Bishkek, Jan. 13, 2020 / Kabar/. The Chinese government always attached and attaches great importance to the freedom of religion of the local population. There are Muslim mosques, Christian churches, Buddhist monasteries, Taoist temples and other temples of various faiths preserved in the city of Quanzhou, Fujian province, in the east of China.
Quanzhou is a quiet provincial town called Zaytun (means Olive) in Arabic, is the starting port of Maritime Silk Road. A thousand years ago it was a port of international importance and one of the most multinational cities in the world: temples of various faiths and gravestones in different languages have been preserved here as traces of foreign diasporas.
During the Sond and Yuan Dynasty, numerous Muslims from Arab, Persian and Middle Eastern countries travelled along the Maritime Silk Road to Quanzhou. When their population reached its peak, there were six or seven mosques built for service.
The oldest of its kind in China, the Arab style Qingjing Mosque, also known as the Ashab Mosque was constructed in Quanzhou in 1009.
Generations of Muslims lived around Qingjing Mosque, forming a unique Muslim community.
The mosque shows the history and how and when Muslim arrive in China.
Qingjing Mosque bears witness to prosperous maritime transportation and harmonious multicultural coexistence in ancient Quanzhou and fully reflects close economic and cultural ties between Quanzhou and the Arab region at that time.
Since 1949, the government has strengthened the conservation of Qingjing Mosque by restoring the mosque with materials and processed used in the original ones.
Today, Qingjing Mosque is still a major attraction to domestic and foreign Muslims, continuing the cultural exchanges and friendship between China and the Arabic world.
The older parts are of course most scenic. The whole place no longer has a roof, but the palm trees and reasonable well manicured gardens make for a scenic visit.
Another well-preserved attraction in Quanzhou is Kaiyuan Temple, the Hindu-Buddhist temple constructed in the second year of the Chuigong reign of the Tang Dynasty, with a history of more than 1,300 years. Kaiyuan Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Fujian province with an area of 78,000 square meters and also one of the very few surviving Hindu temple in China. It was originally named Lotus Temple.
Legend says that the rich landlord Huang Shougong once lived here. He had huge planting areas of mulberry trees. But one day he had a dream of a monk begging land from him for building a temple. But Huang Shougong replied that he would not do anything until lotuses bloomed on the mulberry trees. And after a few days, huge lotus flowers appeared on the trees. Astounded by the power of the Buddha, he did not dare to abandon his words and donated the land for the construction of the temple. And now, after 1300 years, Kaiyuan Temple still stands in the shade of mulberry trees.
A great number of cultural relics are preserved in the temple and it preserves more than 3,700 volumes of Buddhist scriptures of various editions.
In 1962, the Fujian government took control of the temple. Since then, a lot of money has been invested in the reconstruction and preservation of the temple.
Numerous historic monuments within the temple bear witness to integration and co-existence of religions, architectures, arts and cultures of the East and the West.
The Chinese Government also attaches great importance to national minorities living on its territory, always ensures observance of cultural traditions of representatives of all nationalities living here, as well as the rights to use the national language.
Officially there are 56 nationalities living in China.
Among them are Kazakh people - about 1.5 million people, who mainly live in Xinjiang-Uigur autonomous region, preserved their culture, language and traditions.
About 2 thousand Kazakh people live in Shuixigou village of Xinjiang, which is 35 kilometers far from Urumqi city. They speak both in Chinese and native Kazakh languages. The ethnic Kazakhs living in China well preserved their traditions and cultures.
Ethnic Kazakh Parimen lives in Shuixigou all her life. She got married there and lives there with her children.
Speaking about the life in China, Parimen said that she is grateful to the Chinese Government, as she always feels the support of the government and the people of the country.
She stressed that thanks to the Communist Party and wise policy of President Xi Jinping, the life of rural people has been improving day by day.
The central and local governments pay much attention to the life of all national minorities and make all the efforts to improve the living standards of all the people living in China.
Speaking at the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Oct. 18, 2017, President Xi Jinping emphasized in his report ensuring and improving living standards through development and that the wellbeing of the people is the fundamental goal of development.
Then he said: "We must work hard to see that our country enjoys enduring peace and stability and our people live and work in contentment."
Nurzhan Kasmalieva
Kabar News Agency
Comments
Post Comment