Nandouya Mosque in Beijing
Nan Douya Mosque was originally constructed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-19111). This mosque mainly serves the Hui community that lives in the area, but it now receives thousands of foreigners each year.
English Name: Nandouya Mosque in Beijing
Chinese Name: 北京南豆芽清真寺
Other Names: Beijing Douban Hutong Mosque
Recommended Visiting Time: 1 or 2 hours
Location: 15 Nandouya Hutong, Dongcheng, Beijing
Nandouya Mosque
Nandouya Mosque (Chinese: 南豆芽清真寺; pinyin: Nándòuyá Qīngzhēnsì) is a mosque in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. Nan Douya Mosque was originally constructed during the Qing Dynasty (1644-19111). This mosque mainly serves the Hui community that lives in the area, but it now receives thousands of foreigners each year. The Nan Douya Mosque has no entrance fee but it encourages donations from visitors. It is located next to the Chaoyangmen subway station of Subway Line 2.
Why is Nandouya Mosque So Special
Beijing Nandouya Mosque was first built in the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1644) with a main entrance, prayer hall and other facilities. The original entrance of Nandouya Mosque had an Islamic lintel with crescent moon on the top. The traditional Chinese style screen wall of Nandouya Mosque was 395 meters wide, facing the main entrance of the mosque.
Introduction of Nandouya Mosque
In 2003, Nandouya Mosque was relocated to its current place which is about 100 meters southwest of its original site due to the improvement of Beijing’s infrastructure. With a total investment of eight million Chinese Yuan from Beijing city government and local Muslims’ donation, Nandouya Mosque was newly built in traditional Chinese courtyard house style covering a floor space of 1600 square meters. Nandouya Mosque is now the best example of how new mosque are built using modern material and technique while traditional Chinese and Islamic styles are still well maintained.
How to get to Nandouya Mosque from Beijing
- Line 2 subway 25 min
¥2 – ¥4 (Qianmen Station → Chaoyangmen Station → Douban Hutong Walk for 14 min) - Taxi from Beijing to 4 Douban Hutong 5 min
One-Way from: ¥27 – ¥35
Accommodation around Nandouya 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 Nandouya 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.
