Qinglong Temple
青龙寺
The ancestral temple of the Tang-dynasty esoteric Buddhist school, where Japanese monk Kūkai studied the Dharma. With over a thousand cherry trees blooming each spring, it is Xi'an's finest cherry-blossom spot.
Qinglong Temple is on Leyou Plateau, in the southeast of Xi'an. It was first built in the second year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui dynasty (582 CE). During the Tang dynasty, it was the ancestral temple of the esoteric Buddhist school. Japanese monk Kūkai studied there under the master Huiguo, and after returning to Japan, he founded the Shingon school. The temple features a memorial stone to Kūkai and a memorial hall funded by Japan, and it is regarded as a symbol of Sino-Japanese Buddhist exchange. Over a thousand cherry trees are planted on the temple grounds and in the heritage park. They bloom from late March to mid-April, making this Xi'an's most famous cherry-blossom spot, and crowds are heavy during bloom season. Admission to the temple is free or low-cost, though reservations may be required during cherry-blossom season. Plan for 1 to 1.5 hours. Walk from Qinglong Temple Station on Metro Line 3.
Opening hours
08:00–17:30
Nearby sights
- Xi'an Qujiang Ocean Polar Park
- Xingqing Palace Park
- Tang Paradise
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda / Datang Everbright City
- Chang'an Twelve Hours Theme Block
- Qujiang Pool Heritage Park
- Zhang Xueliang Mansion (Xi'an Incident Memorial)
- Baxian Temple