Xiangji Temple 香积寺

About Xiangji Temple

The strongest historic landmark is Shandao Pagoda, an eleven-storey surviving brick tower in the western courtyard. The temple’s main axis leads through the Heavenly Kings Hall to a Mahavira Hall containing a standing Amitabha image, flanked by Guanyin and Mahasthamaprapta. Comparing the pagoda with these devotional halls gives the visit a clear focus.

Huaiyun (怀恽) established the temple to commemorate his teacher Shandao (善导). In 978, the monastery was renamed Kaili Temple (开利寺), but soon recovered its earlier name. Major repairs took place during the Jiajing era (嘉靖), and the main hall and monks' quarters were rebuilt in 1766. The temple was destroyed during the Tongzhi era (同治) and repaired again during the Guangxu era (光绪). Reconstruction of the Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿) followed in 1979.

The temple became a Shaanxi Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Unit (陕西省文物保护单位) in 1956 and a National Key Buddhist Temple in Han Chinese Areas (汉族地区佛教全国重点寺院) in 1983. Shandao Pagoda (善导塔), specifically, became a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 2001. Chinese and Japanese Buddhist communities have also held a joint ceremony here marking the 1,300th anniversary of Shandao's death.

What to look for

• Shandao Pagoda, with its closely spaced brick storeys in the western courtyard.
• The main hall’s Amitabha group, expressing the temple’s Pure Land tradition.

Location & getting there

Getting to Xiangji Temple

Travel to Xiangjisi Village in Guodu Subdistrict, Chang’an District, south of central Xi’an.

• Use the village and temple name together when arranging the final road journey.