Nestorian Stele Monument

Address: Nestorian Stele (stone now in the Forest of Stone Steles / Beilin Museum), Xi’an, Shaanxi, China

The Nestorian Stele is a stone monument erected in 781 CE in what is now Xi’an that documents the presence of the Church of the East (sometimes called Nestorian Christianity) in Tang dynasty China. The stele carries inscriptions in Chinese with references to Christian doctrine and clergy.

The monument was discovered in the early 17th century and has been studied and conserved as a rare contemporary inscription recording cross-cultural religious activity in medieval China. It is an important primary source for scholars of religion and medieval Chinese history.

The stele originated in the Chang’an region and today is preserved as a significant archaeological and epigraphic artifact.

• Date and language: Erected in 781 CE, it records the presence of the Church of the East in Tang-dynasty China and contains inscriptions in Chinese with Syriac headings.
• Discovery: Discovered in the early 17th century and since conserved as an important primary source for the history of Christianity in medieval China.

The Nestorian Stele is on display in Xi’an’s Beilin (Forest of Stone Steles) Museum in central Xi’an. The museum is in the Beilin district of the city and is reachable by a short taxi or local bus ride from Xi’an’s main railway stations; once at the Beilin Museum, the stele is exhibited inside the museum complex.

• The Nestorian Stele is displayed in Xi'an's Beilin (Stele Forest) Museum - visit that museum early to see it before larger tour groups arrive.
• Combine the visit with nearby central Xi'an sights (Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Muslim Quarter) since they are within easy walking distance and make for a compact walking itinerary.
• Allow time to explore other stone inscriptions and calligraphy in the Stele Forest museum; the stele gains more context when seen alongside the broader collection.