Xi'an: Morning at Daci'en Temple with a Vegetarian Lunch

Daci'en Temple was founded in 648 by the crown prince Li Zhi, later Emperor Gaozong, in memory of his mother, and it became the headquarters of the pilgrim Xuanzang after he returned from India in 645 with 657 Buddhist texts. He spent the rest of his life translating them here, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda was built in 652 to store them - which makes this the rare monument whose purpose was bibliographic.

The pagoda is 64.5 metres tall in seven storeys, brick-faced in a style that imitates timber, and it has been repaired repeatedly: the present form is Ming on a Tang core. Climbing it is optional and the stair is narrow. The vegetarian lunch is served in the refectory at a set time, plain and good, eaten in near silence with the resident community - and it is the part of the morning guests remember, more than the architecture.

• Founded in 648 by the crown prince Li Zhi, later Emperor Gaozong, in memory of his mother
• Xuanzang's headquarters after he returned from India in 645 with 657 texts
• The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652, 64.5 metres in seven storeys
• Brick-faced in a style that imitates timber; Ming repair on a Tang core
• The morning chanting, if you arrive early enough to sit at the back
• A plain vegetarian lunch in the refectory: rice, vegetables, tofu, soup
• The climb to the top of the pagoda, optional and narrow, for the view over Qujiang

• Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (vegetarian lunch in the temple refectory, eaten with the resident community)
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
• All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
• Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
• Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
• Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

• International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
• China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
• Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
• Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
• Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
• Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone
• The separate pagoda climb ticket, if taken (about CNY 30 at the gate)
• Incense or offerings, which are optional and bought on site

Published: October 2026 — prices and itinerary reviewed on this date; later updates are shown in the revision note below.

Please read the notes below before you book. This is an active temple: dress modestly, keep voices low in the halls, and do not photograph monks without asking.

Q: Is the vegetarian lunch open to non-Buddhists?
A: Yes. The refectory serves visitors at a set time each day, and the meal is included in your visit. It is plain food - rice, two or three vegetables, tofu, soup - eaten without much talking, and it finishes in about half an hour. Nobody will ask you to pray or to donate, and nobody will mind if you cannot finish.

Q: Do we have to climb the pagoda?
A: No, and about half our guests do not. The stair is narrow, the steps are steep and there is no lift; the reward is a view over the Qujiang district. The climb ticket is separate. If you are travelling with anyone with knee or heart problems, look at the pagoda from the courtyard instead, which is the better photograph anyway.

Q: What time is the morning chanting?
A: Early - usually around six, and it lasts about forty minutes. It is a working service rather than a performance, and visitors may sit at the back if dressed appropriately. We only include it if you specifically ask, because it means a five-thirty start and it is not everyone's idea of a holiday.

Q: Is this the same as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda north square?
A: The pagoda is the same building; the north square with the fountain and the Tang-style commercial street is outside the temple walls and free. Most visitors see the square and never enter the temple. We take you inside, where the halls, the monks and the refectory are, and leave the square for you to walk afterwards.

Q: Can we combine this with the Shaanxi History Museum?
A: Yes, they are ten minutes apart, and the usual shape is the temple in the morning and the museum after lunch. The museum needs three hours minimum and is closed on Mondays in most months. Book the museum slot early - it is free but timed, and the quota goes quickly in peak season.

Q: Is the temple wheelchair accessible?
A: The courtyards are flat and paved, with ramps at the main halls. The pagoda is not accessible. The refectory has one step at the entrance that two people can lift a chair over. Tell us in advance and we arrange help.

Q: Do I need a visa for this?
A: Most visitors do not. China's unilateral visa-free scheme covers 50 countries for stays up to 30 days, and 240-hour visa-free transit covers 57 nationalities through 65 designated ports. Check your nationality against the National Immigration Administration list before booking flights, since the scheme is revised periodically.