Bafang Thirteen Lanes
八坊十三巷
A historic neighborhood in Linxia, home to a large Hui Muslim community, with rows of brick-carved gateways and courtyard houses. It's the heart of the area for tasting Hezhou cuisine.
Bafang Thirteen Lanes is in the southwest of Linxia's old city. The name comes from the Muslim merchants who began settling here in the Tang dynasty, clustering around eight mosques. “Thirteen Lanes” refers to the district's main alleys. After renovation, the blue-brick lanes are lined with exquisite Linxia brick-carved gateways, woodcarvings and Hui courtyard houses. The district also has a Brick Carving Museum, a folk culture museum and intangible cultural heritage workshops, along with local snacks such as hand-grabbed mutton, Dongxiang potato slices and tianpeizi (a sweet fermented grain dessert). Admission to the district is free. It's best to visit before evening and allow 2 to 3 hours for a leisurely stroll. Dress modestly when visiting mosques and respect religious customs.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Donggongguan Mansion
- Butterfly Tower (Hudie Lou)
- Linxia Prefecture Museum
- Hongyuan Garden
- Wanshou Guan Taoist Temple
- Hezheng Paleozoological Museum
- Bingling Temple Grottoes
- Liujiaxia Reservoir & Yellow River Three Gorges