No. 39: Xingjiao Temple, Xi'an, Shaanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on October 15, 2012.)

Interior of a hall (殿) dedicted to Xuanzang (玄奘) at Xingjiao Temple (兴教寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi
(陕西, 西安市). The hall includes jade panels depicting his life, and shows him life-sized and
flanked by his chief disciples Kuiji (窥基) and Yuance (the Korean monk Woncheuk=圆测).

October 14, 2010 - Two-and-a-half months after leaving Jiangsu--and almost exactly two years ago as I write this--I arrived in the ancient capital of Xi'an for the second time as a pilgrim. This time, I would be traveling well beyond the city walls to more remote--and more interesting--temples.

My first stop was Xingjiao Temple, about 20 kilometers southeast of the walled city. Located on a small plateau, at the time of my October, 2010, visit, the overwhelming impression was of corn drying everywhere.

No. 17: Daci'en Temple,Xi'an, Shaanxi

(This article was published in the Shenzhen Daily on April 23, 2012.)

The Great Goose Pagoda (大雁塔) at Daci'en Temple (大慈恩寺), Xi'an, Shaanxi (陕西, 西安市). It
was built to hold items brought back from ancient India (天竺) by the monk Xuanzang (玄奘).

September 1, 2009 - After a great vegetarian lunch at Daxingshan Temple, my wife Lila and I took local buses to Daci'en, the Temple of Great Compassion. It's the home of Xi'an's Number One symbol, the Dayan Ta or "Giant Wild Goose Pagoda."