Xiaoyan Pagoda

The Xiaoyan Pagoda was located at the Jianfu Temple in Anrenfang (today’s southern part of Xi’an in Shaanxi Province) in Chang’an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty; hence it was also called Jianfusi Pagoda. Built during the Jinglong period (707 - 710) of Tang Dynasty, it, along with the Dayan Pagoda, has become a significant symbol of the Chang’an city remains in Tang Dynasty. Standing at a height of 43.4 meters, the beautiful Xiaoyan Pagoda has 13 stories (used to be 15). It is one of the typical brick pagodas with square multi-eaves built in ancient China. It is a legacy of the art of the Buddhist buildings in Tang dynasty, and a representation of the historical fact that Buddhism was introduced to zhongyuan, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and integrated to the Han culture there in Tang Dynasty.

Considered one of the eight great scenic spots in Guanzhong area with the ancient bell at the Jianfu temple, it has been a part of the Xi’an Museum and awarded as a National AAAA Scenic Spot.

On March 4th, 1961, it was announced as the first batch of key historical sites under state protection. At the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO in Doha on June 22th, 2014, it was listed into the World Heritage List as one of the 33 historic sites on the Silk Road that China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan worked together to have registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.