The Big (or Wild) Goose Pagoda used to be 13 levels high but due to earthquakes is now only at 7 levels and leans like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, as if it is readying itself for collapsing. Built during the Tang Dynasty which is about 652 AD, it was used for storage of important documents such the translations from India Buddhism to Chinese Buddhism.

There were many gaps in early Chinese Buddhism until Xuanzang a young monk travelled to India and began to understand the differences and why China had failed to understand Sanskrit written Buddhism and in doing so had misinterpreted Buddhism. Well that is my Chinese Buddhism History Class 101 understanding based upon what I have picked up in India, discussions on Sanskrit and Chinese history….so I am not at all scholarly on this subject, maybe Rough Guide or Lonely Planet does a better job 🙂

ring that bell

Master Xuanzang