On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v1.c8.s14.8

v1.c8.s14.8

The words "From Kashmir on" in the first paragraph of the above passage seem to mean "from Kashmir on towards China". But Julien understood the words in a very different sense and translated the passage containing them as follows¹—"Depuis que les deux espèces de poiriers li et nai, le pêcher, l'amandier, la vigne et autres arbres à fruits ont été apportés du royaume de Cachemire, on les voit croître de tous côtés. Les grenadiers et les orangers à fruits doux se cultivent dans tous les royaumes de l'Inde." In this, not to notice other faults, we have the words "ont été apportés" interpolated to the serious detriment of the author's meaning. Yuan-chuang knew better than to state that pears, and plums, and the other fruits mentioned had been brought from Kashmir into India and there cultivated everywhere. Throughout the Records there is only, I believe, a single mention of any of these fruit-trees in India. This one instance is to be found in the account of Chi-na-po-ti in Chuan IV (Julien II, p. 200), and there the peach and pear are represented as having been first introduced into India from China. In no account of India, so far as I know, down to the present time are the above trees enumerated among those grown commonly throughout the country. Ibn Batuta does not mention them and they are not given in Sir. W. Hunter's account of India. But they are grown in many countries between Kashmir and China, and in Chuan XII of the Records we find several instances mentioned. On the other hand pomegranates, which are said to grow wild in the Himalayan region, and sweet oranges have been extensively cultivated in India for many centuries.