Ganhe Mosque in Zhaotong City

Zhaotong Ganhe Ancient Mosque (昭通甘河清真古寺) is located in Jihe Village (计河村), Shouwang Hui Ethnic Township (守望回族乡), Zhaotong City (昭通市), Yunnan Province (云南省). According to local accounts, the mosque was originally built during the Ming Dynasty. It has undergone multiple destructions and reconstructions over the centuries. The mosque occupies approximately 4 mu (亩) of land, with a total building area of about 2,335 square meters.

• Chinese Name: 昭通甘河清真古寺
• Location: Jihe Village (计河村), Shouwang Hui Ethnic Township (守望回族乡), Zhaotong City (昭通市), Yunnan Province (云南省)
• Postal Code: 657001
• Current Imam: Li Xingqi (李兴启)
• Current Mosque Director: Li Changchun (李长春)

History

According to oral tradition, the mosque was established during the Ming Dynasty. It was destroyed by Qing troops during the Muslim uprising in Southwest China in the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty and was later rebuilt during the Tongzhi period (1862–1874).

Scale and Structure

The entire mosque complex covers an area of approximately 4 mu (亩), with total building space of about 2,335 square meters. Due to its age, many of the structures are now in disrepair and urgently need restoration.

Architectural Features

The main prayer hall is built in a traditional gabled wooden structure and has a floor area of 350 square meters. The bangke tower (邦克楼) is a three-story hexagonal pavilion with a pointed roof and four upward-curving eaves, noted for its elegant appearance. Most of the historical relics inside the mosque have been destroyed, with only one incense burner remaining.

Community and Cooperation

The mosque serves a Hui Muslim community of over 750 households, totaling approximately 3,500 individuals. There are 56 achun (阿旬, religious figures), 20 mosque directors (xuedong, 学董), and 10 manla (满拉, students of Islamic scripture) currently studying at the mosque.