Qingjing Mosque
清净寺
Built in 1009 by Arab merchants in the Northern Song dynasty, this is China's oldest surviving mosque, with a stone pointed-arch gateway and the ruins of the Fengtian Hall. It is a World Heritage site.
Qingjing Mosque is on Tumen Street in Licheng District. It was built in the second year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Northern Song (1009) by Arab Muslims who traded in Quanzhou, and it was rebuilt in the Yuan dynasty. It is China's oldest surviving mosque and the only one that retains medieval Arab architectural style. It was inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2021. Highlights: the gateway tower, about 20 m high and built of diorite and granite, with a three-tiered pointed-arch dome typical of West Asian style; the Fengtian Hall (prayer hall), now roofless, with only stone walls and a mihrab facing Mecca, the walls inlaid with Arabic inscriptions from the Quran; a stone stele bearing the imperial edict of Ming Emperor Chengzu protecting Islam; and a new prayer hall built in the 1990s with funding from Oman, which local Muslims still use. Admission is about 3 yuan, and a visit takes 30–45 minutes. Nearby on Tumen Street are the Guanyue Temple and Fuwen Temple (the Prefectural Confucian Temple). The three faiths' sites are within about 100 m of each other, making this stretch the densest concentration of “religious museums” in the city. Getting there: it's in the old city and about 15 minutes' walk from West Street. Tips: remove your shoes and dress modestly in prayer areas, and women should avoid short skirts and shorts. Visits are suspended during prayer times.
Opening hours
08:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Tonghuai Guanyue Temple
- Quanzhou Confucian Temple
- Zhongshan Road & Bell Tower
- Chengtian Temple
- Quanzhou Tianhou Temple
- Deji Gate Ruins
- West Street (Xijie)
- Kaiyuan Temple & Twin Pagodas