Jewish Mosque [Kaifeng]

Jewish Mosque in Kaifeng is the only one whose relics can be traced since Jew settled in China. In the Northern Song Dynasty, there were Jewish merchants living in Dongjing(today's Kaifeng)—the capital. This mosque was built in 1163 of the Southern Song Dynasty and destroyed in the middle of 19th century. Thanks to French priest Meng Zhengqing who once drew two pictures for this mosque-one for the whole scene, one for the inner decoration, the true look of this 700-year-old mosque can be seen. According to the two pictures, this mosque was 130 meters long from west to east and 50 meters long from south to north. Behind the gate was a decorated archway hanging a horizontal tablet "Jing Tian Zhu Guo" (Worship the Heaven and wish the nation) written by Emperor Kangxi. In the main hall named "Yi Ci Le Ye Dian"Hall stood two monuments-"Kang Xi Er Nian Bei"(the second year of Rein of Emperor Kangxi)and "Hong Zhi Monument". Behind the hall was a "paradise" where housed many sutras most of which were robbed by the European and American missionaries.