The Dayan Pagoda
The Dayan Pagoda (大雁塔) is in the Daci'en Temple (大慈恩寺) in the south of Xi'an. The Daci'en Temple was built in A.D. 648 in memory of the Empress Zhangsun (长孙皇后), the wife of Tang Tai-Zong (唐太宗, the second emperor of the Tang Dynasty) and the mother of Tang Gao-Zong (唐高宗). Xuanzang (玄奘), a famous Buddhist monk who visited India for studying Buddhist classics, translated Indian Buddhist classics into Chinese language in this temple. The Dayan Pagoda was built in A.D. 652 for keeping the classics, relics and figures of Buddhism.Now the area of the Dayan Pagoda has developed to a flourishing tourist attraction. There are buildings with the architectural style of the Tang Dynasty around the Dayan Pagoda. A large square with musical fountain is to the north of the Daci'en Temple. A high bronze statue of Xuanzang is in the square to the south of the Daci'en Temple. Around the Daci'en Temple, there are some bronze statues and stone statues which show the social life in the Tang Dynasty. Moreover, there are many square columns which are engraved with the poems of the Tang Dynasty. Walking around the Daci'en Temple, you can deeply feel the great beauty of the Tang's style.
The Dayan Pagoda
The North Square with Musical Fountain
The Restaurants near the Dayan Pagoda
The Bronze Statue of Xuanzang
The following bronze statues show the social life of the Tang Dynasty.
Bai Juyi (白居易) and his friend (The verses carved on the stone are "慈恩寺下题名处，十七人中最少年". The verses mean that, "There are seventeen men who have signed their names in the Ci'en Temple, and I am the youngest one among them." The verses show the excited and enthusiastic feelings of Bai Juyi at the age of 27. At that time, he passed the palace exams, and he believed that a bright future was waiting for him.)
Gongsun Daniang (公孙大娘), A Sword Dancer
The Performance of Music and Dance
A Diviner
The Night of the Lantern Festival (元宵节)
A Doctor and His Patient
Celebrating the Birthday of A Elder Member of A Family
The Stone Statues of the Poets of the Tang Dynasty
Li Bai (李白)(Of course this is the stone statue of Li Bai. The pose of the stone statue shows such two verses, "举杯邀明月，对影成三人". The verses mean that, "I raise my cup for inviting the bright moon to drink with me, and there are three persons: the moon, my shadow and me". The verses show the romantic poetic style of Li Bai.)
Du Fu (杜甫)(I guess so, because the face of the stone statue shows melancholy. Du Fu was a great realistic poet who heavily suffered from the wars and were deeply concerned at the destiny of his motherland and the common people.)
Another Poet (I don't know his name when I watch him.)
