【Golden Autumn in Xian: A Travel Sketch 】(6)

樊 灵感清泉

Chapter 6: At the Foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: A Millennium of Buddhist Heritage and the Spirit of Chang’an—Random Reflections on the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. 【At the Foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: A Millennium-Old Buddhist Image and the Spirit of Chang’an 】1

The Great Wild Goose Pagoda, located within the Great Xi’en Temple in the southern suburbs of Xi’an and also known as the “Xi’en Temple Pagoda,” is one of Xi’an’s most iconic historical and cultural landmarks. It is not only an ancient pagoda but also a testament to the open and vibrant atmosphere of Chang’an during the Tang Dynasty. During the Tang Dynasty, Chang’an was one of the world’s most prosperous and open international metropolises. Merchants, travelers, envoys, monks, and scholars arrived here along the Silk Road, gathering in Chang’an to interact and spread civilization. It was against this historical backdrop that the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built.
The history of the Great Xi’en Temple cannot be traced back solely to the Tang Dynasty. The site was originally the location of the Wulou Temple from the Sui Dynasty, which later fell into disrepair. In the 22nd year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty—that is, 648 AD—Crown Prince Li Zhi, in memory of his mother, Empress Wende (née Changsun), and with the support of Emperor Taizong, expanded and rebuilt the temple on the original site, naming it “Great Xi’en Temple.” Therefore, while it is generally correct to say that the Great Xi’en Temple was built in the 22nd year of the Zhenguan era, adding the phrase “rebuilt on the site of the Sui-dynasty Wulou Temple” provides a more complete historical context and better reflects the temple’s own origins.
【At the Foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: A Millennium-Old Buddhist Image and the Spirit of Chang’an】 2

After returning from his journey westward to obtain Buddhist scriptures, Master Xuanzang initially began translating scriptures at Hongfu Temple in Chang’an. Following the completion of Da Xi’en Temple, Xuanzang was appointed as the senior monk there and moved to Da Xi’en Temple to continue translating scriptures, lecturing, and spreading the Dharma. In the third year of the Yonghui era of the Tang Dynasty, corresponding to 652 AD, Xuanzang presided over the construction of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to preserve the Buddhist scriptures, statues, and relics he had brought back from India. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was originally five stories tall. During Empress Wu Zetian’s Chang’an era, the pagoda was expanded to ten stories. It subsequently underwent numerous repairs and changes in the number of stories, eventually taking the form of the seven-story square, pavilion-style brick pagoda seen today, with a total height of approximately 64.5 meters (precisely measured at 64.517 meters).
Today, when visitors climb the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, they are no longer simply entering a space where ancient Buddhist scriptures are housed. Inside the pagoda, they primarily see the ancient architectural structure, the staircases leading to the top, models, murals, and related historical exhibits; while at the base and in the surrounding area, important stele inscriptions directly related to Xuanzang’s work of translating Buddhist scriptures have been preserved. Among these, the “Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the Great Tang Tripitaka” and the “Record of the Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the Great Tang Tripitaka,” located on either side of the south gate on the ground floor of the pagoda, are associated with texts written by Emperor Taizong and Emperor Gaozong of Tang, respectively, in support of Xuanzang’s translation work. The calligraphy was executed by the renowned Tang Dynasty master Chu Suiliang. Although these steles are not the original Buddhist scriptures themselves, they serve as important testimonies to Xuanzang’s translation endeavors, Tang Dynasty calligraphic art, and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world.
【At the Foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda: A Millennium-Old Buddhist Image and the Spirit of Chang'an 】 3

Standing before the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, what moves us most is not merely its height, but the spirit behind it. Monk Xuanzang set out from Chang’an, traversing deserts, snow-capped mountains, and foreign lands on a journey to India in search of Buddhist teachings. More than a decade later, he returned with a vast collection of Buddhist scriptures and spent many years presiding over their translation in Chang’an. He was not merely the “Tang Monk” of mythological fiction, but a cultural giant in real history—a man of conviction, perseverance, scholarship, and responsibility. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is therefore not merely a structure of brick and stone; it is more like a spiritual monument commemorating a man who devoted his life to the pursuit of truth and to bridging Eastern and Western civilizations.
Today, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda belongs not only to the Great Ci’en Temple but also to Xi’an; it is part of Tang Dynasty Buddhist culture as well as the shared memory of the Silk Road and Chinese civilization. It has witnessed the eastward transmission of Buddhist scriptures, the open-mindedness of Chang’an as an international metropolis, and the ability of Chinese culture to absorb, integrate, and pass on foreign civilizations. Standing at the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and gazing up at its tiered brick structure, one cannot help but reflect: Xi’an’s greatness lies not merely in the number of ancient sites it has preserved, but in the fact that these sites still inspire people today to pause, look back at history, reflect on civilization, and feel the spirit of Chang’an.

