The Big Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area is located within the Da Ci'en Temple in Yanta District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a key national cultural relic protection unit. Centered around Da Ci'en Temple, the scenic area covers approximately 650,000 square meters and includes the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, North and South Squares, and east-west pedestrian streets. The pagoda stands at 64.517 meters in height with a base side length of 25.5 meters, a seven-story square pavilion-style brick tower and the earliest and largest existing Tang Dynasty pavilion-style brick tower in China. The scenic area integrates Buddhist culture, Tang Dynasty architectural art, and modern leisure landscapes, featuring a profound historical heritage and spectacular fountain square light shows.
History and Culture
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was first built in 652 AD (Yonghui 3rd year of the Tang Dynasty) under the auspices of Monk Xuanzang to preserve Buddhist scriptures. It initially had five stories and was later renovated to seven stories through multiple repairs. Da Ci'en Temple, the most famous Buddhist temple in Tang Chang'an, was built by Prince Li Zhi to commemorate his mother, Empress Wende. Xuanzang translated scriptures and propagated Buddhism here, making it the ancestral court of the Faxiang Sect.
Tang Dynasty poets such as Cen Shen and Du Fu climbed the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and left behind poems, such as Cen Shen's *Climbing the Ci'en Temple Pagoda with Gao Shi and Xue Ju*. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the pagoda underwent a major renovation, forming its current pavilion-style brick tower structure. In 1961, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was listed as one of the first batch of national key cultural relic protection units by the State Council; in 2014, it was inscribed on the World Heritage List as part of the "Silk Road: Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor" heritage sites.
Main Attractions
Big Wild Goose Pagoda
The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a seven-story brick-and-stone structure with a total height of 64.5 meters and a base side length of 25.5 meters. Each floor of the pagoda has arched doorways, and the south gate on the first floor is embedded with stele inscriptions of *The Preface to the Sacred Teachings of the Great Tang Tripitaka* and *The Record of the Preface to the Sacred Teachings* written by Chu Suiliang, a calligrapher of the Tang Dynasty. Wooden ladders inside the pagoda allow visitors to climb to the top floor and overlook the scenery of southern Xi'an.
Da Ci'en Temple
The temple covers an area of approximately 33,333 square meters, with buildings along the central axis including the Mountain Gate, Bell and Drum Towers, Main Hall, Dharma Hall, and Big Wild Goose Pagoda. The temple preserves Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statues, Qing Dynasty architectures, and a large number of Buddhist cultural relics, among which the statue of Monk Xuanzang on the first floor of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was sculpted in the Ming Dynasty.
North Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Asia's largest fountain square, covering an area of about 166,000 square meters, consists of water feature fountains, cultural squares, and garden landscapes. The main fountain area has 1,360 nozzles, with daily timed music fountain performances, and the largest water curtain reaches a height of 60 meters.
South Square of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Centered around the sculpture of Xuanzang on his journey to obtain scriptures, it covers an area of approximately 35,000 square meters. Surrounding it are the Shaanxi Folk Custom Grand View Garden and Opera Grand View Garden, showcasing Shaanxi folk cultures such as paper-cutting, shadow puppetry, and Qinqiang Opera.
Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City
Located on the east side of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, it is a commercial pedestrian street measuring 1,500 meters in length and 480 meters in width, integrating the display of prosperous Tang Dynasty culture and night tour experiences. The street features sculpture groups, light shows, and intangible cultural heritage performances, with a daily average foot traffic of over 100,000 people.
Food
Shaanxi Cold Noodles (Liangpi)
Made from wheat or rice, paired with bean sprouts and cucumber shreds, and drizzled with chili oil, vinegar, and other seasonings. Each serving at the "Wei's Liangpi" branch within the scenic area costs approximately 12 RMB, offering a sour, spicy, and refreshing taste, ideal for summer consumption.
Chinese Hamburger (Roujiamo)
Baiji bread stuffed with marinated juicy pork, with the bread being crispy and the meat tender. It is recommended to try "Fan's Marinated Juicy Pork in Baiji Bread" outside the scenic area, founded in 1925. Each serving costs about 15 RMB, and pairing it with Bingfeng soda enhances the local flavor.
