Xiangji monastery, (near) Xi'an, Shaanxi, CN

Raw data

"Xiangji Temple is situated in Chang'an County, about 17.5 kilometers (12 miles) to the south of Xian City. It was built in honor of the noted Buddhist monk Shandao, one of the initiators of a branch of Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, by his disciple Huai Yun after his master's death. Huai Yun named the temple 'xiangji', heaped fragrance, to suggest his master was holy as the Xiangji Buddha, an ancient Indian Buddha. Many Pure Land Buddhists, who believe in the purification of the soul through faith, began conducting activities at the temple, which led to it being considered the center and cradle of the Pure Land sect.
Two pagodas stand in Xiangji Temple. The larger pagoda, named Shandao Pagoda, is 33 meters (108 feet) tall, and was built in 680, during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The top two stories of the pagoda have worn away during its 1300 years of history, leaving a remaining eleven stories. Its flank is stenciled with exquisitely engraved half-naked Buddha and strong pieces of script. To the east stands the pagoda's smaller counterpart, a brick pagoda built to commemorate another of Shandao's pious disciples, Jingye. […] The renowned landscape poet Wang Wei of the Tang Dynasty visited the Temple and composed a poem to praise its charms.
The Xiangji Temple had its heyday during the Tang Dynasty. Emperors like Gaozong and Zhongzong, and the Empress Wu Zetian all visited the site and had cults started in their honor."
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/xiangji_temple.htm
Input by: tmciolek, Oct 24, 2012

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 24 Feb 2013

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 Xiangji monastery, CN.

General location of the Xiangji monastery, CN.
Lat 34.12348 Long 108.88826
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2009.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.12348+108.88826+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Xiangji%20monastery,%20CN)&ll=34.12348,108.88826&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

  • Hsiangchi - Porter (1993:x-xi)

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx., Lat 34.12348 Long 108.88826 - visual identification of the site in satellite imagery and maps, maps.google.com. (Note maps are not in "sync" with the satellite photographs, and seem to be shifted about 400 m SE of the corresponding feature in the photographs) - tmciolek, 24 Oct 2012.

5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries

  • [missing data]

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

  • Mahayana

10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition


11. Date-early

  • MBM chrono-tag: 0667-99c - tmciolek 13 Dec 2012
  • 0667-99c 0700-32c 0733-66c 0767-99c 0800-32c 0833-66c 0867-99c 0900-32c 0933-66c 0967-99c 1000-32c 1033-66c 1067-99c 1100-32c 1133-66c 1167-99c 1200=> dated-el

12. Date-intermediate

  • [missing data]

13. Date-late

  • MBM chrono-tag: 1200=> - tmciolek 27 Oct 2012

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

  • [missing data]

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]

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