Niujie (Ox Street) Mosque

Niujie (Ox Street) Mosque Review

Recent urban renewal has wiped out much of Beijing's old Muslim Quarter, one of the oldest areas in the city dating back to the 900s. The main survivor is the Niujie (Ox Street) Mosque, which was built in 996; it is often crowded with members of Beijing's Muslim community. Like other mosques in China, the Niujie Mosque looks like a traditional Buddhist temple with the addition of inscriptions in Arabic. The Tower for Observing the Moon and the main hall have restricted entry, and women can only visit certain areas. A few Muslim shops—mainly halal restaurants and butchers—remain in the neighborhood, which is now dominated by high-rise apartment buildings.