Famen Temple, near Xi'an, became world-famous in 1987 when the collapsed pagoda revealed a sealed Tang Dynasty underground crypt. The crypt had been closed in 874 AD and preserved more than 2,000 objects donated by Tang emperors, including four Buddhist finger bone relics, gold and silver vessels, mise (secret-color) celadon, silk textiles, and the gilt silver tea set that transformed the study of Tang tea culture. The Famen Temple Museum presents the site as both an archaeological discovery and a living Buddhist pilgrimage destination.
