The White Horse Temple, 12 kilometers east of downtown Luoyang, was the first temple built in 68 A. D. , the 11th year during the reign of Emperor Yongping of the Eastern Ran Dynasty (25-220) after the introduction of Buddhism to China. As legend has it, the Buddhist scriptures were carried by a white horse, hence the name. Covering an area of 40, 000 square .meters, the temple has Qiyun Pagoda erected in the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) , a pair of sculptured white horses, the tombs of eminent monks from India, pagodas to enshrine Buddhist sutras, stone tablets carved in the Yuan and Ming dynasties (1271-1644) and bell tower. On New Year's Eve, the bell in the temple chimes to welcome the New Year.