Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c8.s2.t6.1

v1.c8.s2.t6.1

Kharosthi *lipi* was a common script of ancient India which came from the Aramaic script (alphabet) of West Asia. This was widely used in Gandhara of northwest of India and it occurred in the similar period of the Brāhmī script. This is now found to have been engraved in stone inscriptions of Asoka in the middle of the 3ʳᵈ century BCE. In ancient Chinese literature, the script was variously called – ‘Qu lou (佉楼)’, ‘Qu-lu-se-zha-shu-zi (佉卢瑟吒书字)’, ‘Qu-lu-shi-di (佉卢虱底)’ and ‘Qu-lu-shi-zha (佉卢虱吒)’ etc, all of which were transliterated names of the Sanskrit word, Kharosthi. According to free translation, their equivalent Chinese terms were: ‘lu-chun-shu’ or ‘lu-chun wen’ which means ‘donkey lip script’. It has been recorded on the basis of certain legends and myths of ancient India in Volume 101 of *Abhidharma-Jnanaprasthana-mahavibhasa-sastra* authored by 500 Arhats that the Kharosthi script was made by one celestial being, Kharosthi. This book has been translated by Xuanzang and is available in China.