[The Mountain Gate of Daci'en Temple]

This is the mountain gate at the entrance to the Great xi’en Temple. The inscription above the gate reads “Great Ci’en Temple”; upon entering here, one steps into the heart of the Great Wild Goose Pagoda’s historical and cultural significance. The Great Wild Goose Pagoda is not a standalone structure, but rather exists in close association with the Great Xi’en Temple. The temple has been renowned for a thousand years because of Xuanzang, while the pagoda has become a symbol of Chang’an’s culture due to its role in preserving Buddhist scriptures.
The two characters “Ci’en” (慈恩) carry deep human emotions in and of themselves. As you walk through the mountain gate, the silhouette of the pagoda gradually comes into view in the distance, and crowds of visitors fill the air—the ancient temple and modern life converge in a single scene. This place is not merely a tourist entrance; it is also a gateway leading from modern Xi’an to the Chang’an of the High Tang Dynasty.

[My First Glimpse of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda]

Passing through the main gate of Da Ci’en Temple, the Great Wild Goose Pagoda gradually comes into view in the distance. Though it lacks overly ornate decorations, it captivates with its solidity, dignity, and composure. With its square shape and tapering tiers, it stands like a silent elder on the land of Chang’an, having stood there for over a thousand years.
This unique experience—seeing the tower’s silhouette from afar before approaching it up close—is truly special. From a distance, it stands as an ancient landmark on Xi’an’s skyline; up close, it is history itself, built brick by brick. In the photo, visitors walk forward from beneath the shade of the trees, while the tower waits quietly in the distance, as if to remind us: true historical sites do not rely on fanfare to attract visitors, but let time itself speak for them.

[Close-up of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda]

The Great Wild Goose Pagoda is tall and imposing, tapering upward with each story. Its simple yet solemn exterior embodies the characteristics of Tang Dynasty architecture: grandeur, stability, and a focus on majesty rather than elaborate ornamentation. It is a square, multi-story brick pagoda and serves as a prime example of how the Buddhist pagoda—an architectural form originating in ancient India—fused with traditional Chinese architectural aesthetics after being introduced to the Central Plains.
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was originally built to preserve the Buddhist scriptures, statues, and relics that Monk Xuanzang brought back from India. In other words, its core mission is not “to be admired,” but “to safeguard”—to safeguard the scriptures, to safeguard memories, and to safeguard the fruits of cultural exchange between China and the rest of the world. Today, as we stand at the foot of the pagoda and look up, what we see is a brick pagoda; but deep in history, it once bore the important mission of preserving Buddhist scriptures, passing on knowledge, and bridging Eastern and Western civilizations.

[A Short Break at the Scenic Spot]

This photo captures a moment of rest during our tour. Visiting the Big Wild Goose Pagoda isn’t just about seeing historical sites; it also offers warm moments with family and friends as we rest, drink water, and chat in the sweltering heat. The thousand-year-old pagoda stands quietly nearby, overlooking it all, imbuing this brief respite with the unique sense of leisure and warmth characteristic of a trip to an ancient city.
[Entrance to the Tower]

The interior of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The red wooden railings, stairs, and signs reading “Please Climb Gently” signal a shift from viewing the pagoda from the outside to experiencing it from the inside. Climbing the pagoda is not simply a matter of ascending a staircase; it is a step-by-step journey into history within the ancient pagoda.
The interior of the ancient pagoda is not particularly spacious, and the staircase is not as comfortable as those in modern buildings. Precisely because of this, the ascent takes on a sense of authenticity: with every step, you can feel the pagoda’s solid weight, and each floor feels like turning a page deep within history—a page whose paper may have yellowed, but whose words have never faded. As your pace slows, your mind grows still. Outside lies a bustling tourist area, yet inside the tower there is a sense of tranquility—one that brings to mind the concentration of Xuanzang as he translated Buddhist scriptures, as well as the echoes of a thousand years of history resonating here.

