Entrance of Xian Muslim Street
Muslim Street, Xian
Tour at Xian Muslim Street
Food Stands in Xian Muslim Street
Souvenir in Muslim Street
Walk westward about 100 meters (109 yards) from the city center (the Bell Tower) of Xian and pass the Drum Tower, you will see the historical street of Xian Muslim residents. There are ten mosques of different size lying in this block, around which tens of thousands of Hui people live, keeping their religious tradition and original habits and customs. The reputed snack street of the ancient city, the existing China's earliest Great Mosque as well as one of the three biggest Old City God's Temple of China, Xian Old City God's Temple are all located in this area. With multiple ethnic groups living here, the Muslim Street has a kind of diversified cultural atmosphere and unique historical background.
In the Han (221 - 206 BC) and Tang (618 - 709 AD) Dynasties, many businessmen, scholars and legates from Xiyu (old name for the areas including western China, the central and western Asia as well as the Indian Peninsula) lived in the area. They and their descendants brought their unique tradition and religious belief here. Thanks to the Silk Road, more and more people came to Chang'an (old name for Xian) from the west, and this area gradually became a community for the muslims and Hui people, hence the name of 'Muslim Quarter'.
Commonly we say the Muslim Quarter, we refer to the street going from the Drum Tower to the Beiyuan Gate. However, we also refer to the lanes that connect to the main street, including the Huajue Lane, Xiyangshi Lane and the Dapiyuan Lane. The main street is about 500 meters (546 yards) long from north to south. It is paved with black stones, with lush trees standing on the both sides. Most buildings along the street are built in the styles of the Ming (1368 - 1644) and Qing (1644 - 1911) Dynasties The restaurants and stores selling wares and crafts are all run by the Hui people. The foods with Islamic savor as well as the profound cultural atmosphere of Muslim Street have attracted countless visitors from home and abroad.
Absolutely, the Muslim Quarter is a landmark attraction of the ancient city. One of its attractive points is the representative and mouthwatering snacks. If you think yourself a gourmet, just grasp this chance to try the delicious foods here. The highly reputed snacks include the Yang Rou Pao Mo (Crumbled Unleavened Bread Soaked in Mutton Stew), the steamed dumpling, boiled dumpling, pickled vegetable fried with rice, roast beef and mutton and all kinds of pastry.
If you come here in the evening or at night, you will find that this street is rather prosperous, bustling with noise and excitement. Many visitors and residents would like to come here at night to eat the roast meat. Thus the whole street looks rather bright in the dark as if it has caught fire. Here we mainly introduce the snacks in the night market of the Dapiyuan Lane (walk to the end of the Main Street and turn left) that you may have a try.
The pickled vegetable stirred with rice, specifically it is rice stirred with sliced beef, green pepper and pickled Chinese cabbage; if you like meat, you can try the Xiao Su Rou (Small Crisp Mutton), that is, sliced mutton wrapped with starch before it is steamed; there are also many small restaurants selling roasted mutton, beef and fish; since there are so many restaurants offering this, you may wonder which one is the most delicious. Here is an easy way for you to judge: just choose the one with the most customers. When enjoying the roasted foods, you are suggested to order a glass of black plum juice which is also a local specialty.
Entrance Fee: Free
Transportation:
A. Take Bus No. 1, 43, 201, 205 or 611 and get off at Guangji Street.
B. Take Bus No. 6, 8, 11, 12, 16, 26, 29, 229, 302, 502, 600, 603, K618, 706, Tourism Bus No. 7 or Airport Shuttle Bus Line 1 and get off at Bell Tower stop and then walk to the street.
C. Take Bus No. 4, 7,15, 32, 45, 201, 206, 215, 218, 221, 222, 251, 300, 604, 612, K630 or Tourist Bus No. 8 (610) and get off at Drum Tower stop, and then walk to the street.
More Top Tourist Attractions in Xian:
