Temple Key

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Daci'en Temple was first constructed in 648, the 22nd year of the Zhenguan reign of the Tang dynasty (618–907). Prince Li Zhi—later Emperor Gaozong—ordered its construction in memory of his mother, Empress Zhangsun. The eminent Buddhist monk Xuanzang was appointed abbot, and from this temple he founded East Asian Yogācāra in the Tang Empire. During his tenure, he oversaw the building of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda. The temple was rebuilt in 1466, under the Chenghua Emperor of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644). On March 4, 1961, it was listed among the first group of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites in Shaanxi by China’s State Council. In 1983, it was designated a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Areas. In early 2001, it was rated an AAAA-level tourist site by the China National Tourism Administration. On June 22, 2014, the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Their Own Story

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda—also called the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Great Wild Goose Pagoda, or Dayan Pagoda—was built by Xuanzang in 652. Rising 63.25 meters (207.5 ft), this brick structure has seven stories and four sides, echoing an ancient Indian style. It has been renovated and redecorated multiple times since the Tang dynasty. Inside the Mahavira Hall, statues of Vairocana, Mahavairocana, and Shakyamuni are enshrined. Before Shakyamuni stand two disciple statues: Mahākāśyapa on the east and Ānanda on the west. The Eighteen Arhats sit on seats lining both side walls. The Xuanzang Sanzang Hall (玄奘三藏院) houses the sarira (sacred relics) of Xuanzang and a copper statue of him; painted frescoes on the hall’s walls depict scenes from his life. The temple, with nearly 1,400 years of history, also contains nine pagodas, each holding the relics of successive abbots, their names and birthdates carved into the stone. Among its treasures, the temple preserves 20 palm-leaf manuscript slices—sacred texts Xuanzang himself brought back from ancient India.

Reader's Guide

The temple complex includes these halls and structures: Shanmen (the main gate), Mahavira Hall, Hall of the Four Heavenly Kings, Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Buddhist Texts Library, Xuanzang Sanzang Hall, Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and a Pagoda Forest. The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda stands 63.25 meters (207.5 ft) tall, with seven stories and four sides in ancient Indian style. The Mahavira Hall is the central worship hall, while the Xuanzang Sanzang Hall offers a deeper glimpse into the monk’s life and relics.

Did You Know?

• Daci'en Temple was first constructed in 648, the 22nd year of the Zhenguan period of the Tang dynasty.
• Prince Li Zhi—later Emperor Gaozong—ordered the temple built in memory of his mother, Empress Zhangsun.
• The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, built by Xuanzang in 652, soars 63.25 meters (207.5 ft) into the sky.
• The temple safeguards 20 palm-leaf manuscript slices that Xuanzang carried back from ancient India.