Taipei Cultural Mosque

Taipei Cultural Mosque
	台北文化清真寺
Religion
Affiliation	Sunni Islam
Location
Location	No. 3, Lane 25, Sec. 1, Xinhai Road, Zhongzheng,[1] Taipei, Taiwan
	Taiwan
Geographic coordinates	25°1′9.80″N 121°31′40.62″E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Huang Mo-chun
Type	Mosque
Completed	1950 (original building); 1982 (current building)
Minaret(s)	1

The Taipei Cultural Mosque (Chinese: 台北文化清真寺; pinyin: Táiběi Wénhuà Qīngzhēnsì) is a mosque in Zhongzheng District, Taipei, Taiwan. The mosque is the third one to be built in Taiwan and it is owned by the Chinese Muslim Youth League.[2]

History

First building

Taipei Cultural Mosque was built in 1950 at Roosevelt Road by Xiao Yongtai (蕭永泰) or Akhond Hsiao from Northwest China.[3] The mosque was initially located at Xiao's Japanese-style house. His main thought was to spread Islam through cultural movement, thus he also reestablished the Chinese Muslim Youth League. Due to the road widening scheme on Roosevelt Road, the mosque had to be relocated to its current location near the old location at Xinhai Road (辛亥路). The old mosque building had to be torn down for the road construction work.

Current building

The new building of Taipei Cultural Mosque was designed by architect Huang Mo-chun. Nevertheless, the new mosque went through several renovations, in which it was rebuilt into its current five-story building in 1983. By then, the mosque was inaugurated during a ceremony attended by the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of China, Asaad Abdul Aziz AI-Zuhair. In 1990, Xiao died and his son, Xiao Weijun (蕭偉君) assumed the imam position left by his father. Another renovation was made again in the same year with the help of Indonesia Economic and Trade Office to Taipei, and the latest renovation was made in April 2010.[4]

Activities

Prayer times clocks at the mosque.

Unlike the Taipei Grand Mosque whose daily operation fund is heavily supported by the ROC Government and the Kuomintang, the Taipei Cultural Mosque relies heavily on private donation, this making them a purely "civilian mosque" whose members do not cooperate seriously with the authorities, but concentrate on religious affairs. Consequently, members of Taipei Cultural Mosque accuses supporters of Taipei Grand Mosque of being too political with lack of pure Islamic faith.

When imams from Taipei Cultural Mosque practice religious activities, they often adopt some Han Chinese traditions, such as holding incense, visiting graves, receiving money for reciting Quran etc.

After an administrator eventually died, the Taipei Cultural Mosque went into decline. Now only few Muslims practice prayer in the mosque with some foreign workers and students from South East Asia and South Asia go there for some group activities.

Taipei Cultural Mosque serves as the headquarters of Chinese Muslim Youth League. It also houses the Taiwan Halal Integrity Development Association.

Architecture

Taipei Cultural Mosque prayer hall

The five-story building of Taipei Cultural Mosque is a combination of Islamic traditional culture and modern architecture. Now the building has become the hub for religious and cultural activities for Muslims in Taiwan.

Transportation

Taipei Cultural Mosque is accessible within walking distance South from Taipower Building Station of Taipei Metro.

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References

"National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Luósīfú Road, Daan District, Taipei City, Taiwan". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
"Taipei Cultural Mosque, Taipei, , Taiwan - Islamic Centers, Masjids Mosques, Muslim Owned Businesses, Islamic Schools and CollegesIslamic Centers, Masjids Mosques, Muslim Owned Businesses, Islamic Schools and Colleges". Islamic Finder. 18 February 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
Islamic and Culture Association (15 March 2011). "Islam and Culture Association (ICA) 伊斯蘭文化社: Masjid in Taipei". Ica-chu.blogspot.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.
"Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia - GRAND REOPENING CEREMONY OF TAIPEI CULTURAL MOSQUE (TPCM) ON 24 APRIL 2010 - Year 2010". Kln.gov.my. 24 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2014.

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[1] "National Taiwan University, No. 1, Section 4, Luósīfú Road, Daan District, Taipei City, Taiwan". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 April 2014.

[2] "Taipei Cultural Mosque, Taipei, , Taiwan - Islamic Centers, Masjids Mosques, Muslim Owned Businesses, Islamic Schools and CollegesIslamic Centers, Masjids Mosques, Muslim Owned Businesses, Islamic Schools and Colleges". Islamic Finder. 18 February 2005. Retrieved 21 April 2014.

[3] Islamic and Culture Association (15 March 2011). "Islam and Culture Association (ICA) 伊斯蘭文化社: Masjid in Taipei". Ica-chu.blogspot.com. Retrieved 21 April 2014.

[4] "Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia - GRAND REOPENING CEREMONY OF TAIPEI CULTURAL MOSQUE (TPCM) ON 24 APRIL 2010 - Year 2010". Kln.gov.my. 24 April 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2014.