With a history spanning 1,300 years, Huaisheng Mosque was erected during the Tang and Song dynasties. The mosque is often called Shizi (Lion) Mosque or Guangta Mosque, and is known as one of the four most ancient mosques in China, and is therefore considered a "cultural relic" under the protection of the provincial government. Facing south, the mosque's main building is built in an architectural style characteristic of the Tang Dynasty; the Guangta tower, in contrast, mimics Arabic architecture of a later period. The mosque mostly serves the Hui ethnic group.