On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s14.1

v2.c23.s14.1

From Kuran, the narrative in the Records proceeds to relate, the pilgrim going north-east over hill and through valley by steep narrow paths travelled more than 500 *li* to *Ta-mo-si-ti-iè-ti*, which lay between two hills. This country, formerly Tokhara territory, was 1500 or 1600 *li* east to west and four or five *li*, (but in its narrowest part not above a *li*), from north to south. It lay along the *Po-chu* (Oxus) river, following the windings of the river; it was full of hillocks with sand and gravel everywhere; its winds were icy cold; the only crops were wheat and pulse and there was little vegetation; the country yielded many fine horses of small size but capable of long journeys. The people were ill-tempered and ill-favoured, and their clothing was of felt and serge; their eyes differed from those of other people in being of a turquoise hue. There were above ten Buddhist monasteries but very few Brethren. The capital, which was called *Hun-t'ê-to*, had a monastery built by a former king of the country by quarrying the cliff and filling up the gully. Our pilgrim then gives the conversion of this king to Buddhism by a mendicant missionary, and the consequent introduction and establishment of Buddhism. The shrine (ching-shê) of this monastery had a stone image of the Buddha over which was freely suspended a gilt copper canopy set with precious stones; this canopy moved with the worshipper as he performed pradakshina to the image, and stopped when he stopped. Our pilgrim examined the walls, and questioned the residents, but could not learn the secret of the self-acting canopy.