Xi'an - Tang Glories Tour
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The Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) is widely regarded as one of China's golden ages, characterized by economic prosperity, territorial expansion, and political stability. Trade flourished by land and sea, stimulating the flow of luxury goods between East and West. Foreign religions were tolerated and Buddhism gained popular and imperial patronage. The arts and literature of the Tang are still considered to be among China's finest. And Chang'an (then name of Xi'an) was its capital. Today we are going farther afield to explore two of the most important relics of Tang Dynasty: Qian Tomb & Famen Temple .
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The impressive Qian Tomb, 50 miles ( 85 km ) northwest of Xi'an, is the burial site of Tang Gaozong Emperor and his wife, the indomitable Wu Zetian (the one and only female Emperor in Chinese history). The Imperial Way is lined with stone figures of animals and officers. There are 61 (now headless) statues of the leaders of minority people of China and of the representatives of friendly nations who attended the emperor's funeral. The southeast section of the area contains 17 lesser tombs, including the vividly frescoed tombs of Prince Zhang Huai, Princess Yong Tai, and Crown Price Yi De (the three tombs have been excavated and provide a good opportunity to look at the Tomb inside).
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Situated 74 miles (120 km) northwest of Xi'an, Famen temple is one of China 's first Buddhist temples and a venerated place for Buddhist pilgrims the world over. It was built in the 2nd century AD to hourse a finger bone of Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) donated by the Indian king Ashoka. The sacred bone enjoyed extensive veneration, and was periodically removed from the temple crypt and paraded through the streets of Xi'an during the height of the Tang era. After the dynasty's fall, the crypt was lost in obscurity, possibly as a result of anti-Buddhist purges. It is surprising that the crypt remained hidden for so long, as pagodas often have vaults for storing relics and Buddhist ornaments. In the 1980s, an exploration following a partial collapse of the pagoda exposed the crypt, along with its relics and Tang-dynasty riches. Today, the finger bone is once again preserved in a crypt, while the temple museum displays many Tang-era artifacts.
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