Huangchuan Mosque

Huangchuan Mosque

Huangchuan Mosque is a cultural relic protection unit of Henan Province.

What makes Huangchuan Mosque unique is that its exterior looks nothing like the typical architecture of Arabic mosques. Instead, it is an Islamic temple built in traditional Chinese architectural style—a true fusion of East and West. Legend has it that Islam was introduced to Huangchuan as early as the “An Lushan Rebellion” period during the Tang Dynasty, when Huihu people, Uyghur people, Arabs, and Persians, among others, were stationed in South Huangchuan (hence the name “Huihui Camp,” as wherever there were Hui people, there would be a mosque due to their customs). Historically, the East Grand Mosque was first built during the Yuan Dynasty (the exact date is unknown, but Ma Zuchang, a great Hui poet from Huangchuan in the Yuan Dynasty, serves as solid evidence). Its original site was near the current Jiulong Hotel and was destroyed in war. The North Mosque was built no later than the Ming Dynasty (exact date unknown), on the site of what is now the No. 1 Primary School. It is said that it was also destroyed in war due to Li Zicheng’s “Three Washings of Henan, Nine Washings of Guangzhou.” The West Mosque was first built in the 13th year of the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, located on the south bank of what is now Little Yellow River, about 100 meters south of the Aviation Bridge. It was demolished to support the “Little Yellow River Regulation Project” by the Huangchuan County Committee and County Government. The only remaining mosque was historically known as the South Mosque. After the reform and opening-up, it was officially named Huangchuan County Mosque by the former Mosque Property Management Committee. Located by the South Lake of South Huangchuan, it neighbors the Iron Flagpole (Taoist) and the Christian Church to the north, the Little South Sea Guanyin Chan Temple (Buddhist) and the Catholic Church to the east, borders National Highways 312 and 106, and lies adjacent to the Little Yellow River and ancient city walls to the west, forming a uniquely beautiful scenic area. With “Five Religions” coexisting harmoniously from east, west, south, and north, it is truly a rare sight nationwide. It was first built in the 19th year of the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty (with inscriptions dating back to 1755), renovated in the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty, and restored again in 1990. It is currently the best-preserved ancient building in Xinyang City. Before liberation, it served as a secret activity center for underground Party organizations (recorded in Guangzhou historical materials), and is one of the first batch of cultural relic protection units in Xinyang City, as well as the most representative ancient building in Huangchuan. The main architectural complex faces east with its back to the west, featuring a two-story gatehouse, two courtyards, and key structures along the central axis: a three-bay main gatehouse (rebuilt in 2001 in Arabic architectural style, covering nearly 40 square meters), a two-bay second gatehouse (built in 1760 during the 24th year of Qianlong, covering nearly 50 square meters), a five-bay prayer hall (built in 1755 during the 19th year of Qianlong, covering nearly 170 square meters), a five-bay scripture lecture hall (built in 1769 during the 35th year of Qianlong, covering nearly 110 square meters), and a three-story Moon-Watching Tower (demolished during the Cultural Revolution—the name evokes a revolutionary story and many memories…). This tower was where the imam observed the moon, recited scriptures, and announced fasting periods, and is a distinctive structure in Islamic mosques. The entire pavilion features exquisite structures and rich decorations, making it the most refined building in the mosque. The prayer hall is also one of the most unique structures, consisting of three connected sections: a rolled shed, a rear hall, and a hip-and-gable rear kiln (the rear kiln was demolished during the Cultural Revolution—note: its absence does not detract from the overall aesthetics). In architectural terms, this is called a “connected roof style.” According to a deceased elderly Muslim, the prayer hall used to be a single, open large hall. This can also be seen as a prime example of the mutual integration of Islamic and Chinese architectural cultures. The entire building reveals the ingenious craftsmanship of ancient builders in its details: the exquisite lotus and dragon-phoenix patterns on wooden pillars, bas-reliefs and fine brick carvings on brick surfaces, and the way beams and pillars are tied together with crossbeams in the wooden door structures—all indicators of the status of the household. To the north of the mosque, there is also a residence for the imam, designed in the form of a “quadrangle courtyard,” with a total of 21 rooms. To the west of the imam’s residence stands an ancient cypress tree, elegant and lush, with roots suspended on piled soil, one branch splitting into two leaves, intertwined like “dragon and phoenix bringing prosperity”—commonly known as the “Dragon-Phoenix Cypress,” planted in 1755 (along with many touching stories yet to be told).

Covering a total area of approximately 16,000 square meters, the grand and spectacular Huangchuan Mosque, in terms of architectural style and scenery, is arguably unique among the nearly 20 mosques in Xinyang City. Entirely situated in the center of a lake and surrounded by water, it is fragrant with lotus blossoms and shaded by green trees in spring and summer. The mosque also houses a garden where birds sing and butterflies flutter among blooming flowers all year round, attracting an endless stream of visitors. In 2001, when the Henan Provincial “Urban Science and Technology Expo” was held in Huangchuan, national, provincial, and municipal leaders who visited the mosque remarked: “The environment of Huangchuan Mosque is simply too beautiful, quite rare, and full of ‘spirit’—it must be well preserved…”

Huangchuan Mosque is not only one of the larger and more intact ancient Islamic buildings still existing in Xinyang City, but it also carries a strong ethnic flavor and traditional Chinese architectural decorative style. Despite multiple renovations throughout history, it still thrives with vitality today, and the mosque retains complete Islamic rituals as well as hand-copied Arabic Qurans from the late Qing Dynasty.

Over the past 20-plus years, under the guidance of the Party’s ethnic policies and freedom of religious belief, the correct leadership of the county Party committee and government, and the legal management of the Huangchuan Mosque Democratic Management Committee, Huangchuan Mosque has evolved beyond being just a place for Islamic activities. It has become a cultural hub for the Hui people, a window for ethnic unity, and has made significant contributions to promoting ethnic harmony, economic development, social stability, and religious concord in our county, as well as in building a harmonious Huangchuan. It is recognized as a model unit for ethnic unity and progress in Xinyang City, a “Five-Star Religious Activity Site,” and an advanced unit in enriching public cultural life in Huangchuan County.

Old Town Subdistrict: Overview of Huangchuan County Old Town Subdistrict

Huangchuan Old Town Subdistrict borders National Highway 106 to the east, adjoins Baidian Township to the south, and is flanked by the Little Huanghe River to the northwest. It governs “three streets and four villages”: Zhongda Street, Nanhai Street, Daxiang Street, Aimin Village, Naimiao Village, Zouwan Village, and Linchang Village, covering a total area of 12.9 square kilometers with a population of nearly 30,000. The Old Town Subdistrict guards the southern gateway of Huangchuan urban area, enjoying convenient transportation, a unique location, and a long history. Established in the Western Han Dynasty and flourishing in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the area is home to the Five Religions Sacred Site—Little South Sea, the renowned Iron Flagpole, and exquisite traditional handicrafts such as ox horn carving and embroidery… More detailed information on Old Town Subdistrict++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units of Henan Province