108 Lamaist Stupas
On the cliff in the west bank of Qingtong Gorge, there are a group of magnificent pagodas ranging orderly along the contour of the mountain. The cluster is in the shape of triangle and composed of 108 pagodas in 12 rows by odd number 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 from above to below. They are solid lama brick pagodas. The tallest one measuring 11.5 feet tall stands on the top and the rest are smaller, all measuring 8.2 feet tall. According to the textual research, the construction began from West Xia Dynasty (1038-1227) and was built as the commemorative pagoda of Buddhism.
Why the number is 108? It is because Buddhism holds that ordinary mortal has 108 annoyances, and Buddhism believers who come to worship the pagodas can drive the 108 troubles away and get good fortune.
Tongxin Great Mosque
Located in the western suburb of Tongxin County, it 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.
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