[Tower Exhibits and Models]

In this photo, you can see a model of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the exhibits on the wall. The model allows visitors to understand the ancient pagoda from a different perspective: from the outside, one sees its majestic silhouette; from the inside, one sees its structure, levels, and architectural style. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is not merely “tall”—it is tall yet stable, tall yet upright, and tall yet orderly.
The purpose of the exhibits inside the pagoda is to tell the story behind this ancient structure. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is closely linked to Xuanzang, the Great Xi’en Temple, the Silk Road, the translation of Buddhist scriptures, and Tang-dynasty Chang’an. It is not merely an isolated tourist attraction, but rather a vital node in the entire network of cultural exchange during the Tang Dynasty. After viewing the model and then looking back at the actual pagoda, one gains a deeper understanding: the pagoda’s value lies not only in its age, but also in the fact that it bears witness to how civilizations spread, were absorbed, and fused together.

[Climbing the Tower to Take in the View of Xi'an]

This photograph is truly spectacular. Standing atop the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and gazing out into the distance, one can take in the roads, squares, buildings, and distant mountains of Xi’an. Viewing the modern city from the top of this ancient pagoda is the best way to experience Xi’an’s unique character: beneath your feet lies a millennia-old pagoda, while before your eyes stretches a modern metropolis; on one side are the echoes of history from Tang Dynasty Chang’an, and on the other is the growth of today’s Xi’an.
Looking out from this vantage point, one cannot help but think: Chang’an, in its heyday, was once the focal point of the world’s attention. It was from here that Xuanzang set out westward along the Silk Road; and it was here that he returned from afar, bringing Buddhist scriptures, knowledge, and culture back to Chang’an. Today, as we climb the pagoda and gaze into the distance, we see wide roads and modern buildings, yet the sense of history remains: Xi’an is not a city stuck in the past, but one that brings history into the present.

[Impressions of the Xi'an City Wall]

This photo does not show the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, but rather a street scene near the Xi’an City Wall. The city wall, gate towers, red lanterns, and traffic all appear in the same frame, capturing the essence of Xi’an—where “modern life continues to flow beneath the ancient city walls.”

[Long-Distance View of the Xi'an Bell Tower]

This is the Xi'an Bell Tower, not the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Located in the heart of Xi'an, within the Ming Dynasty city walls at the intersection of the east-west and north-south traffic axes, the Bell Tower is another iconic landmark of the ancient city of Xi'an. While the Big Wild Goose Pagoda symbolizes Tang Dynasty Buddhist culture, the spirit of Xuanzang, and exchanges along the Silk Road, the Bell Tower symbolizes the urban order and daily life at the heart of the ancient city.
It’s a good idea to place the Bell Tower at the end of the article. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the City Wall, and the Bell Tower together form the collective memory of Xi’an: the pagoda represents the height of faith and culture; the wall, the depth of the ancient city’s history; and the bell tower, a sense of order at the city’s heart. With this conclusion, the article is no longer merely about a single pagoda, but extends from the Big Wild Goose Pagoda to capture the spirit of the entire ancient capital of Xi’an.

[Reflections]

A visit to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda is about more than just seeing a pagoda. It evokes the determination of Monk Xuanzang as he journeyed ten thousand li westward, and it allows one to sense the inclusive and open-minded spirit of Chang’an during the Tang Dynasty. Standing at the foot of the pagoda and gazing up at its tiered brick structure, one feels the weight of history; climbing to the top and looking down on modern-day Xi’an, one sees an ancient city continuing to thrive in the new era.
The Great Wild Goose Pagoda stands there quietly, like a silent witness. It has witnessed the eastward transmission of Buddhist scriptures, the cultural exchanges along the Silk Road, and Chang’an’s journey from the heyday of the Tang Dynasty to the present day. Bricks and stones may weather away, and dynasties may rise and fall, yet the pursuit of truth, the spirit of perseverance, and the openness and commitment to cultural heritage do not fade with the passage of time. It is precisely for this reason that the Big Wild Goose Pagoda belongs not only to Buddhism and the Tang Dynasty, but also to the collective memory of Chinese civilization as a whole.
As you step out of the Great Xi’en Temple and glance back at the silhouette of the pagoda, a special feeling wells up within you: Xi’an’s greatness lies not merely in the number of ancient sites it has preserved, but in the fact that these sites still inspire people today to pause, look up in awe, and bow their heads in contemplation. At the foot of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the shadow of Buddhism from a thousand years ago still lingers; the spirit of Chang’an continues to resonate between heaven and earth.