Beiwujia Mosque

Beiwujia Mosque

Beiwujia Mosque is a cultural tourism attraction.

Beiwujia Mosque

Beiwujia Mosque Beiwujia Mosque is located in Beiwujia Village, Yuanzi Township, Jingyuan County. Built in the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign during the Qing Dynasty (1874), it features a traditional Chinese palace-style architectural layout and is the earliest mosque in Jingyuan County. In the 10th year of the Tongzhi reign (1871), following the failure of the Hui Muslim uprising in Shaanxi and Gansu, Chen Lin, a leader of the Hui uprising from Shaanxi who was resettled in Huapingchuan (Jingyuan), applied to the magistrate of Huapingchuan Direct-Controlled Prefecture for permission to build a mosque. The Qing court approved the request with the statement: “In response to the appeal by Hui Muslim Chen Lin and others requesting to establish a mosque for reciting sacred scriptures and promoting virtuous teachings, this is indeed a righteous act, and thus may be permitted.” However, fearing that the Hui people might use the mosque as a stronghold to rally against the Qing government, specific regulations were imposed: the mosque could not exceed 24 feet in height, nor 100 square feet in length or width, the walls could not be thicker than 25 inches, and no high-rise structures could be built outside the mosque. In the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), the first mosque in Jingyuan County was constructed in Beiwujia, the central area of the county, with Chen Lin serving as its first imam. Zuo Zongtang personally inscribed the gate plaque and couplet. The gate plaque was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution (“0”), but the couplet remains clearly visible. The upper line reads, “Honor the elders and love your kin, and you will bring blessings upon yourself,” while the lower line reads, “Model benevolence and advocate humility, and together we shall enjoy peace.” The signature reads, “Written by Kejing Bo” (Kejing Bo refers to Zuo Zongtang).