Xidasi Mosque

　　Introduction          The Xidaotang is an Islamic sect that emerged in Lintan County during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican period, founded by Ma Qixi.

　　      He devoted himself to developing all aspects of the Xidaotang, promoting agriculture, animal husbandry, and commerce alike, focusing on economic growth and educational advancement, which led to rapid development of the sect. The property and income of its followers belonged to the Xidaotang, which managed and distributed them centrally, while also supporting followers in trade and production, and aiding the poor among them. This made the Xidaotang a large family-like community for its adherents.

　　      Xidasi Mosque was first built in 1904 but was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times. The third reconstruction was completed in 1947. The main prayer hall was modeled after the Qiaomen Mosque in Lanzhou, featuring a double-eaved hipped roof covered in green glazed tiles, adorned with three finials. The front of the hall is surrounded by stone railings. The interior and exterior of the hall were left undecorated with colors, using the natural wood finish for a simple and solemn appearance. There are seven rooms on each side—front, back, and left—each with corridors, along with several auxiliary rooms, giving the courtyard a dignified and orderly feel with a grand and generous layout. At that time, prominent political and military figures such as Chiang Kai-shek, Chen Lifu, He Yingqin, Bai Chongxi, and Yu Youren inscribed plaques and calligraphy for it.

　　      This magnificent and renowned mosque in Northwest China was large in scale and exquisitely constructed. In 1965, it was designated as a Class I cultural relic protection unit by the National Cultural Relics Bureau, but was destroyed in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution.

　　      The fourth reconstruction of Xidasi Mosque retained the scale and design of the third version, covering an area of 4,662 square meters, with the main prayer hall alone spanning 1,360 square meters. The architecture revived the simple and solemn style, which remains rare even within the province. Nearby the Xidasi Mosque lies the Xidaotang Gongbei, the mausoleum of the sect’s first four leaders. It is also a grand structure with uniquely beautiful architectural design.

　　 Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province