Jining West Grand Mosque

　　    Introduction

　　　　        The exact year of its establishment is unclear. According to elders at the mosque and relevant records, it was founded during the Ming Dynasty’s Wanli era by Master Chang Zhimei. However, Chang Zhimei was actually born in the 38th year of Wanli (1610), making this account obviously inaccurate. Professor Liu Zhiping, an architectural historian, believes that most of the structures within the mosque exhibit styles typical of the early Qing Dynasty. During the Kangxi reign, Islamic education flourished in Jining, with renowned scholars such as Li Yanling and Chang Zhimei teaching and preaching, giving rise to the “Shandong School.” It is therefore more credible that the West Grand Mosque was established in the early Qing period. The entire mosque complex covers an area of 11 mu, enclosed by 6-meter-high walls. The layout of the buildings is symmetrical and the structure rigorous. The main gate consists of one central and two side entrances, all featuring front eaves and rear corridors, with bright red doors and hanging copper rings. On both sides are eight wing rooms that serve as residences for the imam. At the southern end are five screened rooms storing funeral supplies.
　　        The courtyard has five-bay lecture halls on both the north and south sides. Behind the north lecture hall are 15 northern rooms that accommodate the ahongs (imams) and students (hafiz). Three east-side rooms function as the kitchen. Between the north and south lecture halls stands a two-story hexagonal minaret with a pointed top, featuring 25 uniquely carved windowed doors. A plaque inscribed with “Orthodox of the Islamic World” hangs above the door. The lower level displays a plaque reading “Carrying Forward the Past and Inspiring the Future” along with gilded Arabic couplets. This level also serves as a secondary gate, flanked by a small door on each side. Passing through the minaret, directly to the west lies the magnificent prayer hall—the largest of its kind among all domed-style mosques in China, with a total of 98 bays. Its scale is second only to the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City. The prayer hall is divided into four sections: the front features a three-bay rolled shed; the front hall has five bays and 11 rafters with a single-eave hip-and-gable roof; the middle section has seven bays and 11 rafters with a double-eave hip-and-gable roof; the rear hall is five bays wide with a double-eave hip-and-gable roof and surrounded by corridors on three sides. Its foundation and double eaves are higher than those of the middle hall. All sections are connected via interlocking roofs that step up progressively, creating a clear hierarchy. The interior is supported by 120 carved pillars, richly decorated and resplendent. The hall is surrounded by over one-meter-high protective walls. To the southeast of the hall lie ten bathing rooms, while behind the hall stands a two-story octagonal pavilion serving as the moon-viewing tower. The entire mosque complex combines traditional Chinese architectural features with Arabic decorative elements, resulting in a majestic, elegant, and solemn aesthetic. Numerous plaques and couplets feature both Chinese and Arabic inscriptions.