Chang An Temple - Xian

The Chang an Temple (simplified Chinese:长安寺; traditional Chinese: 長安寺; pinyin: Cháng ān Sì; literally “the Temple of Forever Peace”) is situated at the foot of the Tiger Head Mountain in the depths of the woods. It is the first temple of the Eight Great Sites Park.

The construction of Chang an Temple started in the 17th year of Hongzhi of the Ming Dynasty, and have gone through two major renovations. Now the temple is among the most famous of the many temples in the Western Hill.

After 500 years since its completion, Chang an Temple has retained much of its layout in the old days. The principal palace consists of the the Jialan Palace, the Palace of the three Buddhas and the Palace of the Goddess of Mercy. Thirty side palaces lie on each side of the principal palace. Its harmonious layout and exquisite architecture have maintained some of the architectural features of the Ming Dynasty and are also characteristic of the Qing Dynasty.

The open land in Chang an Temple used to be a vegetable yard; now it has become a garden of rare plants, such as redbud, crape myrtle and magnolia. In the flowering season, it is an enjoyment to stroll among the plants in blossom.

Chang an Temple was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution of China and was looted of its entire collection of Buddhist statues and instruments. However, it had been a prosperous place in its prime.