Giant Wild Goose Pagoda

Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Chinese: 大雁塔; Pinyin: Dàyàn Tǎ), is a pagoda located in southern Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China. The structure was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories. The pagoda was originally located in a monastery in the southeastern sector of the Tang capital, Chang'an. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveller Xuanzang.

Surroundings and history

The pagoda was built during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (r. 649-683). Early in the 8th century, the ruling Empress Wu Zetian had five more stories added in the year 704 AD. However, later wars damaged the pagoda reducing it to its current height of seven stories. The pagoda currently stands at a height of 64 meters tall and from the top it offers views over the current city of Xi'an. During the Tang Dynasty the pagoda was located within the grounds of a monastery, within a walled ward of the larger southeastern sector of the city.

The monastic grounds around the pagoda during the Tang Dynasty had ten courtyards and a total of 1,897 bays.^[1] In those days graduate students of the Advanced Scholards examination in Chang'an inscribed their names at this monastery.

Closeby the pagoda is the Temple of Great Maternal Grace; Da Ci'en. This temple was originally built in AD 589 and then rebuilt AD 647 in memory of his mother Empress Wende by Li Zhi who later became the Tang Emperor Gaozong.

The monk Xuanzang's statue stands in front of the temple area.

Mount Hua

Banpo

Shaanxi History Museum

Stele Forest

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Terracotta Army

Great Mosque of Xi'an

City wall of Xi'an