Comments on: Kashgar’s Id Kah Mosque (circa 1936): History in Pictures

By: Sumi

Sumi — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:42:14 +0000

Thanks tez. I’ll have to google Yakob Beg to know more about him. I was trying to figure out which elements appear in every mosque and how much liberty does one have to construct the mosque. (For instance, the whole discussion on minarets and how they are part of a mosque.) The Id Kah mosque looks so similar to certain mosques in Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan etc. It has this Persian touch. I am basically just trying to gather info on technical part of the mosque (construction material, interior/exterior), social organisation (gender-based division etc.) and religious worldview. I’ve written an e-mail to Josh as well.
Thank you guys. Appreciate your help!

By: tez

tez — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:39:37 +0000

Josh, cant seem to find any links to Otani photographs from the above link

I looked here as well:

http://dsr.nii.ac.jp/toyobunko/sitemap/index.html.en#class2

and no luck:

the above link however to the Tokyo Toyobunko Rare book’s page will lead you to some pretty interesting titles, all scanned in and waiting perusal such as Stein’s Ancient Khotan. Im sure if you have the time to go through them all there will be some great old photographs among them.

By: tez

tez — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:02:04 +0000

Its available in Indian Oxford reprints for a decent price.

By: tez

tez — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 07:00:56 +0000

I think on that link I posted re Otani, you may b able to access some of those photographs. I haven’t had a good look yet. Like to see some.

Yes, the left hand minar seems a little obtuse, and may be the reconstructed addition.

By: tez

tez — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:58:33 +0000

Josh, try second hand bookshops in Urumqi, they usually stock older titles or can get them for you. I got mine form one of them some time ago for 42 yuan. Original price was around 5 yuan.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:08:44 +0000

What kind of information are you looking for? I’ve been inside and taken a few pictures, but I’ll be honest with you…the front is the most interesting part by far.

Feel free to contact me if you want to ask more specific questions.

Thanks for the comment!

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:06:55 +0000

I knew Otani sent expeditions out to Xinjiang but I have never seen any Kashgar pictures from him. I’d be interested to find some of those.

I believe you’re right about many of the above pictures not being full frame. If you notice in the last picture the southern minaret is much further from the main entrance than the northern. I find this odd considering much of Islamic architecture is very symmetrical.

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:02:57 +0000

Where’d you get that book? Is it still in print?

By: Josh

Josh — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 03:01:56 +0000

Interesting! I haven’t ever run across this book but I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out. Thanks.

By: tez

tez — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 02:08:49 +0000

Sumi, much of the interior as it now stands was the work of Yakob Beg. The great mosque of Xi’an is an extraordinary structure but one built in a very different style to the Heytgar. They represent two very different types of architecture although as mosques there are similarities. I always get the feeling of the ground plan of a Chinese temple in Xian. Inside the Heytgah,I could be in Bukhara or Samarkand. On the difference: see Jean- Paul Loubes, “The Rectification of Documents of Architecture : The Appaq Khoja Sufi Complex in Kashgar,” Journal of the History of Sufism III ( 2001): 113-132.