Xian Ground Tour Guide Information

Xian, known Chang'an in the ancient being the great ancient capital in China, is one of the place to first introduce Islam into China. During the Tang Dynasty, messengers from the Arab region and Persia coming to Changan to pay tributes to the Tang Dynasty were mostly Muslims. Later they settled down in Chang'an and the Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty had officially allowed the practice of Islam in 651. This had started Muslims' journey in China and was followed by the constructions of mosques. There are about 600,000 Hui Muslims estimated living in Xian today. When you muslim tour to Xian, the mosques in Xian are one of the places you must visit.
Xian has a total of seven mosques, among which the Great Mosque of Xian and Xian Daxuexixiang Mosque are quite famous.
Xian Great Mosque, as the largest and best-preserved mosque in Xian, is one of the principal mosques in China. It is located in the northwest of the famous Drum Tower on Huajue Lane. This mosque occupies an area of 12,000 square meters with an construction area of 6,000 square meters.

Xian Great Mosque has a long history dated back to the year of 742 of Tang Dynasty. After several times of renovations and expansions, Xian Great Mosque has been a large-scaled mosque. The whole complex of the mosque is built into a rectangular shape running the east-west trend. The mosque can be divided into four courtyards with lush trees, geometrically arranged flower nurseries, carved stone and gateways inside.
Stepping into the first courtyard a large ancient wooden gateway is found standing there. With flying eaves, layered vaults, glazed tiles covered in the roof, this gateway is quite a spectacular to enjoy. In the north and south sides of the courtyard, each have three wing-rooms where displaying antique furniture of Ming and Qing Dynasties.
Five buildings after the first courtyard, there locate the second courtyard. In the center of the second courtyard, there stands a stone gateway which has two steles on both sides and script embedded by famous calligraphers from ancient China. In the third yard of the mosque, there are many steles from ancient times standing there. And the famous Shengxin Tower just situates there which is the place where Muslims come to do prayers. After the third courtyard, is the forth courtyard, which contains the Prayer Hall of the mosque. The Prayer Hall is quite splendid with colored designs and decorations. The hall is capable to hold a capacity of 1,000 people at a time for attending prayer services.
Xian Daxuexixiang Mosque located in the west of the Great Mosque in Huajue Lane, Xian Daxuexi Lane Mosque is also called West Great Mosque. It is located on the west of Daxuexi Lane, facing the Great Mosque. In a rather large scale covering an area of 6,000 square meters with a construction area of 2,700 square meters, Xian Daxuexi Lane Mosque is the second largest mosque in Xian after the Xian Great Mosque.

Daxuexi Lane Mosque was constructed in the year of 705 during the Tang Dynasty, being one of the oldest mosques in Xian. The mosque had been continuously renovated between the Yuan and Ming Dynasty.
This mosque is consisted of architectures of Arabic style. Main buildings of Daxuexi Lane Mosque include prayer hall, Xuanli tower, Bangke building, imam office, Shengxin tower, screen wall, courtyards, shower room and other facilities. Pavilions, platforms, halls and towers are appropriately laid out inside the mosque getting a featured and artistic effects.
Opposite the gate of the mosque, there stands a big screen wall which is decorated with paintings and carvings. Shengxin Pavilion is one of the main buildings of the Daxuexi Lane Mosque, which was built during Song Dynasty. It is solemn and quaint, standing out from other buildings in the mosque. Followed by north-south tablets pavilion, and there is a well known "Zheng He Monument" in the south tablets pavilion, surrounded by stone fence.
The the prayer hall of the mosque covers an area of 600 square meters and is capable to accommodate 500 people for prayer service at a time. A quite magnificent plaque is found in the hall. Exquisite carvings of ancient Arabic letters could be found in the prayer hall.
Daxuexi Lane Mosque was enlisted as a cultural site under the protection of the Shaanxi Province in 1956. Now it has been one of the major attractions in Xian. More Xian ground tour here.