Daxingshan Temple
Daxingshan Temple (simplified Chinese: 大兴善寺; traditional Chinese: 大興善寺; pinyin: Dàxīngshàn Sì) is a Buddhist temple located in Yanta District of Xi'an, Shaanxi.
| Daxingshan Temple | |
|---|---|
大兴善寺 | |
The Shanmen at the temple. | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Buddhism |
| Sect | Chinese Esoteric Buddhism |
| Leadership | Shi Kuanxu (释宽旭) |
| Location | |
| Location | Yanta District, Xi'an, Shaanxi |
| Country | China |
| Geographic coordinates | 34°14′00″N 108°57′00″E |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Chinese architecture |
| Founder | Emperor Wu of Jin |
| Date established | 266 |
| Completed | 15th century (reconstruction) |
The temple had reached unprecedented heyday in the Tang dynasty (618–907), when Śubhakarasiṃha, Vajrabodhi and Amoghavajra taught Chinese Esoteric Buddhism in the temple, known as the "Three Prominent Buddhist Monks in the Kaiyuan Period" (开元三大士). Then Japanese Buddhist monks Ennin and Enchin introduced it to Japan, since then, Daxingshan Temple became the cradle of Chinese Esoteric Buddhism. Daxingshan Temple, Daci'en Temple and Jianfu Temple became the three sutras translation sites (三大译经场) in the Tang dynasty.
Daxingshan Temple was completely damaged in the Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution, after the fall of the Tang dynasty in 907, most parts of the temple were ruined in wars and natural disasters, and gradually it became unknown to public. Most of the present structures in the temple were repaired or built during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and in modern China.