The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c4.61

c4.61

Although the Chinese division of India into five great provinces is simpler than the well-known native arrangement of nine divisions, as described by Varâha-Mihira and the Purânas, yet there can be little doubt that they borrowed their system from the Hindus, who likened their native country to the lotus-flower, the middle being Central India, and the eight surrounding petals being the other divisions, which were named after the eight chief points of the compass.* In the Chinese arrangement, the middle and the four primary divisions only are retained; and as this division is much simpler, and also more easily remembered, I will adopt it in the present description.