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    A Path Unknown: Xuanzang's Journey into the Subcontinent

    Written by: Mahnoor Fatima
    Posted on: July 13, 2020 | | 中文

    (Left) Xuanzang's Statue at the Great Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi'an, China and A Portrait of Xuanzang (Right)

    In today’s age of connectivity and fast travel, it is difficult to imagine what it once must have been like to travel to unknown territories at a time without vehicles or information on one’s destination. Travel over a long distance would have only been done so for larger-than-life causes. And the Buddhist monk Xuanzang sought to do just that, being one of the first Chinese travelers to journey to India, along the historic Silk Route.

    His pilgrimage to sacred Buddhist sites all over the Subcontinent lasted 16 years, and have been an important milestone in understanding what life was like in pre-Islamic India.

    Buddha or Prince Siddhartha Gautama was born in what is now India in 656BC, centuries before Xuanzang. Although the monk was brought up with a Confucian education, he followed his brother to a Buddhist monastery at the age of 13. At the time, there were Buddhists in China, but there was much confusion about the tenets of Buddhism, and poor translation of religious texts caused many schisms in the practice of Buddhism in China. Xuanzang sought to rectify this by going to the land of Buddha and studying the sacred texts.

    Due to ongoing border clashes, Emperor Tang Zhen Guan had closed down roads to the West in 629 AD for everyone, except traders and merchants. When the monk applied for permission to travel to India, he was rejected. However, he remained convinced in his beliefs, and with the help of a few other monks, escaped China in the dead of night. He started from the city of Chang’an (now Xi’an), evading arrest until he reached the Taklamakan Desert, which was then considered the edge of China.

    An 8th Century Painting of Xuanzang Crosing the Pamirs

    Once on the Silk Route, it took him three years to reach India. His journey took him to key locations on the Route, including the famous city of Samarkand, and the prosperous city of Turfan. However, he traveled the desolate plains, deserts, and mountains of snow alone. When he finally reached modern-day Jalalabad in the North of Afghanistan, he felt like Alexander the Great who had entered India 9 centuries ago; Xuanzang felt as though he had discovered a new world for the first time.

    Xuanzang's Route and Return Trip

    In his travels through what is now Pakistan, he recalls the Swat Valley, the famous Bala Hisar Fort (which was a fortified royal residence even at the time). As a fan of art and architecture, he spent a lot of time in Taxila to admire the stupas left behind by Ashoka. According to other translations of his travels, he also briefly visited the cities of Chiniot and Lahore and wrote the earliest accounts of both cities. He wrote in such detail, that modern archaeologists could find the current locations of the ancient sites.

    That is not to say that his journey was without trouble: he was held hostage, threatened, and robbed at multiple points of his journey. Many times he was also struck by illness or a loss of spirit. Much of his accounts are devoted to spiritual visions which helped him through periods of hardship and gave him the will to continue the journey.

    He crossed Punjab right into Kashmir, a hub for Buddhist activity and learning. Central Asian scholar Aurel Stein credits Xuanzang with writing the first ethnographic survey of the people of Kashmir. He stayed there for two years, studying under the tutelage of various Buddhist Monks in various monasteries.

    As his journey took him to East India, his accounts become more focused on Buddhist mythology and teachings. After years, he reached his final destination of Nalanda, which is now in the Bihar state. There, he enrolled in Nalanda University, which was one of the earliest and most prestigious Buddhist universities to exist in the world.

    Nalanda University in Modern Bihar (photo credits to the Wire)

    He learned philosophy, Sanskrit, mathematics, astrology, and literature, which only increased his desire to know more about Buddhist teachings; his accounts of South India are much less detailed than the earlier counterparts.

    A Statue of King Harsha

    Near the end of the trip, the monk found himself caught between the King of Assam and King Harsha, the last great Buddhist King of India. King Harsha had already made contact with China, and his meeting with the monk can only be described as a diplomatic meeting to strengthen ties between the two empires. Thoroughly impressed by the monk’s skills in debate as well as his remarkable journey, Harsha gave Xuanzang his best elephant, an escort to carry his books, and thousands of gold and silver coins for his journey back home.

    Instead of going back the way he came, Xuanzang climbed the Pamir Mountains till he reached Kashgar, and took the same route as Marco Polo did to China. Upon returning to China in 645 AD, Xuangzang refused all accolades and retired to a monastery with the hundreds of texts he had brought back.

    He passed away in 664AD, having only completed a few of his translations, and his disciples completed his work. Presently, his records compiled together as “Xuanzang’s Records of the West”, is available in both Chinese and English for use.

    It is nothing short of fantastical to imagine what Xuanzang would have experienced in an unknown and undiscovered land, that was very different from his own. A translator, linguist, historian, holy man, and a folk hero, his convictions allowed him to complete his goals, and bring back knowledge to his people. Besides paving the way for the evolution of Chinese Buddhism, Xuanzang’s rich details of the Subcontinent have been vital in understanding India’s ancient kingdoms and societies, and ancient history owes much to Xuanzang’s contributions.

    Xuanzang's Temple


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021