Xingjiao Temple

From Wiki China org cn

The Xingjiao Temple (Temple for Promoting Buddhism) was founded in 669 (2nd year of the Zongzhang reign, Tang Dynasty) on the Shaoling Tableland 20 km from Xi'an, when Emperor Gaozong had the tomb of Xuanzang moved there and a temple and a pagoda built in memory of this great Buddhist master. He named it the "Great Tang Temple for Protecting the Country and Promoting Buddhism." During his reign, Emperor Xiaozong of the Tang Dynasty inscribed a horizontal board with the two Chinese characters xing jiao, meaning "promoting Buddhism," and endowed this on the temple. However, the temple fell into disrepair 100 years later. The temple was restored in 828 (2nd year of the Taihe reign, Tang Dynasty), fell into dilapidation during the war-torn Tongzhi reign (1862-1874) of the Qing Dynasty, and was rebuilt in 1922 (11th year of the Republic). After 1949, the People's Government had the temple repaired on two occasions, enabling it to emerge as one of the major Buddhist sanctuaries in this country.

The complex of the temple contains a front gate hall, bell and drum towers, a Mahavira Hall, a preaching hall, a meditation chamber, and monks' dormitories. Standing in front of it are three pagodas. The Xuanzang Pagoda in the center of the cluster is a 13-meter-high, five-floor structure with a statue of Xuanzang enshrined on the ground floor. The two flanking pagodas, both being five meters in height, are dedicated to Xuanzang's two famous disciples, Kuiji and Yuance. The temple is in possession of more than 10,000 volumes of Buddhist canons, and many other precious cultural artifacts. A series of stone tablets in it are inscribed with the full text of the Diamond Sutra.