local Hui community fundraising, a major renovation was carried out in the spring of 1987.

Currently, the mosque covers an area of 10.2 mu. The site consists of three main parts: the main prayer hall, the north and south courtyards, and the moon-viewing tower. The main gate building (three bays) features high stone steps, red brick walls, a dark green door, and a plaque inscribed with the three large characters “清真寺” (Mosque). The entire structure is made of brick and wood, giving off a serene, elegant, and unadorned impression. The main prayer hall is located at the center of the mosque complex, measuring 14 meters in width and 17 meters in depth, with a sloped roof covered in glazed tiles. It consists of three sections: a five-bay arched porch, a five-bay front hall, and a three-bay rear hall. In front of the arched porch is a 1.6-meter-high flight of steps, supported by eight main pillars. The left inner wall houses a stone stele documenting the renovation history of the prayer hall. The wooden doors are arranged in rows, with carvings of birds and flowers below. The front of the prayer hall has twelve supporting pillars, with mats laid on the floor. A diagram of the qibla direction is displayed on the western side. The entire structure is majestic and spectacular, serving as a model for mosques in eastern Henan. The moon-viewing tower is built against the back wall of the main prayer hall, standing four stories tall at 18.5 meters, with its upper perimeter adorned with window-like decorations and a yellow-glazed tile roof.

Dongguan Village: Dongguan Village…… More information about Dongguan Village++

Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province