Nanguan Mosque (Nanguan Qingzhen Dasi)

Nanguan Mosque, or Nanguan Qingzhen Dasi, is the principal mosque of the Nanguan area in the Xingqing District of Yinchuan, in Ningxia, China, south of Nanmen Square. Ningxia is the home of the Hui people, and the mosque is a central landmark of Hui religious and community life in the city. The building combines Chinese and Islamic architecture, with a large prayer hall, green domes, minarets, arched entrances and decorative calligraphy. Visitors can see the exterior and courtyard from outside, while non-Muslim visitors may enter only when staff permit it, and always outside prayer times. Modest dress is required, with covered shoulders and knees for everyone and headscarves for women when entering restricted areas. The neighbourhood around the mosque has halal restaurants and shops selling lamb dishes, noodles, pastries and prayer items, which makes the district a good place to sample Hui food after a visit. A visit usually takes 30 to 45 minutes. The best vantage points are across the street looking at the main gate and domes, and the courtyard when permitted. Late morning, outside prayer times, is the best period, as mornings are calm and the light is clear. Friday midday is the main congregational prayer and is not a good time for tourists. During the month of Ramadan and on festival days the area becomes very busy with worshippers, and visitors should be especially respectful. Photography of the building from the outside is usually fine, but photographing worshippers without permission is discouraged. The mosque is close to Nanmen Square and Gulou, so it combines easily with a walk through the old city.