On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s13: Ku-Lang-Na
On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s13
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Ku-Lang-Na
v2.c23.s13.1
The pilgrim proceeds to relate that from *Yin-po-kan* he travelled south-east across mountain and valley by narrow dangerous paths for above 3000 *li* to *Ku-lang-na*. He describes this country as old Tokhara territory, and as being above 2000 *li* in circuit;
v2.c23.s13.2
it resembled *Yin-po-kan* in the character of the country and in climate; the people had no civil polity and had bad dispositions; there were only a few Buddhists. The cliffs yielded much gold-essence ("d'or pur"), which was obtained by smashing the rocks. There was a small number of monasteries, and the Brethren were few; the king was a sincere upright man who reverenced Buddha, the Canon, and the Order.
v2.c23.s13.3
The *Ku-lang-na* of this passage, restored as Kuraṇa, has been identified by Yule with the modern Kuran or Koran, in the upper part of the valley of the Kokcha and "a sub-division of the province of Jerm, lying among the spurs of the Hindu Kūsh. In fact, it includes the Lazuli Mines".¹ Other forms of Chinese transcription are Kü-lan (俱蘭) and *Kü-lo-nu* (俱羅弩).² It is described as adjoining Tokhara, as being 3000 *li* in circuit, bounded on the south by the Great Snow Mountains (the Hindu Kush) and on the north by the river Kü-lu (俱魯). In A.D. 646 *Hu-t'i-p'o*, the rāja of this country, sent an envoy to T'ang T'ai Tsung bearing a letter in Indian writing.
v2.c23.s13.4
¹ op. c. p. 111: Wood's "Journey to the Source of the Oxus," ed. Yule, Int. p. LXXXVII and p. 169.
v2.c23.s13.5
² T'ang-Shu, *ch*. 221.