Introduction: 灵明堂拱北 (Ling Ming Tang Gongbei) is a huge mosque complex in the hills in the south of Lanzhou. According to this article, 拱北 (Gongbei) is a transliteration of the Arabic word Gubba, meaning tomb. The hillsides around Ling Ming Tang are scattered with earth mounds - the grave sites of the Lanzhou (and surrounding areas) Hui community. Construction started in 1985, and now the complex covers 40,000 square metres, across 3 large courtyards, with enormous 30m high gate buildings and a prayer hall for 1000 people. There are lots of hidden-away courtyards and gardens to either side of the main areas.
Location: 五星坪 (Wuxing Ping) in 七里河区 (Qi Li He District). Map.
Getting there: See the map. If you are travelling south from the West Bus Station (西车站) towards the South Bus Station (南车站), you need to take a left immediately after railway level crossing (don't confuse this with the railway underpass on the same road). Then take the second right, up into a maze of narrow streets in this Hui muslim area on the hillside. From here, it's another 3 km, but best to ask for directions. Our taxi driver knew Wuxing Ping, and got us almost there before we needed to ask.
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