Exploring Qin Dynasty Culture in Baoji

Shaanxi Association of Canada

Wanchen Zhang 2026/1/23

“Baoji Station is approaching. All passengers please prepare to disembark...”

The station announcement snapped me out of my daze. After seven years, I once again set foot on the soil of Baoji, embarking on this journey back to my hometown.

Departing by train from Aksu, my gaze remained fixed outside the window throughout the journey. The train raced across the Gobi Desert, where blue skies alternated with snow-capped mountains. Buildings and villages along the route flashed by too quickly to appreciate in detail. Like a long-awaited rain after a drought, misty rain shrouded the mountains. The endless peaks, bathed in this cleansing rain, grew even greener, temporarily easing the heat. A thousand thoughts surged from my heart like long-lost friends. I felt a peculiar affection for this city—both familiar and unfamiliar.

A popular city slogan in recent years goes, “See China • Come to Baoji.” Its origin traces back to the He Zun, an early Western Zhou Dynasty bronze vessel unearthed in Baoji in 1963. Now serving as the crown jewel of the Baoji Bronze Museum, the vessel bears an inscription of 122 characters across 12 lines on its inner base. Among these, the phrase “Zhai Zi Zhong Guo” (Dwell in the Central Kingdom) represents the earliest written record of the word “China” from 3,000 years ago. Baoji, with its history as weighty as ancient chronicles, offers a glimpse into its cultural depth through this artifact.

The origin of Baoji's name is indeed tied to a treasure—but not a chicken, rather a stone.

In the nineteenth year of Duke Wen of Qin's reign (746 BCE), a piercing, eerie cry startled the residents of Chencang City one early morning. Witnesses reported a star streaking across the night sky from the southeast, plunging directly toward the northern slopes of Chenchang. Its impact sent a deafening roar through the mountains, causing wild pheasants to scatter in panic. Duke Wen of Qin hurried to the crash site with his entourage. There they found a massive crater in the earth, its center glowing with an intense crimson light. Once the strange object cooled, Duke Wen examined it closely and discovered it was a stone fallen from the heavens—a meteorite. Seizing this opportunity to rally public support and strengthen his rule, Duke Wen declared to the people of Qin: “Behold! Heaven aided me from the very founding of Chenchang City. Now the heavens bestow this auspicious sign upon our state—a command for our nation to grow mighty!” Thus, Duke Wen built a temple at the meteorite's landing site, venerating the stone as a sacred object. This divine stone became the famed “Chen Treasure” celebrated through the ages, and the temple is known as the Chen Treasure Shrine.

The name “Baoji” is an abbreviation of “Chen Treasure startles the pheasant” (Chen Treasure lands, wild pheasants cry out in alarm).

As night falls, the banks of the Wei River shimmer with radiant light, adorned like a tapestry of blossoms. Citizens and tourists, flowing north and south in an unending stream, stroll through cultural districts, gather in food courts, and revel in life's joys.

Nearby on Shigu Mountain, the starry sky illuminates the Bronze Museum with an air of mystery. Bathed in the glow of history, the national treasure He Zun and tens of thousands of ancient bronze artifacts silently narrate the enduring legends of China and this land.

After getting off the bus, I checked into a hotel to freshen up. Following a breakfast of tofu pudding and fried dough sticks, I headed straight for Famen Temple. Ignoring the driver's advice to drop me off at the temple itself, I got off at the entrance to the Famen Cultural Scenic Area. Though it meant walking a bit further, I wanted to see the entire temple complex.

The entrance to the Dharma Gate Cultural Scenic Area features two gates inscribed with “Buddha's Light” and ‘Prajna’ respectively. Buddhist teachings state: “The human body is hard to obtain, yet we have obtained it; the Dharma is hard to hear, yet we have heard it.” Upon passing through the gates, a long avenue bathed in sunlight leads to the Palms-Together Stupa. A solemn sense of reverence arises.

