Jinan Great Southern Mosque
The Jinan Great Southern Mosque is a mosque located in Lixia District in the city of Jinan, in the Shandong province of China. It was established in 1295 CE, during the Yuan dynasty. Most of the present structures were erected between 1436 and 1492, during the Ming dynasty. The mosque form is laid out similar to a Chinese temple into which the elements needed for its function as a mosque have been integrated. The mosque is located to the west of the historical city center and the Baotu Spring Park. Its location is at the southern entrance to Jinan's Muslim quarter.
History
According to legend, the Great Southern Mosque was founded during the Tang dynasty, but there are no known records to confirm this. The written record dates the establishment of the mosque at its present site to 1295 CE, during the first year of the reign of Temür Khan.Construction of the present day structures started in the 1420s and 1430s. Significant expansions were completed in 1492 CE, the fifth year in the reign of the Hongzhi Emperor. Other recorded renovations followed during the reigns of the Jiajing and Wanli Emperors of the Ming dynasty, the Jiaqing, Daoguang, and Tongzhi Emperors of the Qing dynasty, as well as during the early Republican era.
The mosque was damaged severely during the Cultural Revolution with many of the historical artifacts it housed being destroyed and the building converted into a factory. Since 1992, it has been protected as a provincial-level key cultural heritage site.
Architecture
The basic layout of the mosque follows the courtyard style of a traditional Chinese temple with major buildings arranged along a main axis of symmetry. However, whereas in a Chinese temple, this main axis is typically oriented in the north-south direction, the main axis of the Great Southern Mosque is oriented in the east-west direction so that upon entering the main prayer hall one faces west.In keeping with Chinese tradition, the main entrance of the mosque is protected by a spirit wall. In total, the mosque site covers of which are covered by buildings.