Daxingshan Temple, Xian

The Daxingshan Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in China. The present structure is the result of large scale restorations in the 20th century.

The Daxingshan Temple was built during the reign of the Western Jin Dynasty. It gained importance during the reign of the Sui and Tang Dynasties when Buddhism was the state religion. Many Indian Buddhist monks came to the city to translate texts and to spread their religion among the locals. It became one of three temples in China dedicated solely to the translation of Buddhist texts. The teachings were passed on to the Mizong Buddhist sect and the temple became the birthplace of the sect. Most of the original buildings were destroyed between 841 and 845. The present structure was restored between 1955 and 1983.

The interiors of the Daxingshan Temple today have many Qing Dynasty features. There is a Mountain Gate, a Devaraja Hall flanked by the figures of the four heavenly kings, the Mahavira Hall, the Bell and Drum Towers and the Kwan Yin Palace. A wooden statue of Maitreya Buddha stands in the center of the Devaraja Hall. The Kwan Yin Palace has a sandalwood statue of Kwan Yin with a thousand hands. The temple is an active one and worshippers throng the building during Buddhist festivals. The area around the temple has been converted into a small tranquil park.