Yongshou Mosque

The Yongshou Mosque, one of the major mosques in Beijing City, is located at Sanlihe Lane in Xicheng District. It was first built in the 33rd Year (1605) during the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and was reconstructed in 1624. In order to memorize this reconstruction, a stele for reconstruction was installed. The epigraph was written by Shi Sanwei, a famous literator as well as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).

The existing buildings include the Mosque Gate, the Wangyue Pavilion, the Sermon Hall, and the Main Hall, etc. The Mosque Gate is made of stones, and the name of the mosque is written on it. On the left side of the mosque there is Guijie (restriction and purification) Room, while on the right side is the two-storeyed Wangyue Pavilion. The western wing room of the Main Hall is connected with a booth, and the prayer niche on the back of the Main Hall is concaved to the west, indicating facing the holy city of Mecca. There are wing rooms both on the north and south sides of the Main Hall, as well as a hexagonal booth at the rear. There was a stone bridge outside the mosque, but now it is gone. Originally there was a graveyard dedicated for Muslims in the mosque and now it still preserves seven steles, some of which are carved with Arabic epigraphs.