The musical fountain in the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda has been in operation since 2003 and was known as the largest in Asia. However, in recent years, with the construction of some fountain projects within Shaanxi Province and across China, it can no longer claim to be the largest even in Shaanxi or Xi'an. In the past two months, the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda has invested a large sum for the most extensive upgrade since its operation began, and it is expected to resume operations before New Year's Eve. Let's wait and see if the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda can reclaim its title as the largest musical fountain in Asia, or even the world.
️The Dayan Pagoda, Tang Paradise, and the Tang Dynasty Night City are all next to each other
I recommend visiting them together! My plan is to first visit the Dayan Pagoda, then go for a Hanfu fitting and styling. In the evening, I'll enter Tang Paradise for a stroll and catch some performances. After dark, I'll start taking photos and leave just before closing time, so I can enjoy both the daytime scenery and the night view of Tang Paradise
After leaving Tang Paradise, I'll head over to the Tang Dynasty Night City for a quick look around. The Tang Dynasty Night City is a pedestrian street that stays lit until 2 AM, so there's plenty of time.
As the Spring Festival of the Year of the Metal Rat approaches, the “Chinese New Year · See Xi'an” series of events becomes increasingly diverse and rich, making the festive atmosphere in Xi'an more vibrant. As a leading area for these activities, Qujiang New District integrates traditional Chinese New Year customs and a thousand years of cultural heritage into the presentation space of the Tang Dynasty Night City through “one street, two markets, and six lanes,” creating a miniature version of Chang'an. Additionally, the stage performances at the Tang Dynasty Night City provide a feast for the eyes and ears of residents and tourists. The water dance light show and musical fountain performances at the North Square of the Dayan Pagoda alternate, while the main stage at Kaiyuan Square features theme performances such as returning to Chang'an and Silk Road culture. The Huahua Square features colorful flower chariots and Tang Dynasty dance music. Furthermore, there are five music-themed stages in the Tang Dynasty Night City that operate during different time slots, linking the entire street with melodies.
The Dayan Pagoda is a pavilion-style brick pagoda standing over 64 meters tall with a base length of 25 meters, consisting of seven stories and a square conical body. The entire pagoda uses ground bricks with visible ridges on the walls, clearly demarcating the wall bays, reflecting the style of traditional Chinese architectural art. Nearby attractions include the Qujiang Pool, Xingqing Park, and Leiyuan. The Dayan Pagoda is a landmark building in Xi'an and a must-visit place. In recent years, due to factors such as the urban environment in Xi'an, the Dayan Pagoda has tilted by more than one meter.
Survey data shows that among Hanfu enthusiasts, over 50% are between the ages of 9 and 24, and female consumers dominate. So what happens when the current resurgence in tourism and the craze for ancient styles collide? What kind of sparks will they ignite? When people walk through scenic spots like Tang Paradise, the Dayan Pagoda, Qinglong Temple, and the Tang West Market, it's not uncommon to see young people dressed in traditional costumes. It's said that it's unusual not to see someone wearing Hanfu in Xi'an's scenic areas. Nowadays, major scenic spots have become ideal locations for shooting traditional costume portraits and folk activities, providing new opportunities for the development of tourism destinations as the primary scene for Hanfu use.
The Tang Dynasty Night City, themed around the grand cultural art of the Tang Dynasty and featuring Tang-style elements, is located at the foot of the famous Dayan Pagoda in Qujiang New District of Xi'an, covering an area of 650,000 square meters. The entire landscape extends from the Dayan Pagoda to the north of Xuanzang Square, south to the Tang City Gate Relic Park, east to Cien East Street, and west to Cien West Road, surrounding Xuanzang Square, Tang Kaiyuan Cultural Square, and Kaiyuan Celebration Square. There are four cultural buildings: Xi'an Concert Hall, Xi'an Theatre, Wuhan Cinema, and the Shaanxi Artists Exhibition Hall.
Dresses flutter lightly, jade pendants tinkle, smiles are charming, and flowers are radiant. Li Yueting, a tourist born in the '00s' who is wearing Hanfu, remarked, “Xi'an and Tang-style Hanfu are perfectly matched!” Filled with love for traditional culture, she and her friends chose to embark on a ‘time travel' journey to Xi'an during the ‘May Day' holiday. Smiling brightly towards the camera, Li Yueting, dressed in a red, high-necked, pleated skirt, exudes confidence and composure. Not far away, the Dayan Pagoda stands proudly amidst lush greenery.
By the way, about the Dayan Pagoda, I know a story! During his journey to fetch scriptures, Xuanzang of the Tang Dynasty had run out of water in his water flask in the desert and fainted. His water flask fell to the ground. Just as Xuanzang regained consciousness, a wild goose flew over, grabbed the water flask, and flew away. Xuanzang quickly got up to chase the water flask. After chasing for a long time, the wild goose suddenly dropped the water flask. Xuanzang hurriedly picked up the water flask and found himself in front of an oasis upon standing up.
Regarding the Dayan Pagoda, there's a video sketch on Weibo that goes like this: In the eyes of locals regarding the Dayan Pagoda, reporter asks: Sir, are you a local of Xi'an? Uncle: Yes. Reporter: How much do you know about the Dayan Pagoda? Uncle: The Dayan Pagoda? What's there to see about this ‘lousy' Dayan Pagoda? Look at all the tourists from other places coming to see it; it's where Tripitaka translated the scriptures. Wait, is this going to be on TV? Reporter: Yes, Uncle: Then let me rephrase. This Dayan Pagoda was built in the year 600 AD for Master Xuanzang after he returned from India with the scriptures. Emperor Taizong of Tang commissioned the construction of this pagoda at Daci-En Temple to commemorate his great achievements. Xi'an not only has the Dayan Pagoda but also other historical sites like Huaqing Hot Springs, Terracotta Warriors, Ming City Wall, Bell Tower, Drum Tower… Xi'an is a capital city of ten dynasties with a long history and culture, welcoming tourists from home and abroad to visit and tour our city. Thank you.
After passing through a small side gate, my wife and I were preparing to cross the road to hail a taxi when two men approached us. They asked where we were headed, and I said we were going to the Dayan Pagoda. One of the drivers offered to take us there in his private car for only 5 yuan. I was a bit wary and asked why it was so cheap. He explained that the distance to the Dayan Pagoda wasn't far, and he was only covering his fuel costs. At that moment, I thought it would be difficult to maintain a private car nowadays, and if the driver could earn a little money while offering us convenience, we might as well take his car.