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Once the site of the Temple of Confucius during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), the Forest of Stone Steles Museum is situated on Sanxue Street, near the south gate of Xian City Wall. It was initially established in 1087A.D.. when some precious stone steles were moved here for safe keeping, including the 'Classic on Filial Piety' written by Emperor Xuanzong in 745A.D. and 'the Kaicheng Stone Steles' carved in 837A.D.. With an area of 31,000 square meters, the Forest of Stone Steles used to be the principal museum for Shaanxi Province since 1944. Then because of the large number of stone steles, it was officially named as the Forest of Stone Steles Museum in 1992.

With 900 years of history, this treasure house holds a large collection of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. All together, there are 3,000 steles and the museum is divided into seven exhibitions halls, which mainly display the works of calligraphy, painting and historical records. All of these record some achievements in the development of the Chinese culture and reflect the historical facts of the cultural exchanges between China and other countries.

Xian Forest of Stone Steles Museum

Stone Stele Exhibition Hall

Now, please come with me to the exhibition halls.

Room One mainly displays 'the Kaicheng Stone Classics', which contains twelve lections caved on 114 steles. The lections include 'the Book of Changes', ' the Book of History' , 'the Book of Songs', 'the Analects of Confucius' and some others of this kind. These are the must-read books for the intellectuals of the feudal society. At that time the printing was under development. In order to well preserve these lections, the rulers ordered to engrave them on the stone steles. 

Admission Fee:	CNY 75 (Mar.1 to Nov.30); CNY 50 (Dec.1 to the next Feb.28/29)
Opening Hours:	08:00 to 18:45 (Summer; tickets available before 18:00); 08:00 to 18:00 (Winter; tickets available before 17:15)
Recommended Time for a Visit:	Three hours
Bus Route:	1. Take tourism bus no.6 and get off at Wen Chang Men (Wen Chang Gate) Station. 2. Take bus no.14, 23, 40, 118, 208, 213, 214, 221, 222, 232, 302, 309, 402, 512, 704, 710 or 800 and get off at Wen Chang Men (Wen Chang Gate) Station. Walk east along Shuyuanmen Street and you will find it.

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 Forest of Stone Steles Museum Pictures

 Suggested Tour Itinerary including the visit to Forest of Stone Steles Museum:
Xian City Tour: to Bell & Drum Tower, Great Mosque, the Forest of Stone Steles Museum and City Wall
More Xian Tours