Things to do in Fufeng County

Our tour guide, Mr. Li, provided very detailed introductions to the attractions and artifacts. He was also very friendly and patient, and when explaining the artifacts, he would use supplementary pictures to help us gain a deeper understanding.

Famen Temple Museum, a national first-class museum, is located in the Famen Temple Cultural Park, 10 kilometers north of Fufeng County, Baoji City, Shaanxi Province. It is 110 kilometers east of Xi'an and 90 kilometers west of Baoji City, covering an area of ​​48,779 square meters, with a building area of ​​13,768 square meters and an exhibition area of ​​4,000 square meters. It is a social science-oriented religious site museum. Completed in 1987, the museum's collection originates from artifacts unearthed from the underground palace of Famen Temple. The collection includes gold and silver artifacts, glassware, and porcelain. As of the end of 2019, the museum held 9,439 pieces/sets of artifacts, including 225 pieces/sets of precious cultural relics. Unfortunately, the Buddha's finger relic is not on display here; the reason will not be discussed here.

The Baoji Zhouyuan Museum is a specialized museum located in Zhaochen Village and Jingdang Village, Famen Town, at the border of Fufeng County and Qishan County, Shaanxi Province. This area was the living and settlement area of ​​the pre-Zhou people. Built in 1987 based on the archaeological excavation of the Zhouyuan site, it was rated as a national second-class museum in 2018. The museum, based on the core area of ​​the Zhouyuan site, exhibits over 10,000 artifacts, including the foundations of Western Zhou ancestral temples and palaces, as well as bronzes, oracle bones, and jade artifacts. Among them, the bronze vessels such as the Zhe Gong and Shi Qiang Pan are renowned for their long inscriptions and large scale. Zhouyuan, located in western Guanzhong Plain, about 100 kilometers from Xi'an, encompasses most of present-day Fengxiang, Qishan, Fufeng, and Wugong counties. Historical records indicate that the ancestor of the Zhou people, Gugong Danfu, led his people to settle in the area south of present-day Qishan, known as "Zhou." The Zhou state was named after this location. The land here is fertile, with abundant rainfall and a mild climate. Before King Wen of Zhou, it was the center of Zhou people's activities. The world-renowned Zhouyuan Site is located within a 20-square-kilometer area at the border of Qishan and Fufeng counties. Archaeological surveys have uncovered the ancestral temples, tombs, treasuries, and documents (bronze inscriptions and oracle bone inscriptions) of the Zhou royal family. The northwestern part is the palace and ancestral temple area (present-day Fengchu Village in Qishan County and Zhaochen Village in Fufeng County). The southeastern part was the residential area of ​​the Zhou people, as well as a workshop area for smelting bronze, firing pottery, and carving bone artifacts (present-day Qizhen, Zhuangbai, Qijia, and Yuntang Village in Huangdui Township, Fufeng County). The southwestern part is the burial area (present-day Hejia Village and Li Village in Jingdang Township, Qishan County). Zhouyuan is known as the "Hometown of Bronze Ware," with an unparalleled history and quantity of unearthed bronze artifacts. Bronze artifacts have been unearthed here since the third year of the Shenjue era of Emperor Xuan of Han (58 BC), with numerous significant discoveries. Zhouyuan is a veritable underground treasure trove of cultural relics. In 1982, the State Council listed it as a second batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

There are also various kinds of precious Buddhist instruments, and you can also see various boxes of relics here. It is really a very exquisite relic pagoda. Through the explanation, you can also learn more about the treasures of Famen Temple.

The core attraction of Famen Temple Scenic Area is also the place where the finger bone relics of Sakyamuni's real body are found. It is said to be the finger bone relics of Sakyamuni's real body. Note: The finger bone relics are only open from 10:00 to 16:00 on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month and weekends and holidays The stupa itself takes 30 minutes, and the surrounding area takes about two hours

