Giant Wild Goose Pagoda – must see Xi’an attraction
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is one of the most visited attraction in Xi’an City, second only to the Terracotta Warrior. Also known as Big Wild Goose Pagoda, it is a masterpiece of Buddhist architectural art.
This Buddhist pagoda is located in southern Xi’an’s Yanta South Road of Yanta District. Read on travel tips to find out its history, how long you should stay, what will you see, ticket price and more.
With a history of over 1,400 years, it was built in Chinese style. It was originally built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty with the purpose of storing the Buddhist sutras and statues.
Sariputtathat were brought to China from India by Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.
Xuanzang is a household name in China due to his great contribution to China’s Buddhism Culture and also a book named Journey to the West.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda is 64.5 m. (212 ft.) in height with seven floors. This rectangular cone-shaped tower is made of bricks and with an appropriate proportion for each part creating a solemn and primitive atmosphere.
On top of the pagoda sits a massive holy lotus flower on the petals of which you’ll find 14 Chinese characters that can be read as several simple poems based on different comprehension.
There is a long winding wooden staircase for you to climb up to the top. While standing on the seventh floor, you’ll surely be overwhelmed by the spectacular view around the pagoda.
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Journey to the West:
Journey to the West is a Chinese novel written by Wu Cheng’en in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.
The main protagonists in this book are Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk and a monkey with superpowers. They embarked on a legendary pilgrimage to the “West” (India) to find the true scriptures of Buddhism along with two other dispels.
The 4 of them have to fight against demons, endure sufferings and all kinds of temptations during the trip. They are household names in China thanks to TV shows, movies and folk legends. Arthur Waley’s translation Monkey is widely known in English-speaking countries.
What’s also worth a glance is the huge iron bell hanging south of the pagoda. It weighs 15 tons and was forged in 1548 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
On north of Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, there is the largest musical fountain square in Asia where you can appreciate the wonderful night views formed by the melodious fountain. Besides, you may also pay a visit to the nearby Shaanxi History Museum.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda opens from 09:00 to 17:00 every day. The entrance ticket is 50 RMB (8.5 USD) per person and if you want to climb the tower, an extra 30 RMB (5 USD) are required. Spent 3 hours exploring this amazing ancient pagoda!
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