Dongsi Mosque in Beijing
The mosque consists of two gates, a minaret, a prayer hall and a library. The prayer hall has Koran carved on the arches of the hall and can accommodate up to 500 worshipers.
English Name: Dongsi Mosque in Beijing
Chinese Name: 北京东四清真寺
Recommended Visiting Time: 1 or 2 hours
Location: Dongsi Subdistrict, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Dongsi Mosque
Dongsi Mosque (Chinese: 东四清真寺; pinyin: Dōngsì Qīngzhēnsì) is a mosque in Dongsi Subdistrict, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. It is located at No.13, the Dongsi South Street, Dongcheng District. There are different sayings about the construction time of Beijing Dongsi Mosque. Some people say that Beijing Dongsi Mosque was built in 1356 during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), but some other people think it was constructed in the 12th year (1447) during the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) by a military officer named Chen You.
Why is Dongsi Mosque So Special
Beijing Dongsi Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Beijing. Also Beijing Dongsi Mosque is the headquarters of the Islamic Association of Beijing.
Introduction of Dongsi Mosque
Architecture
The entrance of Beijing Dongsi Mosque faces the east. The existing buildings include two gates, a minaret, a prayer hall and so on. The first gate was rebuilt in 1920. Originally, there was a minaret inside the second gate. The prayer hall can accommodate 500 people and Quran is carved on the hall’s arches. There are five wing halls and three wing rooms respectively on the southern and northern parts of the courtyard with ambulatories in front of all of them. These buildings feature the Ming Dynasty architectural style. Many precious cultural relics are preserved in Beijing Dongsi Mosque. In the library located at the southern wing hall, you can find various versions of Quran. The most precious one is a hand-written copy from the Yuan Dynasty.
How to get to Dongsi Mosque from Beijing
The mosque is accessible within walking distance south of Dongsi Station of Beijing Subway.
- Line 1 subway, line 5 subway 15 min includes 2 min transfer
¥3 – ¥4 (Tian’anmen East Station → Dongdan Station → Dongsi Station) - Taxi from Beijing to Dongsi Mosque
One-Way from: ¥25 – ¥31
Accommodation around Dongsi Mosque
- Beijing Dongcheng District·Guijie
Situated within 2.1 km of Yonghegong Temple and 2.7 km of Nan Luo Gu Xiang, Beijing Dongcheng District·Guijie features rooms with air conditioning and a private bathroom in Beijing. - Beijing Prime Hotel Wangfujing
Located on Wangfujing Street, Prime Hotel offers 5 dining options, an indoor pool and free parking. Rooms feature free WiFi and city views.
Useful Travel Tips for Visiting Dongsi Mosque
- Clothing
Clothing should be modest, covering your arms and legs with no messages or slogans displayed. Shoes, hats and sunglasses should be removed before entering, with some mosques offering disposable covers for your feet. - Timing
Tourists should generally avoid visiting the mosque during prayer time, which happens five times a day according to the position of the sun. Fridays usually have group prayer from morning to late afternoon, so try to plan your visit after sundown. - Entering
Visitors should enter the building with their right foot first and exit with their left. “Assalam Allaikum” is the typical greeting, translating to “peace be upon you.” Visitors can reply with “Wa alaikum-as-salam,” meaning “peace be upon you too.” - Seeing
Photography is allowed but you should refrain from taking pictures of worshippers or during prayer time. Keep the flash off and avoid walking in front of people in prayer. - Holidays
Mosques during Muslim holidays like Ramadan are generally still open to the public, though visitors should pay extra attention to religious etiquette during these holy days.
