Xian Regency Holiday Famen temple

Famen temple

SIGHT & ATTRACTIONS

Sights outside Xi’an

THE HUA QING POOL

EMPEROR QIN SHIHUANG’S MAUSOLEUM

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS AND HORSES MUSEUM

POTTERY FIGURES UNEARTHED IN YANGLING MAUSOLEUM

QIANLING MAUSOLEUM

FAMEN TEMPLE

--real finger bones of Sakyamuni--

--Famen Temple--

　Imagine you are on the ancient Silk Road west of Xi’an some 120 kilometers (74 miles) and stopping north of Fufeng. Today the 13-tiered octagonal brick pagoda in a Ming-style tower and the three-storey museum built in the Tang style will appeal to both Buddhists and travelers. The world famous Famen Temple is a must visit on your journey.

　Visitors to the exhibitions in the Famen Temple Museum will gain a deeper appreciation of the Buddhist culture in ancient China, the religious importance, and follow the splendid history of the Famen Temple. Walking around the temple, the visitors will enjoy the beauty of the Famen Temple.

　As Buddhism was being introduced into China, the followers first erected the Ashoka Stupa. The ancient Indian Buddhist King Asoka awarded an authenticated finger bone of Gautama Buddha (Sakyamuni), the founder of Buddhism. In 67 AD during the Eastern Han Dynasty, a wooden four-storey structure was built and it was called Ashoka Temple. According to historical records, it collapsed between 1567 and 1572 in the Ming Dynasty. In 1579, the pagoda was rebuilt as a thirteen-storey brick octagonal pagoda more than sixty meters high. In 631, Emperor Tai Zong (Li Shimin) issued a decree to renovate the temple, and made it subject to none but the imperial court. The Famen Temple underwent other changes during succeeding dynasties of the Song, Ming, and Qing.

　In 1982, after heavy rains the pagoda’s foundation subsided and cracked, and more than half the pagoda collapsed. During preparatory repairs to the Famen Temple Pagoda foundations in 1986, sealed for 1000 years an underground palace vault was accidentally discovered beneath the pagoda. During the excavation process, a large quantity of precious and invaluable treasures of the Tang Dynasty and valuable Buddhist relics were discovered.

At present, the Famen Temple has not only been restored to its original state, but has also been expanded on an even grander scale and has become a sacred place for Buddhism. Famen Temple is indeed a bright gem in the treasure house of Chinese history and culture.


	Tel.:0086-29-86690058.85393283.85392885.85395069 Fax:0086-29-85257619 Postcode:710061 E-mallL:xian@regencyholiday.com Add:No.52 Xiaozhai East Road,Xi’an,China.