Special Features of the Famen Temple Stupa [Scenic Spots] 1. Enshrining the world's only Buddha's finger relic. This is the most central and unparalleled feature of the Famen Temple Stupa. · Supreme Sacred Relic: According to research, the Buddha's finger relic (a section of the middle finger bone relic) unearthed from the underground palace of Famen Temple is the authentic relic of Sakyamuni Buddha, the most sacred relic in Buddhism. · Unique in the World: This is the only Buddha's finger relic in the world that has been excavated, clearly documented, and verified by inscriptions. Its status far surpasses the replicas (imitations) or commemorative relics found in other temples. 2. Unique Architecture: A Blend of Modern and Traditional Architectural Style The stupa's architecture is unique, breaking with traditional Buddhist stupa form. · Profound Meaning: The stupa's shape resembles two hands clasped together, hence the name "He Shi Relic Stupa." This design symbolizes devout worship and peace, boasting a magnificent and unique form, a strong sense of modernity, and symbolic significance. · Massive Scale: Standing 148 meters tall, equivalent to a 50-story building, the pagoda is imposing and one of the tallest Buddhist pagodas in the world. · Multifunctionality: More than just a religious structure, it serves as a comprehensive venue for cultural relic viewing, Buddhist practice, cultural exchange, and tourism. The pagoda houses a main hall enshrining the relics, a lecture hall, and a museum. 3. Inseparability from the Tang Dynasty Underground Palace: The pagoda's uniqueness is inseparable from the millennia-old Tang Dynasty underground palace beneath it. · Significant Archaeological Discovery: In 1987, during the cleaning of the Ming Dynasty pagoda's foundation, the undiscovered, millennia-sealed Tang Dynasty underground palace was unexpectedly discovered. This is a significant discovery in Chinese archaeology, characterized by its complete structure and exceptionally high quality. Unearthed artifacts astounded the world: The underground palace not only unearthed the Buddha's finger relic, but also thousands of rare treasures from the Tang Dynasty imperial family, including gold and silver artifacts, glassware, silk fabrics, and secret-color porcelain. These artifacts are of unparalleled exquisiteness, reflecting the highest level of Tang Dynasty craftsmanship and attesting to Famen Temple's lofty status as an imperial monastery. "The Ninth Wonder of the World": This discovery has earned Famen Temple and its Buddha's finger relic the title of "The Ninth Wonder of the World," revered both domestically and internationally. 4. Unique Worship Method: One True Relic, Three Shadows Famen Temple's worship of the Buddha's finger relic is also unique. One True Relic, Three Shadows: A total of four Buddha's finger relics were discovered in the underground palace. One is a "spiritual bone," the authentic Buddha bone relic; the other three are "shadow bones," Tang Dynasty imitations made of jade and other materials to protect the original relic. · Reflection of Buddhist Philosophy: This "shadow bone" system embodies the Buddhist principle of "cultivating the true through the false." Shadow bones are also sacred objects devoutly worshipped by Buddhists. While real body relics are extremely precious and rarely displayed, shadow bones are primarily used to satisfy the need for worship by believers. 5. An Important Center for Buddhist Activities Due to its sacred status, the Famen Temple Relic Pagoda has become a global center for Buddhist pilgrimage and cultural exchange. · Major Dharma Assembly: On major Buddhist festivals (such as Buddha's Birthday), grand Dharma ceremonies are held here to welcome the Buddha's finger relic for public viewing, attracting countless Buddhists from home and abroad.

It was cloudy at the foot of the mountain. The cable car passed through the clouds and we were surrounded by mist. We couldn't see anything in the white fog. At the top of the mountain, we encountered a magnificent sea of ​​clouds. On the way down, we passed through a misty forest and saw the rime ice. The wind blew down the ice formations, and the road was slippery in some places.

The shuttle bus service is very convenient. You don't need to take a bus to Princess Yongtai's Tomb; after visiting that tomb, you can take the bus to all the other tombs. The staff are very friendly. The only downside is that there are sometimes waiting times for the bus to depart.

Wuzhangyuan in Qishan was the final resting place of Zhuge Liang's life. In the autumn of 234 AD, Zhuge Liang, the Prime Minister of Shu Han, led his army on a northern expedition, stationing his troops here to confront Sima Yi across the Wei River. Ultimately, he "died before achieving his goal," forever freezing the last moments of his life on this loess plateau. The Zhuge Liang Temple at Wuzhangyuan was first built in the Yuan Dynasty, and most of the existing buildings are from the Qing Dynasty. Its most unique layout is that the entire structure faces north, backed by the majestic Qinling Mountains and facing the surging Wei River, symbolizing Zhuge Liang's unfulfilled ambition to "pacify the Central Plains."

During the National Day holiday, it was very crowded, but the tour guides were very professional and took us to see everything! It's very convenient to get to the Terracotta Warriors from Xi'an now. I recommend taking the Xi'an Metro Line 9 to the end and then taking a taxi for about 10 yuan. I also recommend staying at a nearby guesthouse so you can go to the museum early in the morning.