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Beijing Olympics
August 18, 2008

A Mosque for the Ages

Watchful eye doesn't affect welcome at Beijing's famous mosque


Posted at 9:02 am by Michael Martina


Michael Martina (click to enlarge)
A Chinese Muslim of the Hui minority group opens a prayer hall for Moroccan visitors at the Niujie Mosque .
Stepping from the shade of a study room, an older Chinese woman in a black head scarf opened wide the doors to the women's prayer hall. Young visitors from Morocco had come to worship at Niujie Mosque. South of the city center, it is the oldest and biggest mosque in Beijing.

Parting the red doors the woman cinched tight the beaded curtains, allowing sunlight to illuminate the traditional Chinese architecture within, multi-colored beams and red columns. Originally built in 996, the mosque has undergone renovations throughout the years. The walls have seen the ebb and flow of dynasties, though they were completely refurbished in 1979.

China is home to more than 20 million practicing muslims, many from Xinjiang Province, the most western region of the country that shares its border with Afghanistan and Pakistan, among other nations. With security a high priority for the Games, some Chinese Muslims have complained that their restaurants and businesses near Olympic venues have been closed down, and that they have been unfairly targeted by the government.

A new addition to the mosque during the Olympics, young Chinese volunteers record visitors' passport information and guide them around the open areas of the ancient site. While high-profile sites like the Niujie Mosque have increased visitor registration procedures, security personnel at other nonreligious historical sites have instituted similar protocol. Visitors are welcomed regardless of the conspicuous security policies set safely beyond the realm of discussion, and the Muslim staff cheerfully greets those who have come to learn about their religion.
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