CHENG HOO MOSQUE

Cheng Hoo Mosque:
Islam, Java and Chinese Architecture

The Architecture of Muhammad Cheng Hoo Mosque, which located in Gading Street Surabaya, is enough artistic. It is built by allying Islam culture, Java, and Chinese that predominated by green color, turned yellow, and squeezed. The form of the building is typical of Chinese with 'Joglo' Java. This is show tightly between Chinese cultures and Java, which have intertwined since former. Cheng Hoo is also inspiration name of 'Admiral Cheng Hoo', which become a Moslem when admission to Majapahit empire. The Chinese Moslem community had built this mosque wish to remind again that Chinese also propagates Islam taught.

Cheng Hoo Mosque inspired from Niu Jei Mosque in Beijing, China, being built in 996 A.D. But, the development of new Cheng Hoo mosque executed by 10 March 2002 and opened in 13 Octobers year past. As a whole, the mosque is capable to accommodate 200 pilgrims, fairish 21 x 11 meters with main building 11 x 9 meters

This mosque building has eight sides on the top building. The third measure or number is having separate meaning. Numeral 11 symbolizing new Ka'bah measure that just built. Numeral nine is depicting 'Wali Songo' as Islam spreader in Java Island. While figure of eight symbolize pat kwa that mean luck or glorious.

The historian Sie Hok Tjwan have ever written, before arrival the colonialist from Europe, the relation of Chinese with resident in Indonesia region don't show race problem. Islamic Religion in Java and in Palembang, South Sumatra, finite Sambas in West Kalimantan come it from China. The concept is Islam-Hanafi. The Mosques in upstate Java Island are clearly showing China architecture.

Sie Hok Tjwan tell, in 1451 Bong Swee Ho is coming Champa built the Islamic center in Ngampel, East Java, for local resident. Bong Swee Ho is hereinafter known as 'Sunan Ngampel'. Bong Swee Ho's son named Bong Ang is one of 'Wali Songo' titled 'Sunan Bonang'. The Empire enforcer of Islam Demak, Raden Patah (Jin Bun), also a Chinese or Chinese - Indonesian (TNA/Mohammad Khodim and Winanto)
This religious service place is expected can become unifier media for 'mualaf' from Chinese ethnical. Because, many 'mualaf' from Chinese, who still hesitating to implement religious service together.

This mosque is built to memorized China Soldier to believe in Islam who first entrance to Indonesia, namely 'Laksamana Cheng Hoo'. 'Cheng Hoo arrival is the evidence that Islam is not new thing for Chinese public. Even, before Java admission Islam, this religion particularly come step to China.