Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque

Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque is known for being one of the four great mosques in the coastal area of Southeast China. Phoenix Mosque had its origin under the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907), making it one of the earliest mosques built in China. Phoenix Mosque was destroyed by fire towards the end of the Song (960 to 1279). In 1281 during the rule of Kublai Khan, Phoenix Mosque was reconstructed on its original site under the financial assistance of Ala al-Din for the increasing Muslim population, mainly Persian-speaking Muslims who flocked to Hangzhou (called Quinsai or Khansai during the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty). The existing prayer hall of Phoenix Mosque was built in the year of 1281. Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque was repaired and expanded during the period from 1451 to 1493 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), this restoration contributed the current mihrab of the Phoenix mosque. It is made from gilded red wood and has inscribed verses from the Qur’an. The current complex of the Phoenix Mosque was formed as a result of this Ming Dynasty renovation. In 1646, Phoenix Mosque underwent another renovation and became one of the largest mosques in China during the Qing Dynasty. In 1953, Phoenix Mosque went through a complete maintenance and repair, the current gate with two minaret-like towers was added. In 2009, a replica of Persian-style building was reproduced inside the mosque. The structure of the main building of Phoenix Mosque was heavily influenced by traditional Chinese Architecture while also retaining features of Islamic Architecture.

Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque has a collection of steles from ancient times. They corroborate information about the historical location of the mosque and also describe other nearby centers of worship such as a Uighur mosque and a Nestorian church. They also show that the mosque has had many historical names before its current name. It is also recorded on these steles that the mosque was built in the Tang dynasty but destroyed by fire at the end of the Song.

In addition to the steles, Hangzhou Phoenix Mosque houses twenty-one Yuan dynasty tombstones which were retrieved from a Muslim cemetery near the West Lake. These tombstones are written in stylized Arabic and Persian and detail the deaths of some military and religious figures, as well as merchants. Some of the tombstones include dates given in not only the Islamic calendar, but the Turkish animal calendar and Chinese calendar as well. This shows the multicultural and cosmopolitan characteristic of Mongol rule in Hangzhou.