Baidula Mosque

Baidula Mosque

Baidula Mosque is a cultural tourism attraction.

Baidula Mosque

Baidula Mosque The Baidula Mosque, located on Xinhua East Road in Yining City (also known as the Madrasa), is the largest place where the Uyghur Muslims of Yining conduct religious activities. It was the first Islamic mosque built in Ili with direct funding from the Qing government. In the past, it was known alongside the Hui Grand Mosque and the Tatar Mosque as one of the three major mosques in Ili.

After the Qing government unified Xinjiang, it respected the religious beliefs of ethnic minorities and guaranteed the right of people of all ethnicities to practice their faith. A special allocation of 10,000 taels of silver was made, and the Ili Akhun Bég E’ermu Zhabu was ordered to build this mosque in Ningyuan City for the Muslim community. Using these funds and his official authority, E’ermu Zhabu also collected land taxes, grain, and other materials from various “Hui Tuntian” (Muslim agricultural colonies), conscripted labor, and hired skilled craftsmen from inland China. It is said that the mosque was completed in the 38th year of the Qianlong reign (1773).

After the completion of the Baidula Mosque, Muslims in Ili were overjoyed and celebrated. It is said that a famous great mullah from Turkey, upon seeing the mosque’s grandeur and its prominent position in northern Xinjiang, bestowed upon it the name “Baidula.” “Baidula” means “the House of God,” referring to the sacred site of Muslim pilgrimage. After its completion, the Baidula Mosque became widely renowned, attracting a continuous stream of scholars seeking religious knowledge. At that time, over 200 students studied here, and after five years, they were awarded religious titles based on their performance. As a result, the Baidula Mosque was also called “Madrasa,” meaning an advanced religious school.

Originally, the mosque covered an area of about 1,800 square meters and consisted of a minaret, prayer hall, and lecture hall. Over the past 200 years, the Baidula Mosque has undergone continuous renovation and expansion. After its expansion in 1865, it could accommodate 1,500 worshippers. In 1983, the government allocated funds to renovate and redecorate the mosque, giving this renowned ancient site a new look and designating it as a key cultural relic protection unit. In recent years, it has hosted many domestic and international friendly groups, religious figures, and distinguished scholars for religious activities or sightseeing. In October 1996, the mosque underwent another large-scale expansion and renovation, managed by the Islamic Association, with funding from various levels of government and contributions from the faithful. Now, aside from retaining the minaret, the main hall was demolished due to age-related deterioration and replaced with a newly built Islamic-style prayer hall. The current total area is 6,950 square meters, capable of accommodating 3,000–3,500 worshippers at once, featuring architecture in Arabic and Uyghur styles.