Xuanzang Temple Introduction
Continuing west along the Lake Route for about 4.8 kilometers, you can reach Xuanzang Temple. Master Xuanzang was a prominent monk during the Tang Dynasty. Feeling that the translated scriptures varied greatly, causing confusion, he sought the true meaning of Buddhism. Despite the prohibitions of the time, he faced numerous challenges to journey to India for scriptures, taking seventeen years to return home with 657 texts, translating 75 of them with his disciples, totaling 1,335 volumes. His contributions to the development of Buddhism in China are remarkable. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, the Japanese stole Master Xuanzang's cranial relic in Nanjing, which is enshrined at Kiyomizu-dera in Saitama Prefecture, Japan. In 1955, the relic was brought to Taiwan and temporarily enshrined at Xuanguang Temple by Sun Moon Lake; it was only in November 1965 that the relic was officially enshrined at Xuanzang Temple upon its completion. Xuanzang Temple is designed in a Tang Dynasty architectural style, featuring green tiles and red pillars, exuding a simple yet elegant charm within a serene environment that reflects the grandeur of a traditional Chinese garden. It faces Sun Moon Lake and is backed by Qingshan Mountain, with geographers noting its auspicious location known as "Qinglong Playing with Pearls," making it an ideal place for enshrining Master Xuanzang's cranial relic. The Xuanzang Memorial Hall was opened for viewing on March 28, 2014.
