The history of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an could be dated back to 1300 years ago, during the Tang Dynasty. The pagoda was built to store Sanskrit Buddhist Scriptures that monk Xuanzang brought from India. Xuanzang is a person who became famous for his seventeen year overland journey to India. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is the masterpiece of the Buddhist architecture, which has been considered the symbol of the ancient capital city of Xi'an.
Preserved on the four stone doors in the base of the pagoda are exquisite engravings of the Tang Dynasty. Two stone steles with the Preface to the Sacred Religion written by the famous Tang calligrapher Chu Suiliang are set into the walls on the either side of the south door of the pagoda. On the forehead of the west stone gate, there are carved with architecture joss patterns and pictures, which feature compact layout and smooth lines.
Since the Tang Dynasty, there have been traditional temple fairs in the Goose Pagoda Temple in the 14th, 15th, an 16th every lunar January. The temple fair also became a gathering place for intellectuals. Successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations always left their signature in the tower which was called Superscription of the Wild Goose Tower. In addition, many celebrities left poems or some other literature works.
Getting up to the top of the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, you could find a perfect view of the city of Xi'an and its countryside. However, it’s better to climb the pagoda early or late in a day to avoid long waits, especially during the tourist season.