China: Quanzhou – Qingjing Mosque

In the city of temples, Qingjing Mosque stand out. It was built in 1009 and is one of the oldest surviving Islamic places of worship in China and is a legacy to the community of Arab and Persian merchants who lived, traded, and settled in the city. The massive arched entrance gate and the open-air prayer hall mimic the classic Umayyad-style mosque architecture of Damascus, making it completely distinct from traditional Chinese wooden temples. The interior walls still preserve ancient stone tablets and carved Quranic inscriptions in Arabic script dating back centuries. Sadly, parts of the original domed roof collapsed during a historic earthquake.