China Cultural Chronicles July 12, 2012

• IMG_4384

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4383

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4382

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4381

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4380

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4379

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4378

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4377

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4376

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4375

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4374

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4373

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4372

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4371

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4370

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4369

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4368

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• IMG_4367

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.

• Front Cover

  koknor has added a photo to the pool:

  

  Xingjiao Temple (Chinese: 兴教寺; Pinyin: Xīngjiào Sì) is located in Shaoling Yuan,Chang'an District of Xi'an City. The five-storied Buddhist relic pagoda, preserving the relics of Xuanzang, is inside the temple, along with the pagodas of his disciples, Kuiji and Yuance.
  
  Xingjiao Temple was built in AD 669 to re-inhume Xuanzang and was one of eight famed temples in Fanchuan in Tang Dynasty.
  
  Although the original Tang Dynasty stone pagoda is still standing, the temple was burnt to the ground at Tongzhi years in Qing Dynasty. It was rebuilt during the period of the Republic of China.
  Xuanzang (Chinese: 玄奘; pinyin: Xuánzàng; Wade–Giles: Hsüan-tsang Sanskrit: ह्वेनसांग) (c. 596 or 602 – 664) was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period. Born in Henan province of China in 596 (or, 602 or 603), from boyhood he took to reading sacred books, including the Chinese Classics and the writings of the ancient sages.
  
  Xuanzang is also known as Táng-sānzàng (唐三藏), Xuánzàng Sānzàng (玄奘三藏), Xuánzàng Dàshī (玄奘大師), or simply as Táng Sēng (唐僧), or Tang (Dynasty) Monk in Mandarin; in Cantonese as Tong Sam Jong and in Vietnamese as Đường Tam Tạng. Less common romanizations of Xuanzang include Hhuen Kwan, Hiouen Thsang, Hiuen Tsiang, Hsien-tsang, Hsyan-tsang, Hsuan Chwang, Hsuan Tsiang, Hwen Thsang, Xuan Cang, Xuan Zang, Shuen Shang, Yuan Chang, Yuan Chwang, and Yuen Chwang. Hsüan, Hüan, Huan and Chuang are also found. In Korean, he is known as Hyeon Jang. In Japanese, he is known as Genjō, or Genjō-sanzō (Xuanzang-sanzang). In Vietnamese, he is known as Đường Tăng (Tang Buddhist monk), Đường Tam Tạng ("Tang Tripitaka" monk), Huyền Trang (the Han-Vietnamese name of Xuanzang)
  
  Sānzàng (三藏) is the Chinese term for the Tripitaka scriptures, and in some English-language fiction he is addressed with this title.
  While residing in the city of Luoyang, Xuanzang entered Buddhist monkhood at the age of thirteen. Due to the political and social unrest caused by the fall of the Sui Dynasty, he went to Chengdu in Sichuan, where he was ordained at the age of twenty. He later traveled throughout China in search of sacred books of Buddhism. At length, he came to Chang'an, then under the peaceful rule of Emperor Taizong of Tang. Here Xuanzang developed the desire to visit India. He knew about Faxian's visit to India and, like him, was concerned about the incomplete and misinterpreted nature of the Buddhist scriptures that had reached China.
  
  He became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India, which is recorded in detail in the classic Chinese text Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, which in turn provided the inspiration for the popular epic novel Journey to the West.
  
  Xuanzang's work, the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, is the longest and most detailed account of the countries of Central and South Asia that has been bestowed upon posterity by a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim. While his main purpose was to obtain Buddhist books and to receive instruction on Buddhism while in India, he ended up doing much more. He has preserved the records of political and social aspects of the lands he visited.
  
  A skull relic purported to be that of Xuanzang was held in the Temple of Great Compassion, Tianjin until 1956 when it was taken to Nalanda - allegedly by the Dalai Lama - and presented to India. The relic is now in the Patna museum. The Wenshu Monastery in Chengdu, Sichuan Province also claims to have part of Xuanzang's skull.
  
  Part of Xuanzang's remains were taken from Nanjing by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army in 1942, and are now enshrined at Yakushi-ji in Nara, Japan.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xingjiao; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuanzang
  _____________________ ________________________________________ _____
  During our visit on 11 July 2012, we hired a taxi from near the Xi'an International Studies University XISU on Shida Road. We paid the driver 120RMB to go to the temple and back to XISU. The car trip took about 30-40 minutes each way. We were charged 10RMB for a ticket at the temple. Immediately upon purchasing the ticket, we were led into a room and offered what was represented to be a rubbing of a stele featuring an image of Xuanzang for 400RMB. We paid 50RMB for it. We were also offered a book, the pages of which are scanned and appear in this collection. We were told it cost 50RMB. We bargained and bought it for 30RMB. If you visit, we advise you to bargain hard and get both the book and 'rubbing' for 50RMB. There was about 20 workers making renvations and new buildings at the temple site. We arrived at about 10 a.m. and during our 1 hour stay, saw only one other small group of tourists. The road to the temple is under repair. When finished, perhaps the temple will be a more visited tourist site. We enjoyed our visit. It was pleasant to be in the countryside where the temple is located. We would have liked to have stayed longer.