On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c23.s19.1

v2.c23.s19.1

The narrative next tells us that from this (that is perhaps, the capital of Osh) the pilgrim went north across hilly sand-heaps and waste plains for above 500 *li* and came to *Kie(Ka)-sha*. This country he describes as being above 5000 *li* in circuit with many sand-heaps and little fertile soil; it yielded good crops and had a luxuriance of fruits and flowers. It produced fine woollen stuffs and fine woven woollen rugs; the people had the custom of flattening their babies' heads by compression; they were ill-favoured, tattooed their bodies and they had green eyes; their writing had been copied from that of India, and although changes had been made the substance was still preserved; their spoken language was different from the languages of other countries. The inhabitants were sincere believers in Buddhism; there were some hundreds of Buddhist monasteries with more than 1000 Brethren all adherents of the Sarvāstivādin School; these men read their scriptures much, without penetrating the meaning, and so there were many who had in this way read through all the canon and the vibhāshās (or Commentaries).