Oldest Quran Manuscript in China at Jiezi Mosque

TEHRAN (IQNA) – There is a mosque in northwest China that holds the oldest Quran manuscript in the East Asian country.

The manuscript copy is at the Jiezi Mosque, the second largest mosque in Qinghai, is located in sanlanbahai village, Jiezi Township, Xunhua Salar Autonomous County.

According to Youm7.com website, the copy has 867 pages and includes all the 30 Juzes (parts) of the Holy Book.

Experts believe that it dates back to the 8^th to 13^th centuries AD. They say Turkish tribes known as Salar people brought it with them from Central Asia some 800 years ago.

In 2007, the Chinese government allocated a budget for the restoration of the manuscript. The book had to be carefully repaired as years of wear and tear had taken their toll.

In 2009, the government included it in the list of precious national heritage items.

In the same year, a museum was established at the Jiezi Mosque where the manuscript is kept in a special glass case to protect it by maintaining an ideal temperature and humidity.

In the museum there are also several printed copies of the Quran that showcase the Chinese calligraphy features.

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