Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, Xian (must see)

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, also known as the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, is a Buddhist tower situated in the southern part of Xi'an. Its construction dates back to the year 652 during the Tang Dynasty. Originally, it had five stories, but it underwent a reconstruction in 704 under the rule of Empress Wu Zetian. During the Ming Dynasty, the exterior brick facade of the pagoda was also refurbished.

One of the primary purposes of this pagoda was to house sacred sutras and Buddha figurines that were brought to China from India by a Buddhist scholar and traveler named Xuanzang. The initial pagoda was built during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, and it stood at a height of 54 meters (177 feet). However, this structure, made of rammed earth with a stone outer layer, eventually collapsed after five decades.

Empress Wu Zetian oversaw the reconstruction of the pagoda and added an additional five stories to it by 704. Unfortunately, a massive earthquake in 1556 caused significant damage to the pagoda, reducing it by three stories to its current height of seven stories. Notably, the entire pagoda tilts noticeably to the west. There is another related structure, the Small Wild Goose Pagoda from the 8th century in Xi'an, which suffered only minor damage in the 1556 earthquake and remains unrepaired to this day.

During the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), extensive repairs were carried out on the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, and it underwent another renovation in 1964. Presently, the pagoda stands at a height of 64 meters (210 feet), providing panoramic views of the modern city of Xi'an from its top. A statue of the monk Xuanzang is prominently displayed in front of the temple area.