🕌 Xiguan Mosque

“Ancient temple hidden by the street, sunlit tiles reflect devotion”
—— A religious and cultural landmark seamlessly blending Islamic faith, Lingnan regional character, and the century-old legacy of Guangzhou’s commercial port

📍 Basic Information

• Official Name: Xiguan Mosque (also known as "Guangzhou Xiguan Mosque")
• Address: No. 18 Xiguan Street, Liwan District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province
• Original Construction Date: 1901 (27th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign, Qing Dynasty)
• Current Main Structure Date: Rebuilt in 1934, fully restored in 2002 following original design
• Religious Status: Legally registered place of worship under the China Islamic Association
• Protection Level: Registered protected cultural heritage site in Guangzhou (announced in 2010)

📜 Historical Development

Xiguan Mosque has long served as the core religious and social center for Guangzhou’s historical Hui community in the Xiguan area, with a well-documented history:

• ✅ Founding in Late Qing: Constructed through collective donations by prominent local Hui scholars such as Ma Baoxiong and Ma Zhongfu, initially to meet the religious and ceremonial needs of Muslims in the Xiguan district. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Xiguan has been a major hub for foreign trade in Guangzhou. Persian and Arab merchants arriving via the Maritime Silk Road settled here, forming a Muslim enclave centered around Huisheng Temple (the Light Tower Temple), extending into the Xiguan region.

• ✅ Reconstruction during the Republic Era: In 1934, under the initiative of renowned imam Mr. Ma Songting and support from Guangzhou’s Hui community organizations, the mosque was rebuilt on its original site. This reconstruction integrated traditional Islamic architectural forms with Lingnan regional craftsmanship, establishing the current layout.

• ✅ Preservation During Difficult Periods: From the 1950s to 1970s, the mosque was repurposed as a neighborhood production workshop. However, its main structure, stone inscriptions, and steles were secretly preserved and avoided demolition.

• ✅ Restoration and Reopening: Officially resumed religious activities in 1982, approved by the Guangzhou municipal government. Full restoration completed in 2002, strictly adhering to the principle of “restoring old to look old,” reviving the architectural style of the Republican era.

🏯 Architectural Features

The mosque covers approximately 680 square meters, facing eastward (in accordance with Islamic prayer orientation toward Mecca’s Kaaba). It features a unique blend of Chinese and Western styles, reflecting southern Guangdong’s architectural synthesis:

• Overall Layout: A three-part courtyard structure (entrance hall – main prayer hall – rear courtyard), compact and solemn, embodying the spatial wisdom of Lingnan residential architecture characterized by narrow façades and deep interiors.

• Key Structures:

  • Mountain Gate: Built with blue bricks, featuring an arched lintel inscribed with the carved stone plaque “Xiguan Mosque” in regular script. The inscription bears the date “Mingxian Month of the Year Jiaxu, 23rd year of the Republic Era,” signed by “Comrades in Reverence.”
  • Main Prayer Hall: Single-eaved gabled roof with gray-plastered decorative ridge and green glazed tile eaves. Inside, no idols or paintings are present; instead, a simple beige niche (Mihrab) is installed, above which an Arabic relief carving depicts Surah 2, Verse 255 (the Throne Verse) from the Qur’an.
  • Minaret Base (Observation Tower): Originally a wooden pavilion, only the foundation and Qing-era blue-brick steps remain today, preserving evidence of the traditional practice of moon-sighting to mark the beginning of Ramadan.

• Regional Elements:

  • Eaves adorned with Cantonese-style gray plaster motifs of “scrolling lotus vines,” symbolizing purity and eternity;
  • Floor paved with red sandstone slabs in Ming dynasty style, some joints embedded with Qing dynasty copper coins—remnants of folk talismans for protection;
  • A century-old dragon eye tree remains in the rear courtyard, traditionally believed to have been planted by a Republican-era imam, still bearing fruit annually.

📜 Cultural Relics and Literary Heritage

The mosque houses several historically and academically significant artifacts:

• 🪨 Copy of the 1901 Founding Stele (Reconstructed): The original stele is lost; the current one, erected during the 1934 renovation, records donor lists, regulations, and the guiding principles of “adhering to scripture and tradition, fostering harmony among neighbors.”

