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Explore the region
About Xingjiao Temple
Its three relic pagodas commemorate Xuanzang and the monks Kuiji and Woncheuk, linking this small temple to the transmission and study of Buddhist texts. Xuanzang’s taller brick pagoda anchors the group; the two smaller towers let visitors compare their forms at close range. The pagodas are the principal historic focus, while the surrounding halls belong to later rebuilding phases.
The site was established in 669 for the reburial of Xuanzang (玄奘), who had died in 664. The temple halls were destroyed during the Tongzhi era (同治), leaving the three funerary pagodas, and were rebuilt during the Republican period. Further construction between 1939 and 1942 was supported by donations. The collection includes a Ming copper Buddha, a Burmese jade Buddha and several thousand volumes of scriptures.
The pagodas became a Major Historical and Cultural Site Protected at the National Level (全国重点文物保护单位) in 1961. In 2014, they joined the World Heritage List as part of the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor (丝绸之路：长安-天山廊道的路网); the designation covers the pagodas rather than the other temple buildings. The temple itself was included among the National Key Buddhist Temples in Han Chinese Areas (汉族地区佛教全国重点寺院) in 1983.
What to look for
- Xuanzang’s five-storey brick relic pagoda, dating from the Tang period.
- The companion pagodas of Kuiji and Woncheuk beside the principal tower.
Location & getting there
Getting to Xingjiao Temple
Go to Xingjiao Temple in Duqu Town, Chang’an District, on Shaoling Plateau.
- Plan the final approach as a road journey to the temple; it is outside Xi’an’s central temple cluster.
Combine your visit
Suggested order within this visit:
-
Xuanzang Pagoda
Begin with the tower commemorating the translator and pilgrim.
-
Kuiji and Woncheuk pagodas
Compare the smaller companion towers and their inscriptions from permitted areas.
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.
Find Xingjiao Temple
兴教寺 · 长安区
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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View guide →Sources & visit information
The linked encyclopedia sources support background and place descriptions. Current opening hours, ticket prices, booking rules and transport schedules have not been independently verified for this guide. Confirm them with the venue or operator before travelling.
- Wikipedia: Xingjiao Temple ↗
- Chinese Wikipedia: 兴教寺 (revision 92821867, 2026-05-28) ↗
- English Wikipedia: Xingjiao Temple (revision 1367598301, 2026-08-04) ↗
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "兴教寺", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 92821867.
Background paragraphs condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "Xingjiao Temple", English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1367598301.