There's a World Heritage Site in Xi'an that doesn't require an entrance fee!
Hidden south of Xi'an lies a treasure unknown to most. This World Heritage site surprisingly doesn't charge an entrance feeâisn't that amazing? Despite its prestigious name, it's surprisingly quiet, with few visitors. You can hear the leaves falling. What makes it so special?
It's Xingjiao Temple in Duqu Town, Chang'an District. Twenty kilometers from the city, a half-hour bus ride away, the temple sits on a high, imposing cliff overlooking Shaoling Plain. This temple boasts a remarkable history; it's the ancestral temple of the Faxiang School of Buddhism and was the foremost of the "Eight Great Temples of Fanchuan" during the Tang Dynasty. Most importantly, it's the final resting place of the Venerable Xuanzang, the prototype for the Tang Monk in *Journey to the West*.
The Venerable Xuanzang passed away in 664 AD and was initially buried at Bailuyuan. In 669 AD, he was ordered to move his remains to Shaolingyuan. The following year, this temple was built to house his stupa, and the emperor bestowed upon it the name "Xingjiao Temple." Over 1300 years old, despite its remote location, it holds a high status. In 1961, it became one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in China, and in 2014, its pagoda complex was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The temple's layout is unique, divided into three courtyards: east, central, and west. The central courtyard contains the main building complex, including the mountain gate, bell tower, drum tower, and main hall. The west courtyard is the pagoda courtyard, the core of the temple complex, while the east courtyard houses the scripture repository. Most visitors flock to the west courtyard, where three pagodas are arranged in a "ć" (pin) shape. The tallest in the center is the stupa containing the relics of Venerable Xuanzang, flanked by the stupas of his disciples Kuiji and Yuance. The three pagodas stand solemnly, like a three-dimensional history book.
Today, Xingjiao Temple is unusually tranquil. Few tourists are seen on ordinary days; occasionally, monks may be seen circumambulating the pagoda in quiet contemplation, or laypeople may be reading under the trees. Ancient trees tower within the courtyard, providing lush green shade in summer, carpeting the ground with yellow leaves in autumn, and remaining evergreen pines and cypresses in winter. An old wintersweet quietly blooms in front of the Dharma Hall, its fragrance cool and lingering. This tranquility is not deathly stillness; it allows one's heart to find peace. Standing here, one feels completely isolated from the noisy world outside.
The Xingjiao Temple Pagoda Courtyard covers approximately ten acres, with the entire temple complex spanning 5,000 square meters. Located on Shaolingyuan, an important loess plateau in the Guanzhong Plain, it has witnessed countless historical changes. The relative quietness of this important place stems from two factors: firstly, its location is not on popular tourist routes, and secondly, its profound Buddhist heritage as a "Buddhist ancestral home" may not be as appealing as its more immediate, grander aspects. However, for those with discerning tastes, this is a priceless treasure.
One interesting detail is that while the skull relic of the Venerable Xuanzang was later moved to various places for worship, the pagoda at Xingjiao Temple remained his original burial site, the root of his spirit. Looking at that simple brick pagoda, imagining the great soul enshrined within, the feeling is incredibly real. Most of the temple's buildings were rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties, but the pagoda is an original Tang dynasty structure. Its bricks are a deep, rich color, with weeds growing and thriving in the cracks. Standing silently for a thousand years, weathering storms, it has remained largely intact to this dayâa true miracle.
So next time you visit Xi'an, if you're tired of the hustle and bustle under the city walls, why not take half a day, take a bus, and stroll along Shaoling Plain? Visit this free, thousand-year-old temple, touch the Tang dynasty brick pagoda, and smell the winter plum blossoms. This tranquil escape from the noise, this direct dialogue with history, might make you remember Xi'an more vividly than any grand performance. Some places exist simply to make us slow down and reflect.
Hidden south of Xi'an lies a treasure unknown to most. This World Heritage site surprisingly doesn't charge an entrance feeâisn't that amazing? Despite its prestigious name, it's surprisingly quiet, with few visitors. You can hear the leaves falling. What makes it so special?
It's Xingjiao Temple in Duqu Town, Chang'an District. Twenty kilometers from the city, a half-hour bus ride away, the temple sits on a high, imposing cliff overlooking Shaoling Plain. This temple boasts a remarkable history; it's the ancestral temple of the Faxiang School of Buddhism and was the foremost of the "Eight Great Temples of Fanchuan" during the Tang Dynasty. Most importantly, it's the final resting place of the Venerable Xuanzang, the prototype for the Tang Monk in *Journey to the West*.
The Venerable Xuanzang passed away in 664 AD and was initially buried at Bailuyuan. In 669 AD, he was ordered to move his remains to Shaolingyuan. The following year, this temple was built to house his stupa, and the emperor bestowed upon it the name "Xingjiao Temple." Over 1300 years old, despite its remote location, it holds a high status. In 1961, it became one of the first batch of key cultural relics protection units in China, and in 2014, its pagoda complex was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
The temple's layout is unique, divided into three courtyards: east, central, and west. The central courtyard contains the main building complex, including the mountain gate, bell tower, drum tower, and main hall. The west courtyard is the pagoda courtyard, the core of the temple complex, while the east courtyard houses the scripture repository. Most visitors flock to the west courtyard, where three pagodas are arranged in a "ć" (pin) shape. The tallest in the center is the stupa containing the relics of Venerable Xuanzang, flanked by the stupas of his disciples Kuiji and Yuance. The three pagodas stand solemnly, like a three-dimensional history book.
Today, Xingjiao Temple is unusually tranquil. Few tourists are seen on ordinary days; occasionally, monks may be seen circumambulating the pagoda in quiet contemplation, or laypeople may be reading under the trees. Ancient trees tower within the courtyard, providing lush green shade in summer, carpeting the ground with yellow leaves in autumn, and remaining evergreen pines and cypresses in winter. An old wintersweet quietly blooms in front of the Dharma Hall, its fragrance cool and lingering. This tranquility is not deathly stillness; it allows one's heart to find peace. Standing here, one feels completely isolated from the noisy world outside.
The Xingjiao Temple Pagoda Courtyard covers approximately ten acres, with the entire temple complex spanning 5,000 square meters. Located on Shaolingyuan, an important loess plateau in the Guanzhong Plain, it has witnessed countless historical changes. The relative quietness of this important place stems from two factors: firstly, its location is not on popular tourist routes, and secondly, its profound Buddhist heritage as a "Buddhist ancestral home" may not be as appealing as its more immediate, grander aspects. However, for those with discerning tastes, this is a priceless treasure.
One interesting detail is that while the skull relic of the Venerable Xuanzang was later moved to various places for worship, the pagoda at Xingjiao Temple remained his original burial site, the root of his spirit. Looking at that simple brick pagoda, imagining the great soul enshrined within, the feeling is incredibly real. Most of the temple's buildings were rebuilt during the Ming and Qing dynasties, but the pagoda is an original Tang dynasty structure. Its bricks are a deep, rich color, with weeds growing and thriving in the cracks. Standing silently for a thousand years, weathering storms, it has remained largely intact to this dayâa true miracle.
So next time you visit Xi'an, if you're tired of the hustle and bustle under the city walls, why not take half a day, take a bus, and stroll along Shaoling Plain? Visit this free, thousand-year-old temple, touch the Tang dynasty brick pagoda, and smell the winter plum blossoms. This tranquil escape from the noise, this direct dialogue with history, might make you remember Xi'an more vividly than any grand performance. Some places exist precisely to allow us to slow down and reflect.