The Muslims have been dwelling in Xi’an for more than a thousand years with a history tracing back to the Tang Dynasty, when Xi’an was the capital city of the empire and the most prosperous metropolitan in the world. At that time, a huge number of Muslims immigrated here from the Arabs and Persian areas along the Silk Road and settled down, living in their own social circle based on the same religion and culture.

At that time, a huge number of Muslims immigrated here from the Arabs and Persian areas along the Silk Road and settled down, living in their own social circle based on the same religion and culture.  Most Muslims had chosen to live together near the mosque, thus formed their own community, which was called “Hui Fang”, meaning “the Muslim Quarter”. Most Muslims had chosen to live together near the mosque, thus formed their own community, which was called “Hui Fang”, meaning “the Muslim Quarter”. Tree-lined and bluestone-paved, Huiminjie (“Muslim Street”) is a north-south street of about 500 meters in the Muslim Quater in Xi’an. Standing along both sides of the street are numerous stores built with the architecture style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, all run by Muslims and hence full of Muslim characteristics.

All these snacks are prepared intricately with top-quality materials, served with reasonable collocation of meats and veggies. Today the Muslim Street has become one of the famous delicacies corners, where you can taste most special small-eats of Xi’an.

My recent food tour at the Muslim food street in Xi'an