Xian, China - July 18, 2009
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Da Ci"en Temple - Big Wild
Goose Pagoda
Da Ci'en Temple is the home
of Big Wild Goose
Pagoda. In 648, to commemorate the dead virtuous queen, royalty ordered
the building of a temple named 'Ci'en' (Mercy and Kindness), for which
the status and scale far exceeded all others. Today, with an area of
32,314 square meters (38,648.5 square yards), one seventh of the
original area, it still retains its grandeur. As the symbol of the old-line Xian, Big Wild
Goose Pagoda is a
well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. It is
located in the southern suburb of Xian City, about 4 kilometers (2.49
miles) from the downtown of the city. Standing in the Da Ci'en Temple
complex, it attracts numerous visitors for its fame in the Buddhist
religion, its simple but appealing style of construction, and its new
square in front of the temple.
Big Wild Goose Pagoda - Originally built in 652 during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it functioned to collect Buddhist materials that were taken from India by the hierarch Xuanzang. First built to a height of 60 meters (197 feet) with five stories, it is now 64.5 meters (211.6 feet) high with an additional two stories. It was said that after that addition came the saying-'Saving a life exceeds building a seven-storied pagoda'. Externally it looks like a square cone, simple but grand and it is a masterpiece of Buddhist construction. Built of brick, its structure is very firm. Inside the pagoda, stairs twist up so that visitors can climb and overlook the panorama of Xian City from the arch-shaped doors on four sides of each storey. On the walls are engraved fine statues of Buddha by the renowned artist Yan Liben of the Tang Dynasty. Steles by noted calligraphers also grace the pagoda. Source
= Travel China
Guide - travelchinaguide.com
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My Tour was booked by
Paul Song at
http://www.tour-beijing.com/