Indian Sculpture and Painting, Illustrated by Typical Masterpieces, with an Explanation of their Motives and Ideals c8.25

c8.25

"Asoka," says Mr. Vincent Smith, "was a great builder, and so deep was the impression made on the popular imagination by the extent and magnificence of his architectural works that legend credited him with the creation of 84,000 *stûpas*, or sacred cupolas, within the space of three years. When Fa-hien, the Chinese pilgrim, visited Pâtaliputra, the capital, at the beginning of the fifth century A.D., in the reign of Chandragupta Vikramâditya, the palace of Asoka was still standing, and was deemed to have been wrought by supernatural agency.