Sino-Islamic architecture (ARCH207) Lecture – week 15 Dec 26th 2011 By: Mr.Zulkifli Husin

Republic of China (Taiwan) 1945–present Sui Dynasty 581–618 Tang Dynasty 618–907   ( Second Zhou 690–705 ) Liao Dynasty 907–1125 5 Dynasties & 10 Kingdoms 907–960 Song Dynasty 960–1279 Yuan Dynasty 1271–1368 元 Ming Dynasty 1368–1644 明 Qing Dynasty 1644–1911 清 MODERN Republic of China 1912–1949 Republic of China (Taiwan) 1945–present People's Republic of China 1949–present

Although there are 10 ethnic groups in China who are predominantly Muslims, two groups form the numerical majority. These are the Hui and the Uygar. Hui Muslims are the descendants of Arab, Persian and Turkish Muslims who intermarried with the local Han Chinese people. There are around 10 million Hui Muslims in China. Their culture is the same as that of the majority Han Chinese with the difference that the Hui practice Islam.

The Great Mosque of Xi'an, China The first Chinese mosque was established in the 7th century during the Tang Dynasty in Xi'an. The Great Mosque of Xi'an, whose current buildings date from the Ming Dynasty, does not replicate many of the features often associated with traditional mosques. Instead, it follows traditional Chinese architecture. Some Chinese mosques in parts of western China were more likely to incorporate minarets and domes while eastern Chinese mosques were more likely to look like pagodas.

An important feature in Chinese architecture is its emphasis on symmetry, which giving a sense of grandeur; this applies to everything from palaces to mosques. One notable exception is in the design of gardens, which tends to be as asymmetrical as possible. Like Chinese scroll paintings, the principle underlying the garden's composition is to create enduring flow; to let the patron wander and enjoy the garden without prescription, as in nature herself.

Chinese buildings may be built with either red or grey bricks, but wooden structures are the most common; these are more capable of withstanding earthquakes, but are vulnerable to fire. The roof of a typical Chinese building is curved; there are strict classifications of gable types, comparable with the classical orders of European columns.

Most mosques have certain aspects in common with each other however as with other regions Chinese Islamic architecture reflects the local architecture in its style. China is renowned for its beautiful mosques, which resemble temples. However in western China the mosques resemble those of the Arab World, with tall, slender minarets, curvy arches and dome shaped roofs. In northwest China where the Chinese Hui have built their mosques, there is a combination of eastern and western styles. The mosques have flared Buddhist style roofs set in walled courtyards entered through archways with miniature domes and minarets.

Linxia

Sino-Architecture 2 type of Sino Islamic arch. Brought from Near East From traditional Chinese architecture adapted to Islamic belief and ritual requirement. Islam 1st introduce thru port-cities Guangzhou (canton) and Quanzhou Later thru central Asia.

Sino-Architecture Culture: Abi Waqas (maternal uncle of Rasul s.a.w.) was the 1st Arab reach china 632. He built mesjid at Guangzhou an other Sahabi did at Quanzhou. Residents Muslim adapted to Chinese was while continuing Islamic religious practice. Mosques of Chinese type have indigenously integrated Near Eastern Islamic influences with local architectural traditions.

Sino-Architecture Yuan Dynasty-Islam was among main religion. (1280-1368) Own Jiao-fang (Muslim community with different sects) with own mosque.

Sino-Architecture Evolution of mosque Architecture. ُEmergent period(7-10century) Architectural vacuum (temporary structure) Attempt at integration(11-14 century) Functional requirement Cultural expression Building techniques. Western region + local arch Physical characters Turning of axis with gateways Minarets Recess for mihrab

Niu Jie Mosque 3.Great Mosque of Xi'an Brick, wooden structure & blue glazed tiles 700s AD Hua Jue Lane,Xian –Shaanxi Province 48 meters by 248 meters The Great Mosque of Xi'an is a tranquil and historic mosque that has served Xi'an's Muslim community for more than a millennium. The largest and best preserved of the ancient mosques of China, its buildings are a fascinating fusion of Chinese and Arabian styles. Tradition says the Great Mosque was founded by the naval admiral Cheng Ho. The Great Mosque of Xi'an is laid out like a traditional Chinese temple but the buildings' Islamic function becomes clear on closer inspection, with the usual figurative decoration mostly replaced by Arabic and Chinese calligraphy. The complex is aligned on an east-west axis, facing Mecca. The mosque has five courtyards in all, leading to a prayer hall (off-limits to non-Muslims) at the western end of the site. Each courtyard has a monumental pavilion or gate.

The excursion into Xi’an arrested many minds and hearts The excursion into Xi’an arrested many minds and hearts. It had the aura, history, and people that made it an event to remember. But first something about the city itself. Xi’an was once an ancient capital of the Chinese empire. Xi’an offers a memorable measure imperial city. Surrounding the city are steep mountains and strategic passes, with the Wei River valley nearby with fertile farm lands. Eleven dynasties established their capital here. The city reached its peak of prosperity in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), becoming a center of cultural exchanges, including that with Muslims.

