Xian Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Background information

Buddhism first arrived in China around 200BC however it was during the early Tang period that the religion reached its zenith. Xi'an's Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the oldest original ancient building in Xi'an and one of only two buildings still standing from the Tang Reign. "Da Yanta" is almost 1400 years old and was thankfully preserved when emperors from the late Tang period outlawed Buddhism and burnt most of the temples to the ground. Measuring in at 65m the structure remains both an enigma of ancient engineering and a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture. The Pagoda is located just south of Xian and is the focal point of the huge new Qujiang Cultural quadrant which covers many kilometres including Tang Paradise, Ocean World, Qujiang Park, quality restaurants and much more.

After 16 years abroad monk Master Xuan Zang returned to Xian with over 1300 original Scriptures in the middle of the 7th century. It is disputed whether he left Xi'an with the Emperors permission (as depicted in the Classic work of genius A Journey to the West) or slipped away quietly as others allege. In any case he received a heros welcome on return and pleaded with emperor Gao Zong to build a stone pagoda in front of Duanmen Gate of the temple to house the Buddhist scriptures, statues, and relics in order to reveal the grandeur of Buddhism and the power of Tang Dynasty. Gao Zong gave permission to build, however what we see today is the third incarnation after the first collapsed and the second was reduced in size after earthquake. The building techniques are still not understood though theories abound.

Recently, pressure from modernising the area have caused the Pagoda to lean and teams of furrow browed experts are dedicated to resolving the issue, and staving off what would be a mammouth disaster and catastrophic cultural loss. The technology used to test the foundations also proved the legend that the Pagoda covers an enormous crypt which is believed to contain vast treasure left for future generations.

The area surrounding the pagoda is vast and an important element of the Qujiang Cultural District. Broadly speaking the sectors are divided as follows in the glorious style of Tang:

North Square

Music fountain show - the biggest in Asia and a wonderful way to spend 20 minutes. Iterations every 2 hours starting at 12:00 pm (times may vary).

Da Ci'en Temple

South Square

Entrance to the Pagoda itself (25 rmb to museum in bottom 40 rmb to top), statue of Xuan Zang, large variety of restaurants

West Side

Restaurant street, Shaanxi History Museum

East Side

4D Cinema, Shaanxi Opera Theme park, Da Yanta Park, Tang Paradise

Inside - Buddhist Relics

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is closely associated to the Buddhist relics. In the third year of the Reign of Yong Hui (652A.D), Master Xuan Zang built this pagoda to house the Buddhist scriptures and the Buddhist relics he brought back from the west. According to The Biograpghy of the Master of Buddhism, Master Xuan Zang brought back 150 relics of the flesh and a box of relics of the bone, the number of which was not specified. In the description of the construction of the pagoda in this book, it is said that every story of the pagoda housed about either 1000, or 2000, or 10,000 Buddhist relics at its center. Later during the Reign of Chang'an by Empress Wu Zetian, she had the pagoda reconstructed and the whereabouts of the relics were not mentioned in any of the historical records. In spite of the effort of Master Xuan Zang to get the Buddhist relics to China, whether they were put away somewhere or whether they were lost remains a mystery in the history forever.

Relics (Sheli in Chinese) is the transliteration of"She Li Lo" or "Shi Li Lo" in Sanskrit, meaning "the remains". They were the remains of the cremation of the body of the Buddha after his nirvana. The legend has it that the relics of the Buddha were divided among eight kings. In light of the Buddhist theory, relics were the manifestations of the achievements of the Buddha or other accomplished monks. They were the crystallization of the conversion of religious discipline, cultivation and meditation, and wisdom. Relics are virtually the crystal of the remains after the cremation. They fall into different kinds. The white ones are the relics of the bone. The pinkish ones are the relics of the flesh while the gray ones are the relics of the hair. Relics of bones such as Buddha's teeth, Buddha's skull, and Buddha's fingers are often though to be even more precious, sacred and mysterious.

Where are the Buddhist relics brought back by Master Xuan Zang? Are they in the underground palace or somewhere in the pagoda? This mystery remains unknown and it might be uncovered one day by the future excavation.

Taxis cost 11-20 rmb from the Xian city centre depending on traffic.