This  museum's collection of steles (huge stone slabs bearing important calligraphic engravings) is the largest in the country and housed in a historic Confucian Temple. Some 2,300 steles, gathered and accumulated over the centuries and numbering in the thousands, are now on display behind glass. 

The steles provide a fascinating window into China's history, especially of influences that came in along the Silk Road that terminated in Xi'an. One stele, for example, documents the arrival of Christianity in China in 781 AD, with the founding of a Nestorian Church. Others mark significant dates in China's history. A series of Buddhist steles fascinate with their depictions of increasingly sinocized images of the Buddha, who arrived from India well before Christ made his debut. Native belief systems are well represented, too, as in the "God of Literature Pointing the Dipper" stele, featuring the eight characters that epitomize Confucian doctrine.

The museum offers good English-language documentation and an RMB 100 print guide. Authentic ink rubbings of most of the steles are available for purchase on the grounds, cheaper imitations from the surrounding tourist shops.

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