https://au.trip.com/moments/detail/xi-county-1446128-128998927
TastyTemptationsUnited States

Finally saw Xiao Xitian

[CoolGuy] There are so many people, it is really tiring to climb the mountain, and it is really shocking⊙▽⊙ Xi County is remotely located with inconvenient transportation. It is a national-level poverty-stricken county with a permanent population of less than 100,000. So when I drove through the winding mountain road and saw Xiaoxitian, I was quite surprised. I didn't expect that in such a short time, the Xiaoxitian scenic area had been renovated to a certain extent. Although there are still many tourists on non-holidays, the overall parking order is maintained very well, and I believe it will get better and better. Xiaoxitian Temple, founded in the second year of Chongzhen in Ming Dynasty, is indeed small, with an area of ​​only about 1,100 square meters. The essence is concentrated in the Main Hall which is less than 170 square meters. The 1,978 hanging sculptures are known as "the last masterpiece of hanging sculpture art". Only by being there can you understand their value. The unrestrained style of the prosperous Tang Dynasty and the elegance of the Song Dynasty are all passed down in the statues here. Even a statue as small as the size of a thumb can be meticulously carved and lifelike. According to research, it took about 30 years to build Xiao Xitian, with donations from local people and officials bit by bit. One can truly feel the passion and thought that the craftsmen put into each statue, and one can even see the famous Yu Lu pears from Xi County placed on the trays of the disciple statues. The soft advertising cycle of this wave of 400 years ago was really ridiculously long. It is said that there was another Ming Dynasty temple called "Daxitian" in the south of the city, which was destroyed during the Republic of China period. Hidden in Xiaoxitian is a heavenly palace that was dismantled from Daxitian. It is hard to imagine how shocking it would be if Daxitian still existed today. There are five niches in the Main Hall from left to right: the Palace of the Three Great Masters, the Inner Courtyard of Amitabha, the Palace of the Seven Buddhas, the Inner Courtyard of Vairocana and the Inner Courtyard of Maitreya. It not only integrates the structure of traditional ancient buildings, but also contains a lot of Buddhist knowledge. It is recommended to go to the small station to learn some basic knowledge first, which will make the visit more fun. These statues are resistant to dust and dirt thanks to their tilted design and gilding painting techniques. They look as if they are frequently wiped. It is best to go when the light is good, as you will feel that the entire temple is glowing. This is probably the little embodiment of the Buddhist kingdom in the sky! [○]Tips: It is recommended to drive yourself. Due to crowd control, the actual visiting time will be longer. It is not recommended to arrange too many attractions on the same day. By the way, Xixian apples are also very delicious.
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*Created by local travelers and translated by AI.
Posted: Feb 7, 2025
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