Small Wild Goose Pagoda

Small Wild Pagoda is located inside of the Jianfu Temple, about 1 kilometer south to Xian city proper. The Small Wild Goose Pagoda and its large neighbor-the Big Wild Goose Pagoda are two important Buddhism sites dating back to the Tang Dynasty, over 1,000 years ago.
 
The two pagodas is a symbolization of Xi'an today. It was called Chang'an when it served as the capital of the Tang Dynasty.  Small Wild Pagoda was built at 707 AD during the Tang Dynasty (618 AD –907 AD). Because it is newer and smaller than the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, people at that time called this tower Small Wild Pagoda . Unlike the grand Big Wild Goose Pagoda, it is dainty and exquisite in its appearance. It is one of the remaining symbols of ancient Chang'an (the name of Xian in the Tang Dynasty).

This multi-eaves brick pagoda is thirteen stories tall, 43.38 meters (142 feet) high. It is square on plane and rises skyward in an elegant spindle shape. Above the ground floor, the height of each storey diminishes, rendering a graceful curve to the contour. Multi-eaves are made by overlapping bricks curve inward, a characteristic of the Tang Dynasty construction. The ground floor has arched doors facing north and south; the other floors have arched windows instead. The fine drawings on the doors reflect the artistic style prevailing in the Tang Dynasty. Inside, a narrow wooden stairway winds its way to the top of the pagoda.

The construction of the pagoda is a wonder of China's construction. Because Xian is located in an area where earthquakes always occurred, the pagoda base is made from packed earth in the shape of a hemisphere. In case of the earthquake happened, the pressure can be evenly divided, thus the pagoda has standing still. After over seventy earthquakes of this years, only the pinnacle and the two upper floors (the original pagoda had fifteen stories) have been damaged.

A giant iron bell, 3.5 meters (11.4 feet) in height and about 10 tons in weight resides in the Jianfu Temple. It makes a magnificent clear sound that can be heard more than three miles away. The elegant pagoda along with the bell is known as 'The Morning Bell Chimes of the Pagoda' and is considered one of the eight major cultural sites in the province.