Our 2008 China Eclipse Trip - Page 27

Great Mosque

120 KM west of Mountain Huashan (among China's five famous mountains) the Great Mosque of Xian (Sian) is located in the "Huajue Xiang" district, inhabited mainly by the Muslim Hui minority. The 60,000 strong Muslim community that lives and works today in Xian traces its history to Arab & Persian merchants who, after traveling the Silk Road, became permanent residents of such cities as Guangzhou, Quanzhou, Hangzhou, Yangzhou, and Chang'an (Today's Xian - was the imperial capital of China for 11 dynasties).