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Dongguan Mosque
Dongguan Mosque was built in around 1380 AD during the Ming Dynasty of Hongwu, the largest in Qinghai Province, has a long history and is known as one of the four major mosques of the Northwest China, together with the famous Hajue Mosque in Xi'an, Qiaomensi Temple in Lanzhou, and the Kashgar Ettikal Mosque in Xinjiang. Northwest four major mosques. According to the existing temple in the "reconstruction of Xining Dasi monument" (May 1914) and "reconstruction of Xining Dongguan Dasi monument" (August 1948) two inscriptions, it can be seen that the temple has a history of more than 600 years. It is a tower, wall, the temple as one of the Islamic architecture, in the middle of the worship hall for the temple's largest building, covering an area of 1102 square meters. The whole building style chic, clear structure, every week, three religious holidays, tens of thousands of Muslims gathered here to hold a grand gathering ritual activities. Dongguan Mosque is the highest school of Islamic scripture research, enjoying a good reputation at home and abroad.
Dongguan Mosque is one of the largest and most well-preserved ancient buildings in Xining City. It is currently the largest Islamic temple in Qinghai Province and one of the four major mosques in the northwest. "The temple is located on Dongguan Street in Xining City". During the Hongwu period, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Ming Emperor, assigned Muying, a Hui general who had been credited with paving the way for his founding of the country, as the Marquis of Xiping, to guard the present-day Gansu and Qinghai regions. At that time, the Ming dynasty through the military, immigration and a series of real border measures, living in Xining, the Muslim population is increasing. In order to adapt to the needs of the religious life of Muslims, Mu Ying responded to the request of the Hui hierarchy and religious figures, and asked the court for permission to start construction of a mosque in the area of Dongguan, where the Hui live. Soon, an area of 28,000 square meters, more than 2,000 square meters of the temple, two towers, a monument Pavilion courtyard and some auxiliary buildings of the mosque, in today's Xining Dongguan Street rises.
To the Qing Xianfeng, Tongzhi years, Xining and other places of the Hui have joined the ranks of the national anti-Qing uprising, Xining has become the main base of this area of the Hui Salar uprising. Tongzhi twelve years, Zuo Zongtang rate of the army suppression, Dongguan large temple and the collection of stone tablets, imperial edicts and other cultural relics were destroyed. Guangxu twenty-one years (A.D. 1895), Huangshui region and shocked the Qing dynasty's "Huangshui incident", Xining Dongguan mosque's fate, as the "monument" said: "repeatedly after the conflagration, the place was abolished", "and then repeatedly proposed to restore, but died. Later on, repeated discussions on the restoration, but not to the foundation and stop.
After the 1911 Revolution, Ma Qi of Hezhou, Gansu (now Linxia), served as Ninghai Township Guardian of Ganbian. Soon after his arrival in the Republic of China in May 2, personally "donate money for the initiative", to raise ten thousand taels of silver, re-constructed in the ruins of the destruction of the mosque on the construction. A year later, a large-scale temple was built, counting: 5 halls, 3-story minaret, 5 East Hall, 9 North Hall, 3 South Hall bathroom, 3 temple door, and kitchen, dining room.
Xining Dongguan Mosque covers a total area of 13602 square meters, the building is majestic, with China's ancient architectural art and Islamic characteristics. The original main gate of the temple, that is, "the first three doors", south to north, is a large two small green Western-style door, ten meters high, fifteen meters wide, the top of the door on the banner plaque inlaid with golden "Xining Dongguan Mosque" eight words (the first three doors are now in the mosque) (The first three doors are now in the mosque before the street building).
The temple has a history of more than 500 years. In the middle of the temple is a large hall that can accommodate 3,000 people for worship, with an area of about 1,102 square meters. The main hall is decorated with a golden Tibetan distilled gold vase. It is said that this vase was donated by the monks of Labrang Monastery in Gansu after the completion of the main hall, which is the only mosque in China. Several huge pillars in the hall were selected and presented by Mutual Aid Yuning Temple from the pine forest of the temple. This hall for the ancient Chinese palace-style architecture, pure system of brick and wood structure. Building solid, rigorous structure, the appearance of the grand and spectacular, the internal quiet and elegant. The north and south sides of the hall are two two-story compartment building, for the hermitage-style building. The main hall and compartment building adjacent to each other, all in one, very coordinated. These three buildings are the main body of the temple, but also the essence of the temple. The whole building eaves arch, carved beams and painted buildings, depicting gold coloring, looks gorgeous and magnificent, spectacular. In front of the main hall and between the compartments is a square covering an area of about 28,000 square meters. The field is paved with green slate, although the size of the slate, different shapes, but the skillful rows of dense cloth, flat as a mirror, do not reveal the soil. Therefore, there is no dust on sunny days and no mud on rainy days.
Outside the square, is a granite boulder masonry of the former three doors, three doors about five feet high, about seven feet wide, appearing simple and solemn, majestic Chonghong. Three doors on both sides of the towering two tall sound scripture building, also known as the hustle and bustle of the tower. Tower top decorated with two very exquisite small scripture tube, is said to be Huangshuzhong Tal Temple gift of treasures. Out of the first three doors, is a small triangular courtyard. Out of the courtyard is the western-style door on the street, the top of the door above, embedded with "Dongguan Mosque" six big gold flashing words, with the yellow door into one color, pleasing to the eye, extraordinarily elegant.
In 1997, the Xining Municipal Government decided to renovate it, and on May 14, 1998, held the opening ceremony of the reconstruction project. In front of the heavy door to amend the door of a three-story main building, and the original five doors, the main hall at the same axis, the main door of the main building under the five round arches, the top of the building on both sides of a 45-meter-high domed Xuanli tower, the bottom of the building underground parking; main building on the street side of the six-storey building for trade and commerce; south side of the building of a five-storey building as the Temple Management Committee offices, meeting rooms, dormitories, classrooms, restaurants and so on. All projects using reinforced concrete building structure, construction area of 12,370 square meters; total project cost 13 million yuan. November 12, 1999, the renovation project is fully completed, the mosque with a new attitude standing in front of the world, become one of the famous tourist attractions in Qinghai Province.
The temple since its inception, has been the majority of Muslims in the Xining area worship and assembly of important places. Whenever the Lord's Day and Elder's Day, nearby Islamic believers, have come here to worship, less than a thousand people, more than tens of thousands of people. After liberation, the people's government has repeatedly allocated special funds for repair, so that the temple continues to radiate a beautiful color. Now, the temple for the four sides of the important place for people to visit. Every year, a large number of Chinese and foreign tourists to this sightseeing.
Dongguan Mosque, not only is the majority of Muslim masses of religious activities, but also the highest school of Islamic scripture research. Since the Republic of China, the founder of the Ikhwani sect of Islam and its successors, the temple as the Haiyi Temple (i.e., the center of the temple). A large number of Islamic scholars have been trained and produced. Gan Qing nearly a thousand mosques opening imams, selected or recognized by the temple, and thus enjoy a reputation at home and abroad.