Daxingshan Temple
Your location: Home: Xian Attractions:
Daxingshan Temple is located about 2.5 kilometers south from the Xi'an City. It was originally built in the Jin Dynasty, Emperor Si Mayan, more than 1600 years from present. It was named Zunshan Temple at that time. In the second year of the Emperor Yang Jian, on the basis of the temple he ordered to enlarge it and changed its name into Daxingshan Temple.
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.
Still it has gone through tremendous destroy during the years from 841 AD to 846 AD. And the temple was rebuilt in the Ming and again restored in 1785 by an expert on Tang Dynasty Chang'an called Bi Yuan. After its reconstruction in 1956 it was used by a community of Lamaist monks until the Cultural Revolution.
Although it is rebuilt in recent years, still the whole structure is in typical Qing-style. There are Mountain Gate with Bell and Drum Towers on both sides, Devajara Hall--Hall of the Heavenly Kings, in which stands in the center a wood-carved Maitreva statue with four Heavenly Kings around. Mahavira Hal--Daxiongbaodian, Kwan-yin Palace and many other halls in which Buddhist followers can pray also attractive.
Nowadays, together with its surrounding areas, the Temple has developed into a park temple and open to travelers.
Home , Xian introduction, Xian Attractions, Xian 5 star hotel, Xian 4 star hotel, Xian custom, Xian festival, Amusement in Xian, local story , Xian typical artworks , Xian local products, Xian local snacks, General transportation, Xian climate, links