Qinglong monastery, (in) Xi'an, Shaanxi, CN

Raw data

"Famous Qinglong Temple in Xian - Seiryuji Description:
'Temple of good potential for post, boarding the value of the setting sun. Aoyama when the temples, monks Gallery full of leaves … …' This is a Tang Dynasty poet Zhu Qingyu, "title Seiryuji, "the poem's famous masterpiece.
Furnace is located in the southern suburbs of Xi'an Seiryuji damiaocun North East Yueyou Yuan, and about 3 km away from the city, is the prestigious Abbey. Founded in Emperor Wen Yang Jian Kai Huang years (AD 52), the original name inspired by Temple, Tang Jinglong years (AD 711) changed its name to Seiryuji. Seiryuji is one of the famous Tang Dynasty Buddhist temples, reached its peak in the 9th century, it is the birthplace of Japanese Shingon Buddhism, the Holy Temple in the Japanese mind. "
http://www.onlinechinatours.com/feedback/famous-qinglong-temple--in-xian.html

"Qinglong Temple in Xi'an: One of the Most Famous Temples of the Tang Dynasty - Green Dragon Temple is a famous Buddhist Temple from the Tang Dynasty (618-907). When it was built in 582, it was called Linggan Temple (Temple of Inspiration) and then renamed to its present one in 711. When Buddhism was prevalent during the Tang Dynasty, some Japanese monks were sent to China to study Buddhism. Six of them studied at Green Dragon Temple, and this led to a flourishing period of the temple in the ninth century.
Kukai, the most learned of the six monks, made great progress in learning Buddhist sutras, Sanskrit, poems and Chinese calligraphy. After his return to Japan in 806, he advocated the building of a Vagra Temple (Vagra means Buddhist Warrior Attendant) and founded the Zhenyan Sect (the True Word Sect) [= Shingon]. He is highly honored by both Japanese and Chinese, and in 1982 Kukai Monument was constructed inside the Green Dragon Temple.
For uncertain reasons the Green Dragon Temple which had no fortune, like other ancient temples was destroyed. This was perhaps during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). The present temple was reconstructed in 1963."
http://scenery.cultural-china.com/en/128Scenery10631.html

Input by: tmciolek, Oct 22, 2012

“The Small Wild Goose Pagoda Scenic Area is located in the southern suburb of Xian, about 2 kilometers to the south of the City Wall. Covering an area of 16.3 hectares (40.4 acres), it mainly consists of the Xian Museum, the ancient Jianfu Temple built in the year 684 A.D during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the famous Small Wild Goose Pagoda. 
[…] The Small Wild Goose Pagoda was built in the year 707 A.D during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). As it is newer and smaller than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda the name was given to distinguish the two.” - http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/daxingshan.htm
Input by: tmciolek, Feb 26, 2013

"Green Dragon Temple is a famous Buddhist Temple from the Tang Dynasty (618-907). When it was built in 582, it was called Linggan Temple (Temple of Inspiration) and then renamed to its present one in 711. When Buddhism was prevalent during the Tang Dynasty, some Japanese monks were sent to China to study Buddhism. Six of them studied at Green Dragon Temple, and this led to a flourishing period of the temple in the ninth century. Kukai, the most learned of the six monks, made great progress in learning Buddhist sutras, Sanskrit, poems and Chinese calligraphy." - http://community.globaltimes.cn/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=4992
Input by: tmciolek, 14 Aug 2014

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 14 Aug 2014

Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.

Location of Qinglong monastery, CN

General location of the Qinglong monastery, CN.
Lat 34.2342 Lat 108.9831
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2012.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.2342+108.9831+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Qinglong%20monastery,%20CN)&ll=34.2342,108.9831&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en


Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name


2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • China:Shaanxi Sheng

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names


4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 34.2342 Lat 108.9831 - based on visual identification of the site in satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 24 Oct 2012.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries


6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village


7. The settlement's alternative/historical names


8. The settlement's coordinates


9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition


10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition

  • Tantric Buddhism - Ch'en (1964:336), Dessein (2003)

11. Date-early

MBM chrono-tag 0567-99c - tmciolek 09 Jul 2014
0567-99c 0533-66c 0567-99c 0600-32c 0633-66c 0667-99c 0700-32c 0733-66c 0767-99c 0800-32c 0833-66c 0867-99c 0900-32c 0933-66c 0967-99c 1000-32p dated-el


12. Date-intermediate

MBM chrono-tag 0800-32c - tmciolek 09 Jul 2014


13. Date-late

MBM chrono-tag 1000-32p - tmciolek 09 Jul 2014


14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

“The Daxingshan Monastery was one of the two main temples of Tantric Buddhism in 8th century China, the other one being the Qinglong Monastery. See also Ch'en (1973, p. 336 [= 1964:336 - tmciolek])" - Dessein (2003).

  • "Japanese monks in China during the T'ang Dynasty often stayed and studied in this temple, which they regarded as the Nalanda of China. In all probability it was better known in Japan than in China." Ch'en (1964:336)
  • A place of religious studies of Kukai and five other Japanese monks for a few years before 806 AD - http://scenery.cultural-china.com/en/128Scenery10631.html
  • Links with Kimiidera monastery in Japan

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • [missing data]

16. Additional notes

  • [missing data] (incl. details of the size of the monastic population)

17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by

  • [missing data]

18. Available Printed Literature

  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 1]
  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 2]
  • [bibliographical details of the Book/Article 3]

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