PLACE GUIDE

Xianyou Temple 仙游寺

Xianyou Si

Xianyou Temple near Mazhao is best known for Fawang Pagoda, a square, seven-storey brick tower with Sui origins.

AI illustration of a general historic pagoda scene; not a photograph or an exact view of this place.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（仅供参考，非该地点实拍）

Explore the region

Shaanxi · 陕西省 →Xi’an · 西安市 →Zhouzhi County · 周至县 →

About Xianyou Temple

Construction of the Heihe reservoir required the tower to be dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground north of its former site. That relocation also exposed a relic chamber and important ritual containers. The pagoda’s close-set eaves and the temple’s reservoir-edge setting make both architecture and modern heritage conservation part of the visit.

The temple was founded in 598 under the name Xianyou Palace (仙游宫). In 601, Emperor Wen of Sui (隋文帝) ordered the monk Tongzhen (童真) from Daguangshan Temple (大光善寺) to bring Buddhist relics here and build a pagoda to house them. The establishment then took its present name.

Fawang Pagoda (法王塔) has a base measuring 8.7 metres along each side and rises 35 metres; its finial has been destroyed. It became a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 1996. The reservoir-related relocation began in 1999 and was completed in 2003.

What to look for

  • Fawang Pagoda’s square plan and seven tiers of closely spaced brick eaves.
  • The relocated temple setting above the Heihe reservoir, explaining why the monument was moved.

Location & getting there

Getting to Xianyou Temple

Travel to the rebuilt Xianyou Temple and Fawang Pagoda near Mazhao Town, Zhouzhi County, on higher ground north of the Heihe reservoir.

  • Use the present temple location rather than the submerged former site when arranging the road approach.
General visit reminders

Choose the building, exhibition or part of the historic area you most want to see, then leave time to explore its setting. Check the venue’s current opening and reservation arrangements directly; a place appearing on the map does not mean every building or gallery is accessible on your travel date.

Combine your visit

Suggested order within this visit:

  1. Relocated temple grounds

    Establish the new setting and the reservoir-construction story.

  2. Fawang Pagoda

    Examine the rebuilt tower’s Sui-derived brick form from outside.

  3. Local interpretation

    Look for the account of the relocation and relic-chamber discoveries; current artifact display is not assumed.

This sequence is an editorial suggestion based on the features described in the sources. Access to individual buildings or areas should be checked locally; no travel time or shared admission is implied.

AI illustration: A close architectural study of an old Chinese brick pagoda section: weathered grey brickwork.
AI illustration · AI 示意图（景观类型参考，非实拍） · 古塔砖砌细节 — A general visiting detail, not an exact view of this place.
Historic sites & architecture · 历史古迹／建筑 →

Find Xianyou Temple

仙游寺 · 周至县

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

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Sources & visit information

The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0.

Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "仙游寺法王塔", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 88056038.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07