The Songjiang Mosque (), formerly called the Real Religion Mosque, is a

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

in Songjiang District,

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

. It is the oldest mosque in Shanghai.

History

The mosque was originally constructed during the

Toghon Temür Toghon Temür (; Mongolian script: ; ; 25 May 1320 – 23 May 1370), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Huizong of Yuan (; ), bestowed by the Northern Yuan, Northern Yuan dynasty, and by his posthumous name as t ...

reign of the

Yuan dynasty The Yuan dynasty ( ; zh, c=元朝, p=Yuáncháo), officially the Great Yuan (; Mongolian language, Mongolian: , , literally 'Great Yuan State'), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after Div ...

. It was rebuilt in 1391 and expanded three times during the

Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...

. The mosque then went through four renovations during the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

. On 26 August 1908, the Shanghai municipal government listed the mosque as a cultural heritage. The mosque underwent renovation again in 1985.

Architecture

The mosque covers an area of 4,900 m². It was constructed in traditional Hui Muslim Chinese palace architecture with Arabic calligraphy. The mosque consists of the mail hall, prayer niche, corridor, two sermon halls and a bathroom. In the east of the mosque lies the Bunker Gate Tower for Muslims to do prayer. The prayer hall is located in the opposite of the tower in the west of the mosque. It is divided into the front and the back hall, with characteristics of Ming and Yuan architecture respectively.

Transportation

The mosque is accessible within walking distance north of Zuibaichi Park station of

Shanghai Metro The Shanghai Metro (; Shanghainese: ''Zaon6he5 Di6thiq7'') is a rapid transit system in Shanghai, operating urban and suburban transit services to 14 of its 16 List of township-level divisions of Shanghai, municipal districts and to the neighb ...

References

{{Mosques in China Ming dynasty architecture Mosques in Shanghai Buildings and structures completed in 1391 Mosques completed in the 1390s Mosques in China

History

Architecture

Transportation

See also

References