Big Wild Goose Pagoda

Xian, 2016 

The Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda built in a Chinese architectural style.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  

The pagoda was built in 652 AD and was originally 5 storeys high.  Over the years earthquakes and wear and tear have taken their toll and it has been repaired and renovated many times.  Today the stone tower is 7 storeys high and its simple and humble appearance is very appealing.

  
Standing in the Da Ci'en Temple complex, surrounded by squares and beautiful gardens, the pagoda is a museum and library of Buddhist materials.  These were collected by Huanzand who traveled to India - the cradle of Buddhism - on a journey lasting 17 years.   He later wrote a famous book about this hazardous trip which took him through many countries and over many terrains.

On his return to China, he oversaw the building of the pagoda and the translation of  the Sanskrit sutras into Chinese, totaling more than 1,300 volumes.

 There is a legend as to how it got its name "The Big Wild Goose Pagoda" - in ancient times there were two schools of Buddhism - those who did not eat meat and those for whom meat was not a taboo.   One day, the monks in Xian could not find meat to buy. Upon seeing a group of big wild geese flying by, a monk said to himself: 'Today we have no meat. I hope the merciful Bodhisattva will give us some.' At that very moment, the leading wild goose broke its wings and fell to the ground. All the monks were startled and believed that Bodhisattva showed his spirit in order for them to be more pious. They established a pagoda where the wild goose fell and stopped eating meat. Hence its name.

When we visited the Pagoda, I did not walk around the complex as my legs were swollen and sore with heat rash.   I waited on a seat in the beautiful gardens for Anne and Dennis to return.  It was a hot day and flocks of small birds pecked around the lawns looking for food.  I felt sorry for the birds and crumbled some biscuits for them to eat.   I did not want to throw all the crumbs on the ground in case I overstepped some law, so I surreptitiously threw them behind my seat where I knew the birds would find them.  But no!  Within a minute a very conscientious cleaner with a broom and tray had swept them up and whisked them away.  So much for my offering to the birds in a Buddhist temple.  I wonder what the wild geese would think of that!