Famen Temple 法门寺Fǎmén Sì

Why go to Famen Temple

Famen Temple, in Fufeng County about 120 km west of Xi'an, was favoured by Tang emperors as the home of a relic believed to be a finger bone of the Buddha. Start at the old temple, whose brick pagoda half collapsed in 1981: while clearing its base in 1987, archaeologists found a Tang crypt, and its gold and silver, glass and rare celadon are now shown in the museum beside it. Then walk up the long avenue of the modern cultural park to the 148-metre Namaste Dagoba, named for the gesture of palms pressed together, which now houses the relic.

The story

Tang emperors repeatedly brought the finger bone to court in lavish processions, and in 819 the scholar-official Han Yu protested in his 'Memorial on the Bone of the Buddha', escaping execution only to be banished to Chaozhou in the far south. The relic was last returned to Famen in 874 and sealed in the crypt with the court's offerings, where it lay undisturbed until 1987.

What to see at Famen Temple

• Zhenshen Treasure Pagoda 真身宝塔: The brick pagoda of the old temple, thirteen storeys in the Ming dynasty, half collapsed in 1981 and rebuilt; the Tang crypt lies beneath it.
• Tang crypt 唐代地宫: The underground chamber sealed in 874 and opened in 1987, the source of the treasures now in the museum.
• Famen Temple Museum treasures 法门寺博物馆珍宝: Look for the 'eightfold treasure casket', the twelve-ring gilded silver staff and the bronze stupa, all from the Tang crypt.
• Foguang Avenue 佛光大道: The ceremonial approach of about a kilometre from the south gate, lined with gilded Buddhist figures.
• Namaste Dagoba 合十舍利塔: The 148-metre tower shaped like two hands pressed together, which houses the finger-bone relic when on display.

How to visit Famen Temple

Begin at the old temple and the museum, whose galleries cover the crypt finds, then continue up Foguang Avenue to the Namaste Dagoba. From the gate, plan three to four hours. A day trip from Xi'an adds travel time on both ends, so many visitors pair it with Qianling Mausoleum.

How to get to Famen Temple

A few direct coaches a day (recently only two) run from Xi'an's West (Chengxi) Coach Station, by Hanchenglu station on Metro Line 1, to the temple's south gate in about 2 hours; buses also run from Baoji. Many visitors instead join a day tour from Xi'an that pairs the temple with the Qianling Mausoleum, or hire a car.

Where to stay

Most visitors return to Xi'an. If you want to stay near, use Baoji city, an hour from Xi'an by high-speed train, or the county town of Fufeng.

What to eat

• Qishan minced-meat noodles 岐山臊子面: Sour-and-spicy noodles topped with diced pork, the signature dish of this part of Baoji.
• Rolled cold-skin noodles 擀面皮: Chewy wheat 'skins' dressed with chilli oil, vinegar and sesame paste.
• Guokui flatbread 锅盔: Thick, crusty round bread typical of the Guanzhong plain.

Tips for visiting Famen Temple

• Know what is old and what is new: the gate square, the 1.2 km Foguang Avenue and the Namaste Dagoba belong to a cultural park opened in 2009, while the original temple and its museum stand just east of the avenue; sightseeing carts run between them.
• The finger-bone relic is not in the museum, and it is put on view in the dagoba only for limited periods (recently in May and October), so check before you go if seeing it matters to you.
• In the museum, look for the crypt's 121 gold and silver offerings and its 14 pieces of rare 'secret-colour' (mise) celadon, 13 of them listed on a stone inventory sealed in the crypt with them.

Nearby

• Qianling Mausoleum 乾陵 30 km
  A spirit way of stone guardians climbing to the joint tomb of Gaozong and Wu Zetian
• Mount Taibai 太白山 60 km
  Forest roads and a cable car climb to 3,511 metres on the Qinling range's highest peak
• Louguantai 楼观台 60 km
  Taoist courtyards climbing to the terrace where Laozi is said to have taught
• Baoji Bronze Ware Museum 宝鸡青铜器博物院 70 km
  Zhou dynasty bronzes, led by the He zun and the earliest known written 'Zhongguo'
• Han Yangling Mausoleum 汉阳陵 100 km
  Walk on glass above burial pits full of armless clay figures at a Han emperor's tomb
• Muslim Quarter 回民街 100 km
  Halal street food and a temple-style mosque in the lanes north of the Drum Tower

Also within 30 km: Zhouyuan Site and Baoji Zhouyuan Museum 周原遗址 (under 10 km), Fufeng City God Temple (Fufeng County Museum) 扶风城隍庙 (under 10 km), Fumei Campaign Memorial Hall 扶眉战役纪念馆 (20 km), Yangling Modern Agriculture Innovation Park 杨凌现代农业创新园 (20 km), Baoben Temple Pagoda 报本寺塔 (20 km), Wugong City God Temple 武功城隍庙 (20 km).

On the map

Open Famen Temple on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.

Learn more

• Wikipedia
• Wikipedia (Chinese)