Mutton Stew with Bread (Yangrou Paomo)
Hand-crumbled unleavened bread stewed in mutton soup, with a rich broth. "Laosunjia Restaurant" (Big Wild Goose Pagoda branch), a century-old brand, offers regular paomo at approximately 48 RMB per serving, which can be paired with pickled garlic to reduce greasiness.
Artisanal Goat Milk Ice Cream (Binglao)
A signature snack of Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City, made from goat milk with added nut crumbs and fruit bits, offering a smooth and dense texture. Each serving at "Shaanxi 13th Ice Cream" costs about 25 RMB, with recommended creative flavors such as fermented glutinous rice and chili oil.
Tickets
Admission to Da Ci'en Temple (including pagoda climb): 50 RMB/person. Additional fee for pagoda climb: 30 RMB/person.
Free admission for seniors aged 65+, persons with disabilities, and active-duty military personnel with valid credentials; free for children under 1.2 meters; 50% discount for full-time undergraduate students and below with student ID (not applicable to postgraduates and above). The music fountain and Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City are free to enter.
Opening Hours
Da Ci'en Temple: 8:00–17:30 (last entry at 17:00);
Big Wild Goose Pagoda climb: 8:00–18:00;
Music fountain show times:
Monday to Friday: 12:00, 20:00 (each show approx. 20 minutes);
Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays: 12:00, 16:00, 18:00, 20:00.
Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City: Open 24 hours (light show 20:00–22:00).
Tour Routes
Classic route: Da Ci'en Temple Mountain Gate → Bell and Drum Towers → Main Hall → Dharma Hall → Big Wild Goose Pagoda (climb the pagoda) → North Square music fountain (12:00 session) → lunch at pedestrian street → South Square Xuanzang sculpture → Shaanxi Folk Custom Grand View Garden → Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City (visit in the evening to watch light shows). The entire journey takes approximately 5–6 hours, and can be extended to 7 hours for in-depth folk culture experience.
Transportation
- Metro: Take Metro Line 3 or 4 to "Big Wild Goose Pagoda" Station, exit from Gate C to reach the North Square.
- Bus: Take buses 22, 23, 24, 609, etc., to "North Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda" Station, or buses 5, 21, 22, etc., to "South Square of Big Wild Goose Pagoda" Station.
- Self-driving: Enter via Qujiang Exit of Xi'an Ring Expressway, follow Cien Road to the scenic area. Parking fee: approximately 10 RMB/hour, capped at 50 RMB/day.
Must-See Attractions
- Big Wild Goose Pagoda: Climb the pagoda to overlook Xi'an, visit Tang Dynasty stele inscriptions, and experience the history of Xuanzang's journey to obtain scriptures (30 RMB for climbing, recommended to visit in the morning to avoid crowds).
- Music Fountain: Asia's largest water feature performance, combined with night light shows. The best viewing position is the middle section of the North Square (arrive 30 minutes early to secure a spot).
- Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City: Experience the night scenery of the prosperous Tang Dynasty and watch the "Floating Omelette" performances and light sculptures. The recommended visiting time is from 19:00 to 22:00.
Tour Tips
- Priority to visit Da Ci'en Temple and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the morning, rest at the pedestrian street in the afternoon, and focus on fountain and night view in the evening.
- Pay attention to safety when climbing the pagoda; the stairs inside are narrow, so move slowly. In summer, the pagoda offers no shade, so apply sunscreen.
- During peak seasons, the music fountain area is highly crowded. Consider dining at nearby North Square restaurants in advance to secure a viewing spot.
- The performance times in Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City are not fixed. You can follow the official public account to get information about the show schedules of performances such as "Floating Omelette" and "Mysterious Box of Prosperous Tang".
Notes
- Smoking and loud noise are prohibited in Da Ci'en Temple. Respect religious rituals and do not randomly photograph monks.
- Dangerous items are forbidden when climbing the pagoda. Do not touch cultural relics inside, and refrain from using flash photography.
- The ground in the music fountain area is slippery. Children must be accompanied by parents, and avoid approaching the fountain pool.
- Tang Dynasty Ever-bright City is extremely crowded on weekends and holidays. Keep personal belongings safe and consider off-peak visits.
- Catering prices inside the scenic area are relatively high. You can walk to Yanta West Road or Cuihua Road to taste local snacks, such as "Ziwu Road Zhang's Roujiamo."