Dongguan Grand Mosque (东关清真大寺)

The Dongguan Grand Mosque (东关清真大寺, Dōngguān Qīngzhēn Dàyì) stands in the middle of Xining's old Hui Muslim quarter, the district that grew up around it over six centuries. It is free, open to non-Muslim visitors, and one of the easiest genuine religious interiors in China to walk into.

What to See

The Courtyard - A wide paved yard enclosed by prayer halls on three sides. In the afternoon it fills with Hui men, many wearing the small white skullcap (taqiyah) that marks a Hui Muslim.

The Awakening Tower (唤醒阁) - The mosque's minaret, a two-storey octagonal pavilion in Chinese style rather than the ones you would expect further west. It is the first building you see, and the one to use to orient yourself.

The Mixed Architecture - Chinese tiled roofs and painted beams wrapped around an Arabic prayer hall and courtyard layout. Much of what stands today dates from a 1979 restoration and a 2013 renovation - a maintained working mosque, not a museum piece.

The Food Next Door - Dongguan Night Market (东关夜市) is immediately outside the gate, where Hui traders have eaten and sold for centuries.

Free, 45-60 minutes, more if you stay for the market.

Practical Tips

• Dress is enforced and it is not negotiable. Shoulders and knees covered, no shorts, no tank tops. Women should carry a scarf for their head; without one you will be asked to cover up at the gate. Flat shoes - you will take yours off.
• Timing: access is easiest mid-morning and mid-afternoon. The courtyard closes for prayers around midday, and Friday prayers are not something to walk into.
• Men and women: the main prayer hall is for men, and women are usually accommodated in a side hall. Follow whoever shows you where to stand.
• No entry fee, no pressure. Nobody sells you anything inside the mosque. The hard selling is all in the market, which is a different place.
• Pair it with the museum in the morning, the night market in the evening - both a short walk away.