What is Muslim Quarter known for?
Xi'an's Muslim Quarter is one of the most atmospheric and delicious neighborhoods in all of China, a warren of narrow lanes northwest of the Drum Tower where the Hui Muslim community has lived and traded for over a thousand years. The Hui people are descendants of Arab, Persian, and Central Asian merchants who settled along the Silk Road during the Tang dynasty, and their culinary traditions fuse Middle Eastern techniques with local Shaanxi ingredients to create a cuisine found nowhere else. Beiyuanmen, the main pedestrian street, erupts each evening into a carnival of sizzling woks, steaming cauldrons, and vendors pulling hand-ripped noodles to theatrical effect. Beyond the food, the quarter contains the Great Mosque of Xi'an, a remarkable blend of Chinese architecture and Islamic worship that has served the community since 742 CE. A guide who speaks both English and Chinese is invaluable for ordering from menu-less stalls, explaining the cultural significance of halal preparation, and finding the best local favorites hidden away from the main tourist drag. The quarter sits just inside the City Wall, and you can easily combine a visit with a trip to the Terracotta Army as part of your Xi'an itinerary.