Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Basic Facts of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Chinese Name: 小雁塔 Pronunciation: xiǎo yàn tǎ

Building Time: 707

Best Visiting Season: All seasons

Suggested Visiting Hours: 1 Hour

Address: No.72 Youyi West Road, Beilin District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province

Building Function: In order to facilitate the storage of Buddhist scriptures and Buddha figures brought back from India, Monk Yijing of the Tang Dynasty requested the construction of this Pagoda.

Admission Ticket Fare

Opening Hours

• Tips: The museum is closed every Tuesday (except bank holidays) and the Eve of Chinese New Year. The other days are open.

Brief Introduction of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built during the Jinglong Period of the Tang Dynasty. Together with the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, it is an important symbol of Chang'an City in the Tang Dynasty. Besides, the Morning Bell of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda was known as one of the “Top Eight Scenes of Chang’an” since ancient times.

Development of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda

In 707, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built in the reign of Emperor Jinglong. It was built to store Buddhist scriptures and Buddha figures that were brought back from Tianzhu (ancient India) by Yijing Monk. In the Tang Dynasty, the pagoda was a part of the Jianfu Temple. However, it was not in the Jianfu Temple but stood on its opposite gate. At the end of the Tang Dynasty, the Jianfu Temple was destroyed. Only the Small Wild Goose Pagoda was kept in good condition then.
 

In 1487, a great earthquake occurred in Shaanxi. At that time, a 0.33-meter (1.1 feet) crack appeared on the body of the Small Wide Goose Pagoda. However, because of another earthquake in 1521, the crack disappeared and the two parts apart combined. People were so amazed about it, so they called it “Amazing Combination”. After 1949, people found that the “Amazing Combination” is due to the solid base structure of the Pagoda.

Top Highlights to See at the Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Small Wild Goose Pagoda

The Pagoda

The Small Wild Goose Pagoda is a pagoda of the brick structure. It is composed of an underground palace, base, body, eaves, and so on. The interior of the Pagoda is a hollow structure, with wooden ladders hovering up to the top of the Pagoda. It originally had 15 stories and was about 45 meters high. Because of the great earthquake in 1487, the top two stories of the pagoda were destroyed, so there are 13 stories now with a total height of 43.395 meters.
 

Compared with Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda is much quieter and has a unique charm in the ancient city of Xi’an.
 

The Bell Building

Morning Bell

In the Qing Dynasty, the monks in the Jianfu Temple would strike the bell regularly every morning. The melodious bell over the ancient city of Xi'an can be heard within dozens of miles. The bell is clear and the pagoda shadow is beautiful, which makes Xi’an a city with special charms. Moreover, ancient Morning Bell in the Small Wild Goose Pagoda was listed as one of the "Top Eight Scenic Spots in Chang’an".

Ways to Get to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda

By Bus

Take bus No. 713, 700, 618, 521, 410, 407, 258, 229, 224, 218, 204, 203, 40, 32, 29, 21, or 18, and get off at Xiaoyanta (Small Wild Goose Pagoda) Station.
 

Take bus No. 18, 203, 204, 218, 258, 407, 410, or 713 and get off at the Xiajiazhuang Station.

By Subway

Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Nanshaomen Station.

By Taxi

Chinese: 请带我去小雁塔。English: Please take me to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

Chinese: 请带我去荐福寺。English: Please take me to the Jianfu Temple.

Chinese: 请带我去小雁塔的西门。English: Please take me to the West Gate of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

Chinese: 请带我去小雁塔的北门。English: Please take me to the North Gate of the Small Wild Goose Pagoda.

If you go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from the Xianyang International airport, it takes about 80 minutes (about 110 yuan).

If you go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from the Xi’an Railway Station, it takes about 20 minutes (about 20 yuan).

If you go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from Xi’an North Railway Station, it takes about 1 hour (about 60 yuan).

If you go to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from the center of Xi’an (Xi’an Bell Tower), it takes about 10 minutes (about 10 yuan).

The Green Shade of Trees

authorName23242: Yuegui Huang

Date: 07/11/2020

Email: info@chinatourstar.com

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