Xuanzang

Xuanzang (from 602 to 664), the famous monk in the Tang Dynasty with folk name Chen Yi is honored “Sanzang Master or Tang Monk by later generations.

Xuanzang became a monk at the age of 10 and kept studying Buddhist doctrines without any rest. To get rid of fake Buddhist doctrines and get true doctrines, he travelled west to India to seek Buddhist doctrines alone, taking great pains all the way.

In Dunhuang the first barrier Xuanzang met on his way to the west was Moheyanqi. He stuck to the oath “I would rather die on the way to the west than return to live in the east” and finally walk through Moheyanqi…

He climbed over Mount Tianshan, Har goolun Range, the Himalayas, the roof of the world Pamirs with average elevation of over 4,000 meters and Daban in Hindukush Mountains and reached India in the end. Xuanzang entered the highest Buddhist school in India Nalanda, where he studied for 5 years. He lived 14 years in India, was thought highest of and honored a Buddhist master of the generation.

After returning to his country, Xuanzang gave up his honor given by the country and started to translate Buddhist scriptures written in Sanskrit into Chinese day and night for 19 years with any delay till his death.

The booming Tang Dynasty was the peak of ancient Chinese culture and also the most glorious period for cultural exchange between China and other countries. Xuanzang achieved most among all cultural exchange messengers. He exploited a cultural route from China to India via the Western Regions and Persia with his feet.

Indians have no literal history left. Buddhist Records of the Western World like a torch lit dusty history of India. Thus the history of India in the Middle Ages was unveiled to the world from then on.