Transformation of the Hui district in Xi’an

Located in a metropolitan area of Xi'an, ancient capital of several majors dynasties in China, is the famous Great Mosque. This edifice, in the heart of the Hui district, provides one of the more important tourist sites of Xi'an. The resulting wealth of the district, also adding to the economic vitality generated through commerce, lies at the origin of a remarkable architectural transformation. This study focuses on the Hui people, whose centuries-old Muslim identity has recently come to express itself through contemporary vernacular architecture