Beiying Mosque in Xundian County, Kunming

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In the 14th year of the Hongwu reign (1381), Hui generals Mu Ying (沐英), Lan Yu (蓝玉), and Fu Youde (傅友德) led military campaigns into Yunnan. Following the conquest, large numbers of Hui people settled in Xundian (寻甸), leading to the establishment of a small-scale mosque in Beiying (北营).

Reconstruction and Expansion

During the Xianfeng and Tongzhi reigns of the Qing Dynasty, the mosque was damaged due to warfare. In 1896 (Guangxu 22nd year), Beiying Grand Mosque (北营清真大寺) was rebuilt on the site of the original mosque inside the North Gate of the county seat.

Modern Development

In 1925 (the 14th year of the Republic of China), scholars such as Jinshi Zhang Lianfang (张连芳) and Ma Chongzhi (马崇志) promoted the establishment of a bilingual Chinese-Arabic university at the mosque, which later became a bilingual Chinese-Arabic elementary school known as Huaisheng Primary School (怀圣小学). This institution cultivated many talents and made significant contributions to society.

Architectural Structure

Main Prayer Hall

The existing main prayer hall (朝真殿) features a single-eaved Xieshan-style roof with a raised beam structure. It consists of five bays, with a total width of 20.4 meters and a depth of 9.6 meters. The front porch is built with a barrel-shaped roof. Both the central and side bays have six-panel partition doors. Hanging in the central bay is a plaque inscribed with the phrase “万有原宗” (“Origin of All That Exists”), dated to the summer of the first year of the Yongzheng reign (1723). The calligraphy is in a vigorous and bold regular script.

Other Structures

The original minaret tower and flanking side rooms have been replaced with modern buildings.

Cultural Significance

Historical Importance

Beiying Mosque reflects the history of early Hui settlement and development in Xundian (寻甸), serving as an important witness to the integration of Hui and local cultures.

Educational Contributions

By establishing a Chinese-Arabic university and later Huaisheng Primary School (怀圣小学), the mosque played a pivotal role in educating generations of students and contributing to the local intellectual and cultural landscape.

Heritage Protection

In November 2010, Beiying Mosque was designated as a county-level protected cultural relic.

Recent Renovation

In October 2019, the mosque underwent renovation funded by its management committee, raising a total of 1.71 million yuan for the restoration project.