Xiangji Temple lies in the countryside south of Xi'an, near the old road to the Qinling foothills. It was founded in 681, during the Tang dynasty, in honour of the monk Shandao, a leading figure in the spread of Pure Land Buddhism, the tradition that centres on faith in Amitabha Buddha and the promise of rebirth in the Western Paradise. It remains one of the most important Pure Land sites in the country.
The pagoda
The oldest structure on the site is a brick pagoda of thirteen storeys, built shortly after Shandao's death and dedicated to him. It is a clean, plain, well-proportioned building in the Tang manner, with no applied ornament beyond the brickwork and the arched niches, and it is one of the relatively few Tang pagodas still standing. Its survival through more than thirteen centuries of earthquakes and wars is the reason the temple is visited by pilgrims as well as sightseers.
A working monastery
Xiangji is not a museum. It has a resident monastic community, and daily services take place in the halls, with chanting in the morning and evening. Visitors may watch from the side of the halls but should not walk through a service in progress, and should avoid photographing people at prayer. The main halls, rebuilt in later dynasties, contain images of Amitabha, Guanyin and other figures in the Pure Land pantheon, alongside inscriptions and stone tablets recording the temple's history and its restorations.
The atmosphere and the grounds
The setting is part of the appeal. The temple stands among fields and orchards away from the city, and the approach is quiet. In the courtyards there are old trees and stone lions, and the temple runs a vegetarian kitchen. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons; summer is hot with little shade on the approach road, and winter is cold and bare. Because there is no commercial development around it, Xiangji feels markedly different from the temple sites inside Xi'an.
Getting there
Xiangji Temple is about fifteen kilometres south of the city centre and is most easily reached by car or taxi, taking around forty minutes. Public transport involves a bus to the Chang'an district and a walk, which is slower but possible. There is a modest entrance fee. Allow an hour on site. It can be combined with a drive into the Qinling foothills or with a visit to the nearby Tang-dynasty sites.
