Located in the western suburb of Tongxin County, Tongxin Great Mosque is the largest and oldest extant Islamic mosque in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Originally built in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644) and repaired three separate times in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911), the Great Mosque is an imposing structure mingling traditional Chinese wooden architectural style with Arabian wood and brick carving art.
Covering an area of 3,432 square yards, the mosque stands on a platform about 23 feet high. In front of the main gate measuring ten yards wide and twenty feet high is featured an exquisite tile carving "Yue Cang Songbai" (Pine and Cypress Hidden in the Moon).
The mosque complex is divided into inner and outer courtyards. During key Islamic festivals, Muslims will gather here for religious activities. The main building is the prayer hall which faces east and can hold about 800 worshippers. Inside, there are more than twenty columns supporting the roof. The walls are decorated with calligraphic works extracted from the Koran. The hall’s exterior is marked by elegant convex eaves and tiers of elaborate brackets and crossbeams giving the structure a solemn and ethereal character.
Tongxin Great Mosque symbolizes peace and harmony. Its unique design blends Arabian and Chinese culture and exemplifies mutual friendship.