Our Tour Group in front of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda  Big Wild Goose Pagoda Pictures  Big Wild Goose Pagoda eCard

As the symbol of the old-line Xian, Big Wild Goose Pagoda (Dayan 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. It is rated as a National Key Cultural Relic Preserve as well as an AAAA Tourist Attraction.

This attraction can be divided into three parts: the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Da Ci'en Temple, and the North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda.

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.

Xuanzang started off from Chang'an (the ancient Xian), along the Silk Road and through deserts, finally arriving in India, the cradle of Buddhism.  Enduring 17 years and traversing 100 countries, he obtained Buddha figures, 657 kinds of sutras, and several Buddha relics. Having gotten the permission of Emperor Gaozong (628-683), Xuanzang, as the first abbot of Da Ci'en Temple, supervised the building of a pagoda inside it. With the support of royalty, he asked 50 hierarchs into the temple to translate Sanskrit in sutras into Chinese, totaling 1,335 volumes, which heralded a new era in the history of translation. Based on the journey to India, he also wrote a book entitled 'Pilgrimage to the West' in the Tang Dynasty, to which scholars attached great importance.

Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian

Burning incense for praying, Da Ci'en Temple

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.

As for the reason why it is called Big Wild Goose Pagoda, there is a legend. According to ancient stories of Buddhists, there were two branches, for one of which eating meat was not a taboo. One day, they couldn't find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by, a monk said to himself: 'Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.' At that very moment, the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit to order them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat. Hence it got the name 'Big Wild Goose Pagoda'.

Da Ci'en Temple

Reciting scriptures in Da Ci'en Temple

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.

Before the temple, there stands a statue of hierarch Xuanzang, the meritorious hierarch. Walking on and across a small bridge, visitors will see the gates of the temple. With guarding lions, the temple seems stately for lions were said to function as talismans.

Entering the temple you will see two buildings-Bell Tower in the east and Drum Tower in the west. Inside the Bell Tower hangs an iron bell 15 tons (14.76 gross tons) in weight. It  was molded in 1548 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Along the central axis are arranged the Hall of Mahavira, Sermon Hall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang. In the Hall of Mahavira are three carved statues of Sakyamuni, and 18 arhats as well as Xuanzang. The Sermon Hall is where Buddhist disciples would listen to a sermon. A bronze statue of Amitabha is dedicated and a Buddha statue is collected by Xuanzang as oblation. The Hall of Xuanzang Sanzang is north of Big Wild Goose Pagoda. In this hall are Xuanzang's relic and a bronze statue of a seated Xuanzang. The inner wall is chiseled with murals depicting this hierarch's story. Renowned as the contemporary Dunhuang Buddhist storehouse praised by UNESCO, it is the biggest memorial of Xuanzang.

Admission Fee:	Entrance Fee of the Da Ci'en Temple: CNY 50 (March 1 - November 30); CNY 30 (December 1 - end of February) Ascending the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: CNY 30 (March 1 - November 30); CNY 20 (December 1 - end of February)
Opening Hours:	8:00 - 17:00
Transportation:	Take bus 5, 19, 21, 23, 24, 34, 41, 44, 224, 237, 242, 400, 408, 501, 521, 526, 527, 601, 606, 109, 701, Tourist Bus  Line 6, Line 8 (610) or Line 9 and get off at Big Wild Goose Pagoda.    Xian Bus Search

Recommended Tours including the visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda:  Xian Heritage Tour: 2 Days Luxury and Standard Tour of Xian to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Terracotta Warriors, City Wall...  Historical Xian Tour: 3 Days Luxury Visit of Xian  China Golden Triangle Trip: 9 Days Standard China Tour of Beijing - Xian - Shanghai  More Xian Tours    Recommended Nearby Hotels: Tang Paradise Hotel    Garden Hotel, Xian    Ci'en Hotel Xian

North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Surrounding Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the scenery is also quite charming, especially the square north of the Da Ci'en Temple. Covering about 110,000 square meters (131,563 square yards) plus 20,000 square meters (23,920.6 square yards) of water area, it holds many records: in Asia, it is the biggest Tang-culture square, the biggest musical fountain and waterscape square, and the largest-scale sculptures area. In the world, it has the most benches, the longest light-belt, and the largest-scale acoustic complex.

The entire square is composed of waterscape fountains, a cultural square, gardens and tourist paths. There you can taste real Chinese culture and traditions and fully enjoy the truly attractive views. With reliefs on the theme of the prosperous Tang Dynasty, 200-meter-long (656-foot-long) sculpture groups, 8 groups of sculpted figures, 40 relievos on the land, and 22 styles of musical fountains, it has become a must-see when you visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda.
  Show time of the musical fountain

Monday, Wednesday - Friday	12:00, 20:30(Winter Time); 12:00, 21:00 (Summer Time)
Tuesday	20:30(Winter Time); 21:00 (Summer Time)
Weekend and other statutory holidays	12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:30 (Winter Time) 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, 21:00 (Summer Time)

Tips: Due to the extraordinary number of visitors, for a good angle of view, you are suggested to be on the scene 20 minutes before the musical fountain show starts. Also, please watch out your belongings while you are enjoying the performance.

Transportation to the surrounding scenic spots:

Tang Paradise near Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Cool Cave Park near Big Wild Goose Pagoda

 Tang Paradise
Take bus 21, 22, 23, 24, 237, 601, 609, 715 or Tourism Bus Route 4 from Big Wild Goose Pagoda and get off at Tang Paradise South Gate. Or take bus no.501, 601 or Tourism Bus Route 8 from Big Wild Goose Pagoda and get off at Tang Paradise North Gate.
 Shaanxi History Museum
Take bus 5, 19, 24, 26, 27, 30, 34, 400 or Tourism Bus No. 8 (610) and get off at Cuihua Lu Station.
 Xian Qujiang Ocean World
Take bus 501, 601 or Tourism Bus Route 8 from Big Wild Goose Pagoda and get off at Xian Qujiang Ocean World.
 Tang Ci'en Ruins Park (Chunxiao Garden)
Walk five minutes from the main gate of the Wild Goose Pagoda and you will see the entrance of Tang Ci'en Ruins Park.
 The Tomb of the Second Emperor of Qin Dynasty (The Tomb of Hu Hai)
Take bus 224 or 715 and get off at Qujiang Guanweihui Station, and walk to the west until you see the entrance of the Tomb of the Second Emperor of Qin Dynasty.
 Qujiang Pool Park
Take bus 224 and get off at Qujiang Pool Site Park South Gateway.
 Cool Cave (Hanyao)
Take bus 22 from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and get off at Hanyao Road West Crossing Station.