thesilkroadtoday
Writer: Samo Kulturno
This year marks the 30th anniversary since this Sufi sanctuary was declared a cultural heritage site at the level of Sichuan Province.
When Sufism, or Islamic mysticism, is mentioned, a proper understanding of this inner dimension of Islam usually brings to mind countries of the Middle East, Turkey, Pakistan, and India. However, what is less known is that Sufism also spread to the Far East, eventually reaching China. At first glance, the concepts of Sufism and China may seem incompatible, but a closer study reveals many fascinating connections between them.
Perhaps one of the most significant and intriguing subjects for research is the Sufi shrine located in the Chinese city of Langzhong, in Sichuan Province. This is a temple or mosque known as the Baba Temple or Baba Mosque, also referred to as the Jiuzhao Pavilion Gongbei. It is dedicated to the Sufi teacher Sheikh Abdul Rahim, the 29th descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. As Sufi traditions differ depending on the order (tariqa) to which they belong, this Chinese Islamic sanctuary is associated with the Qadiriyya Sufi order, making it one of the most important pilgrimage sites of this order in China.
The Qadiriyya is one of the oldest and most widespread Sufi orders in Islam, originating in the 12th century around the teachings and spiritual authority of Abdul Qadir al-Gilani in Baghdad. This order emphasizes inner purification, humility, constant remembrance of God (dhikr), and direct spiritual experience through discipline and devotion.
Over the centuries, the Qadiriyya spread from the Middle East to North Africa, Turkey, Central and South Asia, and even to China, where it adapted to local cultural contexts, especially among the Hui Muslim community. Although there are various local traditions within the order, they share the idea that the spiritual path is realized through obedience to the teacher (sheikh) and continuous inner practice of dhikr.
This Sufi shrine, built more than 300 years ago, is today recognized as a protected cultural heritage site of national importance. Its uniqueness lies in the fusion of Islamic and traditional Chinese architecture. The main hall, with its triple-eaved roof and distinctive helmet-like shape, along with rich brick decorations, testifies to this architectural synthesis. At the same time, the space reflects centuries of cultural interaction, where certain practices reveal elements of local Hui Muslim traditions intertwined with Taoist customs, such as the burning of paper and incense at the entrance. Thus, this site represents a blending of cultural, spiritual, and religious traditions present in the region. This form of religious and cultural synthesis can be understood as part of a broader Chinese Islamic context in which local Taoist influences also played a role. Therefore, this space can be seen as an example of Chinese Islamic syncretism, where Islamic spirituality and local cultural practices, including Taoist elements, have intertwined to form a unique religious expression.
Located at the foot of Mount Panlong, surrounded by forests and overlooking the Jialing River, this vast complex—spanning approximately 23,000 square meters—is not only a religious center but also a symbol of the encounter between different spiritual and cultural traditions shaped over centuries on Chinese soil. The site itself feels like a spiritual oasis, a place where believers and travelers can find inner renewal, and where nature seems to pulse in harmony with spirituality.
Interestingly, this temple belongs to the so-called gongbei complex. In Chinese Sufi tradition, especially among the Hui Muslims and the Qadiriyya order, the term gongbei (拱北) refers to a mausoleum complex dedicated to Sufi masters and holy figures. These spaces are not merely tombs in the conventional sense, but places of remembrance, prayer, and communal spiritual gathering. At their center, there is often a cenotaph—a symbolic tomb representing the presence and spiritual legacy of the teacher, even when their physical remains are not necessarily buried there or their exact location is unknown. In this way, the gongbei unites memorial, sacred, and communal functions, becoming a space where historical memory and spiritual practice intertwine in a unique form of Islamic devotion within the Chinese context.
The history of the temple’s construction is also particularly interesting. The Baba Temple (Baba Mosque) in Langzhong, Sichuan, was not built by a single individual, but emerged through the efforts and initiatives of several key figures within early Chinese Qadiriyya Sufism.
According to historical sources, the mosque was founded in the late 17th century by Ma Ziyun and Hilal al-Din, two local Muslim disciples and followers of the Sufi tradition. Together with their spiritual teacher, Khwaja Sayyed ‘Abd Allah (Sheikh Abdullah), who came from the broader Islamic world, they laid the foundation of this sanctuary.
After the death of Sheikh Abdullah in 1689, his followers built a gongbei complex at the site of his grave—a mausoleum and spiritual center that gradually developed into the Baba Temple as it is known today. Later, Qi Jingyi, one of the key organizers of the Chinese Qadiriyya order, played an important role in the development and consolidation of the Qadiriyya tradition in China, contributing to the expansion and institutionalization of this sanctuary.
Thus, it can be said that the Baba Temple is not the work of a single founder, but the result of a collective process of establishing a sanctuary around a Sufi master and his spiritual lineage.
The presence of Muslims in this region is not accidental. In this part of China (Sichuan Province, where Langzhong and the Baba Temple are located), Muslims are a minority but a historically present community, mainly belonging to the Hui people. According to available data, around 112,000 Muslims live in the entire province of Sichuan (based on an early 2000s census), which is a small percentage compared to the province’s population of over 80 million. It is important to note that Muslims in Sichuan are not evenly distributed—they are more concentrated in larger cities and historic trade centers such as Chengdu, Guangyuan, and partly Langzhong, where historical mosques and Sufi shrines exist. This is precisely why sites like the Baba Temple are particularly significant: they do not belong to a large population but represent historical and spiritual centers of a small yet enduring Muslim community in the region.
The Hui are one of the 56 officially recognized ethnic groups in China and represent a predominantly Muslim community of Chinese origin. Unlike some other Muslim groups in China (such as the Uyghurs), the Hui do not have their own distinct language or a central territory—they speak Chinese languages (Mandarin and local dialects) and are culturally similar to the Han Chinese, but differ in religion (Islam) and certain customs. Their origins are mixed: over centuries, they emerged from the blending of local Chinese populations with traders, soldiers, and travelers from the Arab world, Persia, and Central Asia, particularly during the Silk Road period and the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties. Over time, they became fully integrated into Chinese society while preserving their Islamic identity. Hui Muslims have historically played an important role in trade, culture, and religious life in China, and their mosques often combine Islamic function with Chinese architectural forms, as seen in examples such as Sufi shrines in Sichuan
