Lingshan Holy Tombs in Fujian

Lin Shan Holy Tombs, 灵山伊斯兰教圣墓 in Chinese, is the first Islmic cemetery in China. Islam, one of the three majorreligions in the world, was introduced to China during the Tang Dynasty firstly to Quanzhou, Fujian. There were quite a number of disciples of Islam in Quanzhou. The earliest and best preserved Islamic relics in China, the holyt ombs of Muslim saints, are kept inMount Lingshan. Historical document srecorded that during the Tang Dynasty around 1,400 years ago, Mohammed sent four disciples to China, two of whom settled in Quanzhou. After they died, the two Muslim Saints were buried in Mount Lingshan, or Spirit Mountain, so named because they supposedly glowed at night. As you can see, the two tombs covered with carved granite slabs are resting side by side in the stone pavilion.Behind the tombs a U-shaped corridor was built with stone columns typical of Tang Dynasty. In the corridor you will find ancient stone tablets. The middle one in Arabic was set up in 1322, and it tells people how the two Muslim saints came to China. The one to the right recorded a visit paid by Zheng He when he stopped by Quanzhou for his 5th voyage to Southeast Asian and Arabic nations. Near the pavilion are some tombs of ancientIslamists, and the tomb covers were carved with islamic patterns or excerpts from the Koran. In front of the tombs stands a huge rock that can be moved by wind, hence the name "Wind Moved Rock". The islamic holy tombs in Mount Lingshan are surely precious cultural relics for studying the history of Quanzhou's maritime transportation and that of the spreading of Islam.