Niujie Prayer Temple is the oldest and largest mosque in Beijing, and one of the most famous mosques in the world. Niujie Chapel was founded in the fourteenth year of the Liao Dynasty, that is, in the second year of the Northern Song Dynasty to the Dao (996), founded by the Arab scholar Nassuluddin, and given the name "Prayer Temple" in the 10th year of the Ming Dynasty (1474).
Niujie Prayer Temple is the first of the four major mosques in Beijing. The mosque is on the east side of Niu Street, the temple gate is replaced by the Wangyue Building, there are three wooden arches in front of the building, and across the street is a 30-meter-long Han white jade base large photo wall (commonly known as the Big Shadow Wall).
Green brick large shadow wall
This narrow and long shadow wall, with gray square bricks throughout, is solemn and simple, solemn and solemn. The shadow wall is 32 meters long, 4.4 meters high and 1.4 meters thick, built in the early Ming Dynasty and has a history of more than 500 years. Standing on the west side of the road, this large shadow wall can block the door of the Cow Street Worship Temple tightly and firmly, and play a barrier role.
The thick shadow wall ends are exquisitely carved with patterns, and the top of the shadow wall, the positive ridge of the glazed tiles and the vertical ridge of the four corners are decorated with different ridge beasts.
The reliefs on the shadow wall are mostly concentrated on the white jade base and four corners, which are exquisitely carved and cleverly designed. The patterns are mainly plant patterns, flowers and grasses, and auspicious clouds, and the meanings are mostly peace and wealth, magpie climbing branches, rejoicing in heaven and earth, and rejoicing in the eyebrows.
The relief carvings on the left are auspicious clouds, green trees, small bridges, and clear streams flowing through the rocks, and the pattern is vivid and lively.
The famous "Four No Maps"
The relief on the right is not only quite well preserved, but also exquisitely carved, simple and concise, with a far-reaching artistic conception. This is the famous "four no-pictures".
Feudal society advocated, so that it could achieve fame. This relief is precisely the harmonic sound of the four objects of bell, meaning, chess and incense, which well expresses this meaning, that is, the meaning of "loyalty and righteousness", which reflects the religious beliefs and holy spiritual pursuits of Muslims.
"Four no-figures":
"Nothing" is "there is a bell and no one rings". Muslims use the height of the sun every day to determine the five hours of morning, dawn, dusk, and supper, bathe and pray, and do not rely on ringing bells to announce the hour, so there is no bell in the mosque, and even if there is, it will not be knocked.
"Two nothings" is "ruyi no one admires". Ruyi is a symbol of auspiciousness and wealth in Han culture, and Muslims believe that the blessings and misfortunes of life are predetermined by the Allah, so there is no need to wear ruyi.
"Three noes" is "there is no chess and no one plays". Allah encouraged the faithful to be self-reliant, to work hard, to pray on time, and to have no leisure time to play against people, so the chessboard was vacant.
"Four nothings" is "there is no incense burning in the furnace". Muslims do not worship idols, do not light incense, and the incense burner in the mosque only needs to insert incense, not burn incense to offer blessings.
This large green brick shadow wall in front of the Niujie Worship Temple, after years of baptism, it is not easy to preserve, it is not only a treasure in the art of relief, but also a sacred object in the hearts of all Muslims, but also a valuable historical and cultural heritage left to us...