The Big Wild Goose Pagoda was first built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in 704 during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian. It is famous for the monk Xuanzang (Ðþê°), who travelled to India and brought the sutras and figurines back during the Tang Dynasty. After his return, he stayed in the monastery DaCiEn (where Big Wild Goose Pagoda is located) and started to teach and translate the holy books. One of the pagoda's many functions was to hold these sutras and figurines.
Today Big Wild Goose Pagoda is a symbol of the Xi'an city.