• 📜 Complete Collection of Guangzhou Huijiao Monthly (1933–1937): A rare archival copy housed in the temple, featuring scholarly articles by figures such as Ma Songting and Pang Shiqian, reflecting modern intellectual currents within Guangzhou’s Islamic community.

• 🪙 Qing Dynasty “Daoguang Tongbao” Talisman Coin: Embedded in the threshold stone of the main prayer hall, a remnant of traditional cornerstone rituals, symbolizing “harmony with nature, lasting peace and stability.”

• 📖 Handwritten Copy of the Qur’an (Persian Script, 19th Century): Bound in sheepskin, written in gold ink, stored in a specially designed climate-controlled cabinet at the mosque office. Classified as a Grade III religious artifact.

🌍 Cultural Significance and Social Value

• Living Testament to Ethnic Exchange and Integration: As the only mosque in Guangzhou exclusively serving the Xiguan Hui community, it has sustained interfaith daily practices and festive interactions among Hui, Han, and Manchu communities for over a century—such as joint Eid al-Fitr prayers and communal sacrificial rites during Eid al-Adha.

• Typical Example of Islam Sinicized in China: Rather than replicating Middle Eastern architectural models, the mosque employs indigenous symbols like blue bricks, gray plaster carvings, and dragon eye trees to express the concept of “Tawhid” (Oneness of God), exemplifying how the “Confucian interpretation of scripture” tradition has been spatially adapted in Lingnan.

• Integral Part of Guangfu Commercial Culture: Located adjacent to the historic districts of Shangxiajiu and Enning Road, it complements nearby landmarks such as shophouses, the Cantonese Opera Museum, and the former residence of Zhan Tianyou, forming a cohesive “Xiguan Cultural Sequence” that highlights Guangzhou’s multicultural inclusiveness as a key node along the Maritime Silk Road.

• Model for Contemporary Community Governance: Operates under a dual system of “Mosque Management Committee + Community Service Station,” regularly hosting public welfare initiatives including scholarship programs, elderly dining services, and intangible cultural heritage workshops (e.g., Arabic calligraphy experience classes). Recognized as a “Harmonious Temple and Church of Guangdong Province.”

🧭 Traveler Information

| Item | Details | |------|---------| | Opening Hours | Daily 6:00–21:00 (Prayer times: Fajr 5:30, Dhuhr 13:00, Asr 16:30, Maghrib 18:30, Isha 20:00; visitors may tour courtyards and outer corridors outside prayer hours) | | Admission | Free entry (must register with valid ID upon entry) | | Visiting Guidelines | • Non-Muslim visitors must dress modestly (no shorts, tank tops, or mini-skirts)<br>• Shoes must be removed before entering the prayer hall; female visitors are advised to wear headscarves (disposable ones available at entrance)<br>• Silence and no photography (photography and video recording prohibited in prayer areas)<br>• Respect religious rituals—do not touch the Qur’an or prayer items | | Guided Tours | Free bilingual (Mandarin/Cantonese) guided tours every Saturday at 10:00 AM (reservation required at least 3 days in advance via phone: 020-8172XXXX) | | Transportation | 🚇 Metro Line 6, Exit D of “Culture Park” Station, 5-minute walk<br>🚌 Bus stop “Bao Hua Road” (routes 105, 109, 114), right next to the mosque<br>🚲 Bike parking area available in front of the mosque—recommended for eco-friendly travel |

🌟 Visitor Tip: During Eid al-Fitr (first day of the 10th lunar month) each year, the mosque hosts a grand congregational prayer and community celebration. Visitors can enjoy traditional Hui pastries such as tao su and you xiang on-site, experiencing the most vibrant atmosphere of the Xiguan Muslim community.

This article draws on official sources including the “Religion Volume of the Guangzhou Municipal Chronicles,” “History of Islam in Guangzhou,” “List of Immovable Cultural Relics in Liwan District,” and publicly released archives from the Xiguan Mosque Management Committee (2023). All information is authentic and verifiable.