Entering the “Prajna” gate, one first encounters the eighteen Arhats standing tall on either side, with the subduing of the dragon and tiger Arhats positioned at the forefront. Behind the eighteen Arhats, eight Bodhisattvas sit serenely along the path. The nine o'clock sunlight enhances a profound sense of tranquility, strength, and compassion.

By the time we reached the stupa, it was precisely ten o'clock. The Buddha's relics ascended from the underground chamber as the accompanying monk reverently chanted the Buddha's name. Though the crowd bustled around us, our hearts remained still. Indeed, these were the bones of Shakyamuni Buddha, who lived over two thousand years ago. To think that after so many generations, we could still behold them—how could this not stir our souls? Shakyamuni is the founder of Buddhism.

After leaving Famen Temple, we proceeded to Wolong Temple. Originally named Jingchan Temple, it was founded during the Sui Dynasty and reached its zenith in the Tang Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, it occupied eight acres and seven-tenths of an acre, retaining five main halls, three towers, one pavilion, and eight steals. Bells and drums were present, ancient trees stood solemnly, and over ten acres of farmland surrounded it. Beside the temple lay a monastic cemetery with thirteen bone pagodas housing the remains of over 150 monks. Having weathered over 1,300 years of history, Wolong Temple remains one of Baoji's most renowned temples to this day.

In Chinese culture, the dragon is revered as a sacred and auspicious creature, commanding profound respect and esteem. Consequently, naming places after dragons became a popular choice among the populace. Numerous locations in Baoji bear dragon-related names, with a particularly high concentration near Wolong Temple. These include Panlongyuan (Coiled Dragon Plain), Wolongyuan (Reclining Dragon Plain), Panlongshan (Coiled Dragon Mountain), Panlong Town, Longfeng Village, Panlong Road, and Panlong Bridge.

Wolong Temple, a millennia-old monastery, stands majestically east of Baoji's administrative center. Its renown throughout Baoji has inspired numerous place names and institutions, including Wolong Temple Subdistrict Office, Wolong Temple Railway Station, Wolong Temple West Community, and Wolong Temple Middle School.

Historical records describe Wolong Temple as simple yet elegant, majestic and imposing, with ornate beams and painted rafters, exuding beauty and tranquility.

In 2005, Baoji Xijian Highway Engineering Co., Ltd. contributed 150,000 yuan to fund the construction of the region's only Thousand Buddha Iron Pagoda within the temple grounds. This hexagonal pagoda stands 25 meters tall with 13 stories, with a base perimeter of 6 meters and weighing 20 tons. Each face features Buddha statues and inscribed plaques, while wind chimes suspended at each corner of every level produce a melodious tinkling sound that carries far and wide, like the lingering echoes of Buddhist chanting. In 2010, a grand hall was added, housing five hundred vividly sculpted Arhats, each with a distinct expression and unique monastic name—a masterpiece unparalleled in Northwest China.

Today, Wolong Temple spans seven acres, housing the Reclining Buddha Hall, Vairocana Hall, and Heavenly Kings Hall. These halls enshrine twenty-four full-body statues of the Buddha, venerable masters, and Bodhisattvas, all radiant with brilliant hues. The walls of each hall are adorned with dazzling murals, captivating visitors. Additional structures include three rooms for circulating Buddhist scriptures, eight storage rooms, four dining halls, and twelve monks' quarters. The temple's most renowned feature is the reclining Buddha of Shakyamuni, measuring 8 meters long and 3 meters high, ranking among the largest reclining Buddhas in Shaanxi Province. The temple grounds are planted with diverse trees and flowers, creating a scenic landscape that invites visitors to linger and admire.

Finally, we visited Jiacun Town.

Jiacun Town is a township in Chenchang District, Baoji City, situated in the central part of the Jiacun Plateau in northern Baoji. It faces Fengxiang Changqing Township and Chen Village Town across the Qian River to the east, borders Panlong Town to the south, connects with Jinlinghe Township to the west, and adjoins Qiaozhen District to the north. It lies 25 Chinese miles from the center of Baoji City.

