Liuhang East Mosque

　　The mosque was first built during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1573–1620). Initially, it was small in scale and had a simple structure. Later, as water transport flourished and the Hui population increased along with their economic prosperity, under the leadership of Quanming Yi (commonly believed to be the son of Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty), the imam, funds were raised to expand the mosque in the style of the West Grand Mosque during the Kangxi era. The entire mosque covers an area of 6.2 mu. The main gate is of the Jing Mountain style, with a golden plaque hanging above inscribed with “The Ancient Religion Opened the Heavens.” On both sides are eight-character gate walls, each with a corner gate, and opposite the gate stands a tall screen wall. The mosque is divided into two courtyards. In the front and rear courtyards, there are three lecture halls each, aligned north-south, and the front courtyard also has four additional southern rooms. The second gate is a moon-gate, with two corner gates on either side. The main prayer hall is preceded by a one-meter-high platform, surrounded by three sides with brick-patterned walls as railings, and flanked by three stone steles commemorating the mosque’s construction. The prayer hall consists of three connected sections: the portico, the front hall, and the rear hall, totaling 50 rooms with a floor area of 880 square meters. Each hall is built progressively higher, and the ridges and gable walls are adorned with blue carved floral bricks. Above the door lintel hangs a golden plaque inscribed with “The Religion of the True One Flourishes,” and the pillar couplets read: “We worship the Lord who is formless and traceless, with all things as witnesses; we contemplate creation, soaring high and far, with but one principle in our hearts.” Inside the hall, there are over ten plaques inscribed in both Chinese and Arabic. To the southeast of the prayer hall are four large rooms serving as ablution facilities. The mosque suffered severe damage during the Cultural Revolution, with many steles, plaques, and couplets destroyed or lost. It has now been restored and reopened for use.