Xi'an, as the oldest city in China, is teeming with ancient temples. A lot of tours to Xi'an will make visitors stop at one or more temples in the city. The followings are some big temples that welcomed by visitors in Xi'an.
Dacien Temple
Built in 648AD to memory the Empress Wende, the Dacien Temple was a famous temple in Chang'an in Tang Dynasty (618-907). Covering an area of over 24 hectares, the temple is composed of 13 courtyards and 1897 rooms. The famous Buddhist pilgrim and monk Xuan Zang once arranged for the construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and taking charge of the temple affairs.
Chinese name: Dacien Si (大慈恩寺)
Admission fee: 50 yuan (entrance fee of the Dacien Temple); 30 yuan (ascending the Big Wild Goose Pagoda)
Transportation: take bus No. 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.
Opening hours: 08:00 - 17:00
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Also translated as Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda located in Dacien Temple. It was built in 652 in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and originally had five stories. The major function was to preserve figurines of the Buddha and sutras that brought by Xuan Zang from India to China.
Chinese name: Dayanta (大雁塔)
Admission fee: 50 yuan (entrance fee of the Dacien Temple); 30 yuan (ascending the Big Wild Goose Pagoda)
Transportation: take bus No. 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.
Opening hours: 08:00 - 17:00
Temple of the Eight Immortals
Covering an area of 110 acres, the Temple of the Eight Immortals, or BaXian An called by locals, is the largest Taoist temple in Xi'an. As the name suggests, it was built in memory of the legendary eight immortals including Zhang Guolao, Han Zhongli, Tieguan Li, Han Xiangzi, Cao Guojiu, Lv Dongbin, Lan Caihe and He Xiangu.
The temple is said to be built in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) on the site of the Xingqing Palace of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). During the succeeding dynasties, it has been damaged, repaired and enlarged many times. The present temple is mainly the relic built in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).
Chinese name: BaXian An (八仙庵)
Admission fee: 3 yuan
Opening Hours: 09:00 - 17:30
Bus Routes: take bus No. 709 and get off at BaXianan (Temple of Eight Immortals).
Daxingshan Temple
Originally named Zunshan Temple, Daxingshan Temple was first built in Jin Dynasty (265–420) and was enlarged in Sui Dynasty (581-618) when the Indian monks translated Buddhist scriptures there. During the Emperor Xuanzong's rule in Tang Dynasty (618-907), the Indian monks Shan Wuwei, Jin Gangzhi, and Bu Kongseng, named "Three Bachelors in Kaiyuan Period" went there to teach Esoteric Buddhism. The temple gradually became one of the three temples in Chang'an for translating Buddhist scriptures, together with Ci'en Temple and Jianfu Temple.
Chinese name: Daxingshan Si (大兴善寺)
Admission free
Transportation: take bus no.323, 701 or 716 and get off at Daxingshan Si (Daxingshan Temple).
Jianfu Temple
Located in West Youyi Road in Xi'an, Jianfu Temple was originally the residence of the Emperor Zhongzong Li Xian before he succeeded to the throne of Tang Dynasty (618-907). Later it was converted to Xianfu Temple to dedicate the postmortem fortune to the Emperor Gaozong (the father of the Emperor Zhongzong). The temple is famous for holding the Small Wild Goose Pagoda which was built in Jinglong years (707-710) in Tang Dynasty.
Chinese name: Jianfu Si (荐福寺)
Admission fee: 10 yuan; 10 yuan (ascending the pagoda)
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00
Transportation: take bus No.18, 21, 29, 32, 40, 46, 203, 204, 224, 407, 410, 508, 521, 610, 700, 707 or Wulong Special Line and get off at Xiao Yan Ta (Small Wild Goose Pagoda).
Small Wild Goose Pagoda
The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is one of two significant pagodas in the city of Xi'an, together with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was built between 707 and 709 during the Tang Dynasty under the order of the Emperor Zhongzong. Now it stands at a height of 43 meters with fifteen levels. It has a brick frame built around a hollow interior. The square base and shape reflect the building style of the era.
Chinese name: Xiaoyan Ta (小雁塔)
Admission fee: 10 yuan; 10 yuan (ascending the pagoda)
Opening hours: 09:00-17:00
Transportation: take bus No.18, 21, 29, 32, 40, 46, 203, 204, 224, 407, 410, 508, 521, 610, 700, 707 or Wulong Special Line and get off at Xiao Yan Ta (Small Wild Goose Pagoda).
Xiangzi Temple
Located near the South Gate in Xi'an, Xiangzi Temple was originally the residence of Han Xiangzi, one of the legendary eight immortals. It was built in Song Dynasty (960–1279) and damaged in wars in Jin (1115–1234) and Yuan (1279–1368) dynasties. The present arrangement of the temple was made in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Now the temple is dedicated to Taoist deities and widely worshipped by local citizens and visitors.
Chinese name: Xiangzi Miao (湘子庙)
Transportation: take bus No.713 and get off at Xiangzi Miao Jie (the Street of Xiangzi Temple), or take bus No.6, 11, 12, 16, 26, 29, 36, 46, 203, 208, 215, 229, 321, 600, 603…and get off at South Gate, go to the inner side of the South Gate and find a doorway named "Xiangzi Men (湘子门)", walk down the doorway and find the Xiangzi Temple.