Benefiting from its central location, farmers from Jiacun, Panlong, Qiaozhen, and along the Qian River engaged in trade here as early as the Ming and Qing dynasties. The town of Jiacun began forming as a market town in the late Ming period and flourished during the Qing dynasty. In the 20th year of the Kangxi reign (1681), Grand Secretary Dang Chongya retired from court and settled here in seclusion. He renovated Longchuan Town and inscribed the plaque “Longchuan Xiongzhen” (Mighty Town of Longchuan), which was hung on the city gate tower.

Jiacun was historically known as Longchuan Town, and its castle ruins remain visible today.

Historical records recount that the renowned Ming and Qing statesman Dang Chongya once received the Kangxi Emperor here during his western campaign. Upon seeing the towering gate inscribed with “Mighty Town of Longchuan,” the emperor expressed slight displeasure and inquired of Dang Chongya: “I am the true dragon. Where does this dragon come from?” Dang Chongya responded with quick wit: “Your Majesty is the true dragon; this is merely a false dragon.” The emperor replied, “So it is a false village.” Taking the Emperor's words as gospel, the village was renamed “False Village” (Jiacun). Later generations adapted its pronunciation to “Jia Village,” though no Jia family ever resided there. This is the origin of Jia Village's name, and the name Jia Village Plateau also derives from this story.

In October 2014, villagers in Nanwan Village, Jiacun Town, uncovered numerous ancient architectural relics while leveling land. Subsequently, the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Museum and the Chenchang District Museum jointly dispatched a team to conduct archaeological investigations at the site. The investigation revealed two sections each of corridors, access paths, and rammed-earth walls, along with one rammed-earth platform foundation. Archaeologists also unearthed 151 ceramic artifacts, including roof tiles, flat tiles, barrel tiles, drainage pipes, and bricks. These findings indicate the site is a sacrificial complex dating back to the Qin and Han dynasties.

The entire Jiacun Plateau region has shown evidence of village fortifications dating back to at least the late Shang Dynasty and early Western Zhou period. Early Western Zhou bronze ware, jade artifacts, weapons, and stone tools have been unearthed in Linglong Village, Shangguan Village, and Futuo Village to the east of the plateau; the Dai Jia Wan burial site to the south; the Jinhe River to the west; and Qiaozhen to the north.

The most renowned artifact unearthed at Jiacun Plateau is the “He Zun” from the early Western Zhou period, now housed in the Baoji Museum.

This bronze vessel was crafted by a member of the He clan during King Cheng's reign in the Western Zhou dynasty, representing a precious early Western Zhou artwork.

Discovered in Jiacun Village in 1963, its base bears a 122-character inscription—the earliest historical record of the name “China.” The inscription also chronicles the succession of King Wen, King Wu, and King Cheng of Zhou, along with the historical construction of “Chengzhou” (present-day Luoyang). It is thus regarded as a national treasure.

Baoji truly stands out. The majestic Qinling Mountains, the ancestral backbone of China and the nation's “central water tower,” are home to Mount Taibai, the main peak of the Qinling range. From Meixian to Taibai County, Mount Taibai's miraculous scenery—where “four seasons pass in a single day, and the weather changes every ten miles”—enraptures all who behold it.

The mountain's unique features determine its vibrant autumn splendor. Feng County, known as the “Living Room of the Great Qinling,” captivates with its intoxicating hues as autumn colors gradually turn crimson across the mountains and fields. Chenchang District, situated at the junction of the Qinling Mountains, Guanzhong Plain, and Loess Plateau, is not only the site of major historical events—including the discovery of the He Zun bronze vessel, Liu Bang's covert passage through Chenchang, and Zhuge Liang's two campaigns against Qishan—but also home to scenic areas like Jiulong Mountain and Jiang Ziya's Fishing Platform. Its autumn splendor truly stands the test of time!