Daxingshan Temple

Daxingshan Temple is located about 2.5 kilometers south from the Xi'an City. Originally built in the Jin Dynasty, more than 1600 years from present, this temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in China and a birthplace of Chinese Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana). It was named Zunshan Temple at that time. 

Buddhism was so popular in Chang'an, the predecessor of present Xi'an City, during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Many Indian monks stayed there to translate the sutras and promulgate the Buddhist doctrines. Over time, the Daxingshan Temple became one of three temples particularly used for translating sutras. The other two are Ci'en Temple and Jianfu Temple. To some degree, it is the cradle of Chinese Buddhism also a memorialize place in the China-India cultural communication process.

With an area of 19 acres (8 hectares), the Daxingshan Temple has 243 halls and rooms for monks. In the temple, there are some kinds of trees with great value, beautiful flowers, famous paintings and stone tablets which record the restorations of the temple. Because of the wars through dynasties, it was destroyed many times and the present temple was rebuilt in 1955 and 1983. The surviving buildings mainly feature the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) style. They are neatly arranged in a row on a north-south axis.

When you enter the main entrance gate called Shanmen (a two-story building with a top of nine ridges), you will see a bell tower and a drum tower respectively on two sides. Along the north-south axis, you can see the Hall of Heavenly Kings in your first glance. In its front and behind are separately the Hall of Jingang and Main Hall. Further on, you can find Guanyin (Goddess of Mercy) Hall. In the back yard is Sutras Collection Tower.

Hall of Heavenly Kings

Hall of Heavenly Kings is the most spectacular hall in the north-south axis. On it the statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, also called the Guardians of the Four Quarters, stand on the east and west sides. Inside, smiling and bellied Maitreya is enshrined and behind it is a Ming Dynasty wood- carved Wei Tuo, the guardian angel of the Buddhist temples.

Main Hall

Built in the Ming Dynasty, the Main hall looks quite simple and solemn. When you come into the hall, the first thing to catch your eye is a group of five golden Buddha figures, which represent five directions (east, south, west, north and center). In its two sides are enshrined the statues of arhats in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In its front there are two stone tablets which are separately inscribed with Buddhist sutras and an historical record of the temple.

Site of the Zhuanlun Sutras Depository Hall

Situated between the Main Hall and the God of Mercy Hall, there was a Zhuanlun Sutras Depository Hall. Originally built in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), it was a place for collecting Buddhist scriptures. 'Zhuanlun' means rolling wheel which symbolizes that the dharma never stops to turn around. Later, the hall was destroyed by the war. The site remains a 49-foot-wide (15-meter-wide) and 3-foot-high (1-meter-high) square earthen platform. More than two dozen big footstones still can be seen on the ground.

Guanyin Hall

The grand and imposing Guanyin Hall enshrines Guanyin, or 'Born of the Lotus', a deity known across all Asia as ‘the Goddess of Mercy’. In Chinese Buddhism, she is regarded as a personification of compassion, goodness and wisdom, and therefore is worshiped by Chinese people. The golden Guanyin is portrayed as thousand armed bodhisattva with a thousand eyes, which may greatly surprise you. The hall with carved beams and painted rafters is magnificent. In its front, a delicately-carved guardrail made of bluestones is also worthy of your appreciation.

Sutras Collection Tower

Masters often give lectures on Buddhist classics in Sutras Collection Tower which has a plaque on its gate. The plaque is inscribed with four Chinese characters: 'Jue Wu Zhong Sheng' (it means to enlighten all living beings) written by Guangxu Emperor in the Qing Dynasty. Inside, Vairocana is enshrined. The tower, together with the south God of Mercy Hall, the east Yufo Hall and Wofo Hall constitutes a courtyard where visitors are welcomed by towering and thick cypresses, and a more than 300-year-old Chinese wisteria that was planted near the end of the Ming Dynasty.

After visiting these attractions, visitors can enjoy delicious food in the temple. There is a vegetarian restaurant called Suxiangzhai which is the largest in Xian. Their dishes with a touch of meat are very worth tasting. What’s more, the restaurant is very quaint. Served with an excellent meal and good wine in such an elegant place, you’ll have a wonderful leisurely time.

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