Xiantong Monastery Travel Guide

Another of Taihuai village´s Buddhist complexes, the Xiantong Monastery (Xiantong si) distinguishes itself by being the largest of the Wutaishan temples, with a total of 400 rooms, and by being the oldest, apparently dating as far back as the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220 AD).

This temple is generally accepted as one of the two oldest temples in China, along with Luoyang´s Baima Temple.The monastery has so much variety that it would be impossible here to give any semblance of generalization as to various room contents. There are, however, a few halls that stand out. The centerpiece for religious activities in the monastery is the Grand Hall (Daxiong baodian), a commodious building that houses a large statue of Sakyamuni, as well as two other top-ranking Buddhas.

The large bronze bell here, is sounded on important Buddhist dates, adding to the already solemn religious aura. The Chinese calligraphy on the exterior of the bell is a beautifully executed sutra.

There are numerous other delights in this monastery and the best thing to do is to just wander about. The architecture itself is particularly nice, and more than half a day can easily be spent wandering among the seven rows of halls.