Xian Grand Mosque Courtyard The Great Mosque Complex is a “cup overrun with beauty,” “an oasis of peace,” The Mosque a spiritual project, a system of courtyards and pathways meant to empty one of worldly distractions before finally reaching the Prayer Hall itself. Step one foot beneath the complex’s first arch, you notice an ambience that summons the worshipper to a condition of mind befitting a house of worship. The gardens in the courtyards are laden with pathways, benches, pools of water lilies, and botanical shapes and colors, all accented by the songs of songbirds. Chinese pavilions with ornate beams and ridgepoles mark off the four courtyards of the Mosque grounds. Along the way, written on old stone archways, with Arabic and Chinese verses and sayings, exalting “wisdom” and “knowledge” and “God.” It was all a silent “adhan” calling us to Prayer.

Prayer in the Xian Mosque was an experience unlike a typical mosque elsewhere in the Muslim world. Here, you cannot walk out the door and hail a cab. After the prayer, you again experience the peace of the gardens, as if you’re still in the post-prayer litanies. You cannot hear cars zooming in the distance or their annoying honks. To join the world, you must leave the grounds altogether, walking through the courtyards, pavilions, and green and flowered flora that prepared us for Prayer in the first place. The Mosque was first established 745 CE, during the Tang Dynasty. This was before Muslim Spain and before the Abbasids made their capital in Iraq. It is located in Huajue Lane, which is the hub of the more than 70,000 Muslims of Xi’an. Its narrow corridors outside the Mosque complex are lined with dozens of quaint shops.

The Great Mosque has no domes The Great Mosque has no domes. It is Chinese architecture and gardens informed by the spirituality of Chinese Muslims. The Mosque grounds cover more than 13,000 square meters. Opposite a tall wall that screens the complex from city culture is a wooden archway through which to enter. The archways is decorated with brick carvings and upturned eaves, and layers of glazed roof-tiles. Engraved Chinese calligraphy reads: "The Court of the Heaven." In the center courtyard, the “Introspection Tower" serves as the minaret. It is two stories tall and has three layers of eaves and an octagonal roof. On the south side of the minaret is the Reception Hall, in which a hand-written copy of the Quran is kept. It was scribed during the Ming Dynasty and has been preserved ever since and regarded by the Chinese as a treasured work of art.

Front Rolled-shed Roof Verandah of Huajuexiang Mosque in Xian

In the last courtyard before the Prayer Hall one finds the “One God Pavilion" that has a traditional Chinese archway and a pavilion shaped in a hexagon with upturned eaves. The overall look of the architecture is in the shape of a phoenix with open wings. The other buildings flanking the courtyard hold historical and cultural relics of the Miming and Qing dynasties, and large paintings, one with the Ka’ba. After a short walk, we stood before a wide platform that leads to the Prayer Hall itself. Only worshippers are allowed to go beyond this point. The roof of the magnificent Prayer Hall is covered with the blue glazed tiles. Inside, the magnificence of the sight is a bit overwhelming. Your first impulse is to Pray. After that, your head is looking everywhere: toward the ceilings engraved with letters shaped in the patterns of grass and flowers or toward the walls featuring hundreds of wooden boards engraved with the entire Quran. Some boards are carved with Chinese translations of the Quran’s meanings. The mihrab is also surrounded by engravings. The names of Allah (God) are on plaques along the upper portions of the walls.

Unlike most mosques in Middle Eastern or Arab countries, the Great Mosque of Xi'an is completely Chinese in its construction and architectural style, except for some Arabic lettering and decorations, for the mosque has neither domes nor traditional-style minarets.

A Chinese pavilion instead of a minaret at the Great Mosque of Xi'an, one of China's largest mosques Entrance to the prayer hall

The third courtyard, called Qing Xiu Dian ("Place of Meditation") is home to the tallest tower in the complex, as the Xing Xin Ting ("Pavilion for Introspection") or Sheng Xin Lou ("Tower of the Visiting Heart"). Rising over ten meters tall, the octagonal brick tower consists of three stories separated by eaves and enveloped in wooden balconies. Unlike earlier mosques, this tower combines two functions into one: the moon watching pavilion (or bangke tower) and the minaret. It is designed in traditional Chinese style: The exterior is decorated with blue glazed tiles and dragon heads. Inside, the carved ceiling is brightly painted with lotus flowers. In the fourth courtyard, in front of the prayer hall, is the Feng Hua Ting or Phoenix Pavilion. Dating from the Qing Dynasty, it is named for its resemblance to a phoenix with its outstretched wings. The Chinese-style roofline conceals an Islamic-style wooden cupola that covers the central space. Lecture halls flank the courtyard.

Wood carving in the Great Mosque, Xi'an

The prayer hall, which is the focus of this and all mosque complexes, occupies 1,270 square meters. It is divided into three sections: a porch, great hall, and projecting qibla bay (iwan), each with a separate roof. The prayer hall is beautifully decorated with bas-relief woodwork and Quranic inscriptions. Behind the prayer hall, accessed through two round moon gates, is the fifth courtyard. Here there are two small man-made hills used for the ceremonial viewing of the new moon.

Each courtyard has a monumental: Tower pavilion or gate. Minarets Intext Questions (7.3) Tradition says the Great Mosque was founded by the naval admiral Cheng Ho admiral Cheng Ho Ming Ho Qing Xiu Dian Each courtyard has a monumental: Tower pavilion or gate. Minarets The tower combines two functions into one: the moon watching pavilion and the minaret Minarets and call for prayer Watch tower and minarets