Huaisheng Mosque Minaret

Huaisheng Mosque Minaret

The Huaisheng Mosque Minaret is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

Guangzhou is the birthplace of the ancient Maritime Silk Road in China. With the development of maritime trade, the world’s three major religions—Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity—were successively introduced to the city. Among the four ancient Islamic mosques along China’s coast, besides the Zhenjiao Temple in Hangzhou, the Xianhe Temple in Yangzhou, and the Qingjing Mosque in Quanzhou, there is also the Huaisheng Mosque in Guangzhou. Also known as the Lion Mosque and commonly referred to as the Minaret Mosque, the Huaisheng Mosque is located on Guangta Road. It is said to have been built during the Zhenguan era (627–649 AD) of the Tang Dynasty by an Arab named Abu Wangsu, making it the earliest mosque constructed after the introduction of Islam to China.

According to the *Sequel to One Hundred Poems on Nanhai*, “The Huaisheng Mosque is dedicated to the founder of Islam, the revered Prophet Muhammad. The name ‘Huaisheng’ means ‘in memory of the revered one.’” The Guangta Road area was the famous “foreign quarter” of Guangzhou during the Tang Dynasty, where thousands of Arab merchants and Muslim followers once lived. The Huaisheng Mosque was built by Arab Muslims to commemorate their religious founder, the “Prophet” Muhammad, hence the name “Huaisheng,” meaning “to remember the sage.”

The Huaisheng Mosque faces south and covers an area of 3,800 square meters. Its main axis consists of three gates, the Moon-Watching Tower, the prayer hall, and the scripture depository. The second gate is inscribed with the Chinese characters for “Huaisheng Mosque,” while the third gate bears a plaque reading “Religion Reveres the Western Regions.” The Moon-Watching Tower was built during the Ming Dynasty and is a pavilion with red walls and green tiles. It was reconstructed in the 24th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1695), featuring a hip-and-gable roof, with both upper and lower sections using interlocking brackets in a simple and elegant style. The walls are built from red sandstone, with arched gateways on all sides. The north and south gateways lead to the courtyard, while the east and west gateways connect to corridors, which are inlaid with inscriptions from various eras of the mosque’s history. The prayer hall was rebuilt in 1935, changing its structure from brick and wood to reinforced concrete. It features a green-glazed tile hip-and-gable roof, and the platform in front of the hall is built from “saline rock,” with only the exquisitely carved and simple railings remaining from the Ming Dynasty.

There is also a minaret within the Huaisheng Mosque. Originally called the “Huaisheng Tower,” the minaret has a typical Arabic architectural style. It was first built in the first year of the Zhenguan era (627 AD). The original top of the tower had a golden rooster that could rotate with the wind. In the 25th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1392), the rooster was blown down by a typhoon, and afterward, the top was replaced successively with a sparrowhawk, a gourd, and a cross. Four large church bells specially imported from France were installed. The interior features pointed ribbed arches. The floral windows on the main entrance and the surrounding walls are all in a clasped-hands design. All doors and windows are inlaid with colorful French glass in deep shades of red, yellow, blue, and green. This type of glass prevents strong sunlight from entering, keeping the interior light soft year-round and creating a serene, solemn, and mystical religious atmosphere.

In November 1996, it was designated as a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit by the State Council.

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Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units