PM Modi visits Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday visited the famed Big Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an along with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Prime Minister Modi handed over a Bodhi tree sapling to senior Buddhist functionaries of the Wild Goose Pagoda, while he received a figurine of Chinese Buddhist monk Xuan Zang.

Xuan Zang was a Buddhist monk, scholar, traveller and translator, who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang dynasty.

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda or Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda was built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and originally had five stories, although the structure was rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian and its exterior brick facade was renovated during the Ming Dynasty.

One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold sutras and figurines of the Buddha that were brought to China from India by the Buddhist translator and traveler Xuanzang.

The original pagoda was built during the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang (r. 649-683), then standing at a height of 54 m (177 ft). However, this construction of rammed earth with a stone exterior facade eventually collapsed five decades later. The ruling Empress Wu Zetian had the pagoda rebuilt and added five new stories by the year 704; however, a massive earthquake in 1556 heavily damaged the pagoda and reduced it by three stories, to its current height of seven stories. The entire structure leans very perceptibly (several degrees) to the west.

The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda was extensively repaired during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and renovated again in 1964. The pagoda currently stands at a height of 64 m (210 ft) tall and from the top it offers views over the current city of Xi'an.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi held summit-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Xi'an.

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Modi appreciated the Chinese leader for warmly receiving him outside Beijing.

President Xi in turn, recalled his visit to Ahmedabad in September last year where he was warmly received by Prime Minister Modi. The Chinese President said he was glad to receive Prime Minister Modi in his home town.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to travel to Beijing later in the day.