China Islam & Muslim in Linxia Lingxia (Mecca in China) Gansu

Muslim Tour Index

Linxia,  was once an important stop on the Silk Road between Lanzhou amd Yangguan, located at northwestern China's Gansu Province, about 160Km to Lanzhou, with a large of mosque in the center of town, and also with deepest Muslim Hui character: Islam culture, Muslim folklore, its hold a population of 1.7 million, and almost of half of the total populations are Muslims and about 75% of the citizens practice Islam.
For about 200 years, Linxia or Lingxia has been known as the "Small Mecca of China" due to center of Muslim Education in northwestern China. In this area, the Islam cultural influences can be traced back about 1000 years, many merchants from Arabic countries and Persia traveled to Linxia for business, and some married local people and residence there. And later some captured Muslim soldiers from central and west Asia were brought to Linxia by Yuan Dynasty Troops.
In Linxia, many many Mosques scattered everywhere, on plains, mountains, valley, river bank etc, total ever about 1700 Mosques over 800000 sq Km land. And all Mosques and Muslim building falls into 2 kinds: Arabic style with a dome roof propped up by corridor pillars; and another is typical Chinese style, featureing upturned caves and carved beams with painted rafters.

The famous as Nanguan Mosque, Laohua Mosque, Hanjia Mosque, Qianheyan Mosque with their unique construction and design in northwestern China.
And the famous, unique Muslim qubba (in Chinese as Gongbei) as Yubaba Qubba, located at 10# Beining road, Linxia city.

In Linxia, there is a Museum, famous for it's exhibition of Muslim culture and the Color pottery & porcelain. Binlin Grotto (rock cave) carved in 420, with 3 sites as Up temple, Down temple and Valley, holds 196 caves, 694 Buddha statues, clay 82, wall painting about 900 sq meters. 

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