Xi’an Giant Wild Goose Pagoda: Brilliant Attraction along the Silk Road Tour
Embarking on a China Silk Road tour, one cannot miss the Dayan Pagoda, also known as the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Xian, a beacon of Buddhist culture and architecture. Its square design is a testament to the Tang Dynasty’s architectural style, and it continues to be an active site of Xi’an tour for Buddhist practice today.
Dating back over a millennium to the Tang Dynasty, the pagoda’s grandeur and historical significance earned it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 2014. It tells the captivating story of how Buddhism became deeply ingrained in Chinese culture, making it an essential stop for tourists traveling to Xi’an. Big Wild Goose Pagoda enables them to understand the historical and spiritual heart of the Silk Road in China.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Facts
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in Chinese: 大雁塔
- Type：Historical site, Buddhist site, world cultural heritage
- Ticket Price: RMB 30
- Opening hours: 8:30 am – 5 pm
- Time Needed: 2-3 hours
- Suited to: Family with Kids, history lovers, and anyone who is interested in Chinese culture or Buddhism
- Best Time: All seasons
- Address: No. 1 Ci’en Road, Yanta District, Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province (20 minutes drive from the city center)
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda History
Among the Buddhist architectural relics from the Tang Dynasty, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda within the Da Ci’en Temple harbors the most abundant historical and cultural information. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the ancestral court of the Consciousness-Only School of Chinese Buddhism, is the result and embodiment of Indian Buddhist architectural art’s introduction to China and its gradual sinicization.
Why Was the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Built
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was originally constructed in the third year of the Yonghui era of the Tang Dynasty (AD 652). It was built to house, venerate, and preserve the Buddhist statues, relics, and Sanskrit scriptures that Master Xuanzang brought back from India.
Since its completion, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda has been a popular destination in Chang’an, attracting numerous literati who would ascend the pagoda to appreciate the views. Scholars who passed the imperial examinations would inscribe their names on the walls of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda as a memento. However, the inscribed walls from various dynasties were destroyed by a fire during the Song Dynasty.
Why It Is Called the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The name of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is believed to have two origins. First, it represents the meaning of Mahayana Buddhism. After Xuanzang returned from his journey to India for studies, he translated Mahayana sutras and spread Mahayana thought, which led to the spread of Mahayana Buddhism in Han regions. The construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda holds symbolic significance in this context.
Second, the name was chosen to distinguish it from the smaller Wild Goose Pagoda at the Jianfu Temple. After the completion of the Wild Goose Pagoda at Ci’en Temple, a smaller pagoda was built at Jianfu Temple in Chang’an. Consequently, the pagoda at Ci’en Temple became known as the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and the one at Jianfu Temple as the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, a nomenclature that has persisted to this day.
The Value of Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, a testament to Buddhist and cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, stands as a beacon of historical significance. As a vital trade route and cultural exchange channel between the East and West in ancient times, the Silk Road facilitated the spread of Buddhism into China. Within the pagoda, numerous precious Buddhist artifacts are preserved, including stone steles and Buddhist scriptures on palm leaves, which provide invaluable materials for studying the history of Buddhism along the Silk Road travel in China.
An indispensible destination for those seeking to explore the rich legacy of the Silk Road in China and the spiritual heart of Xian, the Xi’an Big Wild Goose Pagoda enhances the experience of Xi’an travel as well as China Silk Road travel. It offers visitors a deeper understanding of the historical and cultural tapestry that weaves through these ancient routes.
What to See in and around the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
Shining not only as a building of significant historical importance but also as one of the key landmarks in Xi’an, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda draws countless tourists and researchers. Tens of thousands of people visit each year to experience the charm of history in their Xian tour.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Music Fountain
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda Music Fountain in Xi’an is currently the largest fountain square in the country and even in Asia. Its water jets reach up to 60 meters high and featuring a variety of fountain performances. Citizens and tourists can enjoy the performances of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda Music Fountain for free during their trip to Xian.
Da Ci’en Temple
The Da Ci’en Temple, established in 648 AD, has a history of over 1,300 years. It was built by Li Zhi, who later became Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, in memory of his deceased mother, Empress Wende. Hence the temple was named “Ci’en” which means “merciful favor”. The Tang Dynasty’s Master Xuanzang once presided over the temple’s affairs and the translation of Buddhist scriptures here, which gives the temple a significant place in the history of Chinese Buddhism. Today, the temple enshrines the top bone relics and a bronze statue of Xuanzang, which are open for visitors to view.
Shaanxi History Museum
The Shaanxi History Museum is a comprehensive historical museum located on the northwest side of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, and is one of the iconic attractions of the city. It serves as an artistic palace displaying the historical culture of Shaanxi and the ancient civilization of China. The museum is also an important window for national education and international exchange in the Silk Roads travel.
Q & A on Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
What Is the Height of Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
As the oldest and largest existing square pavilion-style brick pagoda from the Tang Dynasty, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built with five stories at first, and were later expanded to nine. The number of stories and its height underwent several changes before it was finally fixed at a seven-story structure we see today, with a total height of 64.517 meters and a base side length of 25.5 meters.
Can You Go Inside Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is open for visitors to explore its interior. To enter, one must first purchase a ticket to the Da Ci’en Temple, then acquire a separate ticket for ascending the pagoda. Inside the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda interior, visitors will find wooden columns and a spiral staircase. Each level boasts arched doorways on all four sides, offering panoramic views of Xi’an.
The interior Giant Wild Goose Pagoda houses not only over ten thousand Buddhist relics but also the authentic scriptures that Xuanzang brought back from India. The marvelous architectural feature, along with the historical significance, makes the Big Wild Goose Pagoda a must-visit destination for China Silk Road travel and Xi’an travel enthusiasts.
What Is the Floor Plan for Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda architecture is composed of a base, body, and spire, with each level meticulously crafted to mimic the wooden structural elements of the Tang Dynasty architecture.
It features a height of 64 meters with seven stories, constructed with bricks, with an internal spiral staircase that winds upwards. Each level is adorned with arched doorways on all four sides, offering panoramic views of Xi’an. The base of the pagoda has stone doors on all four sides, with exquisitely carved Buddha statues on the lintels.
Allegedly, the temple housing the pagoda possesses a large Giant Wild Goose Pagoda bell. Every morning at dawn, the monks would strike this bell, whose resonant sound would echo through the ancient capital, symbolizing tranquility and peace.
How to Get to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Take either Metro Line 3 or Line 4 and alight at Dayanta Station. Leave the station from Exit B or Exit C, and then head south on foot for a short distance until you reach the south square. The square features the statue of Xuanzang, which marks the entrance to both the temple and the pagoda.
Alternatively, you can arrive at the South Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda by taking one of the following city buses: 21, 22, 23, 24, 41, 44, 189, 242, 271, 408, 500, 601, 606, 609, 920. Or you can take the Tourist Bus Line 6 and Tourist Bus Line 8/610, and disembarking at the designated stop.
More Silk Road Attractions to Explore in Xian
- Xi’an City Wall: The ancient city walls of Xian are some of the most ancient and well-maintained urban fortifications in China, once witnessing the start of the Silk Road. At night, the city walls are particularly spectacular, with their gates, towers, and bridges bathed in light.
- Terracotta Army: The Xi’an Terracotta Army is an extensive array of life-sized clay soldiers and horses, depicting the grand military formations of Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s imperial guard. It is a key attraction in Xi’an tour, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
