Travels in Xi'an: Great Goose Pagoda

Great Goose Pagoda (大雁塔) was built in the year 652 during Tang dynasty at the request of the scripture collecting monk Xuanzang. The pagoda is located in Da Ci'en Temple: you need to pay admission to enter the temple and admission again to enter the pagoda.


Great Goose Pagoda shrouded in early morning mist.


The grounds outside the pagoda and the temple are pretty and well maintained.


This way to the pagoda.








Entrance to the pagoda.




Up the stairs to the top.


On the top floor looking up to the ceiling.


Looking out from the top floor. The patch of ground in the middle in a musical fountain.


A model of the pagoda. The model houses an extremely valuable artefact: sheli (舍利), or the relics of the Buddha.


The relics of the Buddha is the remains of the cremation of the Buddh's body. Sheli comes in different colours. The pearly white remains seen here is the relics of the bone.