About 90 minutes drive from Xi’an, Famen Temple is a Buddhist temple with a history that spans 1,700 years. First erected during the Han dynasty, Famen Temple has been through many iterations as a royal complex during the Tang dynasty and as one of the largest monasteries at the time with over 5,000 monks. Long sealed basements were discovered centuries later (as recently as 1987). Filled with thousands of treasures, they reveal many hidden secrets to the modern world. Among the finds are sacrificial objects, royal offerings, and the alleged finger bone of Gautama Buddha.
Update: July 29, 2021