Our 2008 China Eclipse Trip - Page 26

The Great Mosque of Xian

The Great Mosque of Xian serves over 60,000 Chinese Muslims in the Xian area. Founded in 742 during the Tang dynasty, the mosque was the religious center for Arab merchants operating in China. Unlike the mosques common to Arab countries, the Great Mosque of Xian has neither domes nor minarets. The style is almost wholly Chinese, except for the Arabic lettering and decorations that list the 99 names of God and verses from the Koran. Inside the Great Mosque are such treasures as hand-copied Korans from the Ming dynasty and a calendar stone called "the Moon Tablet". Although there is no minaret, the "Introspection Tower", a two story pagoda, serves the same function.