Huashi Mosque in Beijing
Huashi Mosque is one of the famous mosques in Beijing City. It has a long history, and is located on the southern side of the Huashi Street in Chongwen District. It was first built in the early years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and underwent several repairs and expansions.
English Name: Huashi Mosque in Beijing
Chinese Name: 北京花市清真寺
Recommended Visiting Time: 1 or 2 hours
Location: No. 80, Xihuashi Street, Dongcheng Street, Beijing
Huashi Mosque
Beijing Huashi Mosque used to be one of the four most famous mosques in Beijing City. It is located on the southern side of the Huashi Street in Dongcheng District. It was built during the 12th year (1414) of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and has a history of about 500 years. The existing building now reflects the architectural style of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Why is Huashi Mosque So Special
Huashi Mosque is one of the famous mosques in Beijing City. It has a long history, and is located on the southern side of the Huashi Street in Chongwen District. It was first built in the early years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and underwent several repairs and expansions.
Introduction of Huashi Mosque
Architecture
Huashi Mosque covers a total area of 2,000 square meters and has a constructed area of 1,303 square meters. Originally, the main buildings included the main worship hall, the Stele Pavilion, the Jingu (respecting the ancient celebrities) Hall, Xunyue (looking for the moon) Platform, the Sermon Room, and bedrooms. The Xunyue Platform has been pulled down. The largest building in the mosque is the main worship hall, which faces the east. There are three open halls in front of the main worship hall, and they cover a total area of about 500 square meters. The fourth storey is the vault with hexagonal clerestories. Originally, the lections of the Alcoran were carved on the wall. At present, the mosque is the main congregation place of the Muslims in Beijing.
How to get to Huashi Mosque from Beijing
- Take Bus No. 127, 8, 103, 104, 110, 44, 60, 673 and 623 to get there.
- Take Subway Line 2 or 5 and get off at Chongwenmen Station.
Accommodation around Huashi 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. - New World Beijing Hotel
2.5 km from centre Metro access. Around a 15-minute walk from the Temple of Heaven, New World Beijing Hotel features guestrooms with WiFi.
Useful Travel Tips for Visiting Huashi 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.
