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

Raw data

"Xingjiao Temple is situated at Chang'an County in the south of Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province, and is one of Fanchuan Region's Big Eight Temples in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Bone relics of Xuanzang, an accomplished monk in the same dynasty, were buried here. 
After Xuanzang passed away, his remains were buried on the Bailuyuan in the eastern suburb of Xi'an City. In the second year (669) of the Gaozong reign of the Tang Dynasty, his remains were moved hereto, and a dagoba was built to commemorate his contributions. Afterwards when Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty paid a visit here, he inscribed two characters:Xing Jiao (booming Buddhism) on this temple, hence the name Xingjiao Temple. 
Xuanzang (620-664), […] came back to Chang'an City in 645, and then began to translate Buddhist Scriptures in three temples including Daci'en Temple successively. […]
Xingjiao Temple consists of West Yard and East Yard. Three-square pagodas stand in the West Yard, and the middle one is just the famous Xuanzang Dagoba, which is the oldest brick-built pagoda extant in China. A stone stele at the bottom of this pagoda records Xuanzang's life story, and a colorful clay statue of Xuanzang is enshrined in the brick hole on the ground floor hereof. The other two in the east and west are dagobas for Xuanzang's two disciples. The East Yard is the Sutra Hall in which thousands upon thousands of ancient scriptures of different editions are treasured up. Among them, Beiye (leaf of a kind of palm) Scripture, obtained by Xuanzang from India, is deemed unique treasure.”
http://www1.chinaculture.org/library/2008-02/04/content_25324.htm
Input by: tmciolek, Feb 24, 2013

"[… Similarly to] Da Ci'en Temple, Temple of Flourishing Teaching and Xuanzang are in very close relationship. Xuanzang translated lections in Da Ci'en Temple when he was alive, after his death, Temple of Flourishing Teaching was built up in 669 for his ashes.
[…] Temple of Flourishing Teaching is located on Shaoling Plateau, Chang'an District, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) southeast of Xian. It is one of the Eight Great Temples of ancient Fanchuan (a town in south of Xian). Emperor Suzong of the Tang Dynasty wrote for the temple, Xing Jiao (Flourishing Teaching) on the stupa which means that Buddhism would flourish by inheriting Xuanzang's achievement.
The temple was divided into three courtyards, Front Courtyard, East Courtyard and West Courtyard.[…]
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/shaanxi/xian/teaching_temple.htm

“Temple of Flourishing Teaching (Xingjiao Si)
Located 20 km south of Xian City, beside the Shaoling Plateau, the Temple of Flourishing Teaching is one of the most important Chinese Buddhist temples because of the Xuanzang Pagoda inside. Xuanzang, the famous hierarch in Chinese history, traveled to India along the ancient Silk Road and learned Buddhism there. When he came back to Chang'an (now it is called Xian), he translated many sutras which he brought back to the Da Ci'en Temple, Yuhua Palace and Hongfu Temple. Xuanzang passed away in 664 and was buried in the White Deer Plateau, to the east of Xian City. In 669, he was moved to the current location situated in a pagoda. Later, the Temple of Flourishing Teaching was built on the site.
When you walk into the entrance, you see the Bell Tower and Drum Tower on each side of the road. Inside the Mahavira Hall (Da Xiong Bao Dian), a 3.2-meter (10.5 ft) high sculpture of Sakyamuni sits in the middle. A giant statue of Lying Buddha is situated in the back hall. The Lying Buddha, which is 9 meters (29.6 ft) long, was carved by camphor wood. Xuanzang Pagoda is situated in the West Courtyard. The five-storey brick pagoda is about 21 meters (68.9 ft) high enshrining the sculpture of Xuanzang on the first floor. A stele recording the life of Xuanzang is also housed in the first floor. Pagodas of two disciples of Xuanzang, Yuance and Kuiji [i.e. the Korean monk Wŏnch'ŭk 圓測 (613-696) and the Chinese monk Kuiji 窺基 (632-682) - http://www.acmuller.net/yogacara/schools/faxiang.html], are also situated in the yard. The East Courtyard is the Sutra-Keeping Hall. Different versions of ancient sutras are well preserved here. The Palm-leaf Sutra, which was brought back by Xuanzang, is the most precious one among all of the treasures.
Although the Temple of Flourishing Teaching is less popular among visitors, it's still an attractive destination for pilgrims and those who adore Xuanzang.”
http://www.warriortours.com/cityguides/xian/flourishing_teaching.htm

Input by: tmciolek, Feb 24, 2013

Final data (and their sources)

Last updated: 25 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 Xingjiao monastery, CN.

General location of the Xingjiao monastery, CN.
Lat 34.09173 Long 109.03406
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2013.


Google Map link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.09173+109.03406+(Approx.%20loc.%20of%20the%20Xingjiao%20monastery,%20CN)&ll=34.09173,109.03406&spn=05.0,05.0&t=k&hl=en

Final data - explanatory notes

1. Monastery's name

  • Xingjiao monastery

2. Monastery's modern country & province

  • China:Shaanxi Sheng

3. Monastery's alternative/historical names

4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates

  • Approx. Lat 34.09173 Long 109.03406 - visual identification of the site in the maps/satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 24 Feb 2013

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

  • [missing data]

11. Date-early

  • MBM chrono-tag 0667-99c - tmciolek 25 Feb 2013
  • 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 25 Feb 2013

14. Details of contacts with other monasteries

15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery

  • Architectural

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]

end of page

0667-99c0700-32c0733-66c0767-99c0800-32c0833-66c0867-99c0900-32c0933-66c0967-99c1000-32c1033-66c1067-99c1100-32c1133-66c1167-99c1200=>200mchinadated-eleast-asiapilgrimageplacerelics-xuanzangstupatrad.mahayanaven.kuijiven.woncheukven.xuanzangx
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