On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c14.31

v1.c14.31

When this sovereign met Yuan-chuang, our text here relates, having made a polite apology to the pilgrim (literally, having said— I have fatigued you) he made enquiry as to Yuan-chuang's native land, and the object of his travelling. Yuan-chuang answered that he was a native of the great T'ang country, and that he was travelling to learn Buddhism. The king then asked about this great T'ang country, in what direction it lay, and how far it was distant. Yuan-chuang replied that his country was the Mahāchina of the Indians and that it was situated some myriads of li to the north-east of India. The king then relates how he had heard of the Ch'in(Tsin)-wang-T'ien-tzŭ (秦王天子), that is, the Deva-putra Prince Ch'in, of Mahāchina, who had brought that country out of anarchy and ruin into order and prosperity, and made it supreme over distant regions to which his good influences extended. All his subjects, the king continues, having their moral and material wants cared for by this ruler, sing the "song of Ch'in-wang's conquests", and this fine song has long been known here. The king then asks the pilgrim whether this was all true, and whether his Great T'ang country was the country of the song.