The Huashi Mosque is one of the
famous mosques in Beijing City. It has a long history, and is located on the
southern side of the Huashi Street in Chongwen District. It was first built in
the early years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and underwent several repairs
and expansions.
Originally, the main buildings included the
main worship hall, the Stele Pavilion, the Jingu (respecting the ancient
celebrities) Hall, Xunyue (looking for the moon) Platform, the Sermon Room, and
bedrooms. The Xunyue Platform has been pulled down. The largest building in the
mosque is the main worship hall, which faces the east. There are three open
halls in front of the main worship hall, and they cover a total area of about
500 square meters. The fourth storey is the vault with hexagonal clerestories.
Originally, the lections of the Alcoran were carved on the wall. At present, the
mosque is the main congregation place of the Muslims in
Beijing.