On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c26.s1: I. China to India

On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629–645 A.D. v2.c26.s1

Language: English

I. China to India

v2.c26.s1.1

From September, 629 A. D. to September, 630 A. D.

In the month of September 629 A. D.,¹ Yuan-chwang,² being then twenty-eight or twenty-nine years of age,³ quitted Ch'ang-an,⁴ at that time the seat of the imperial court, and started on his long pilgrimage.

v2.c26.s1.3

¹ "In the third year and the eighth month of the period Chêng Kwan" (Beal, Life, p. 11). Beal equates that year with 630 A. D., but Mr. Watters and M. Chavannes seem to be right in equating it with 629 A. D. September roughly corresponds with the eighth month as the Chinese year begins with "the nearest new moon to the month of February" (Du Halde, Hist. of China, Engl. transl., 3. ed., Vol. III, p. 97). A later passage in the Life (p. 209) asserts that the pilgrim started in the fourth month, but the date of the eighth month is confirmed by the 'address to the reader' (postface) of the Si-yu-ki (Chavannes, Turcs Occidentaux, p. 198 note), and harmonizes with the details of the narrative of the travels better than the earlier date.

v2.c26.s1.4

² The authorities differ widely concerning the proper way of writing the pilgrim's name. Mr. Watters' spelling is one way of representing the pronunciation current in Peking of the second element in the name, and of the syllables, forming the first portion, which have been substituted for the original Hiuen, because that word formed part of the name of the emperor K'ang-hi. The 'scientific spelling' is said to be Hiuen Tsang (Chavannes, Religieux Éminents, p. 2, note 4; addenda, p. 202).

v2.c26.s1.5

³ "Twenty-six years of age", according to Beal (Life, p. 11). But the pilgrim was born at some time in the year 600 A. D., according to Watters (p. 10), and so must have completed either twenty-eight or twenty-nine years before starting.

v2.c26.s1.6

⁴ "The capital Ch'ang-an, the modern Hsi-an" (Watters, p. 11); = Tch'ang-ngan (Chavannes); = Sian, Si-ngan-fu, Seganfoo, etc. of maps and books of reference; = Kenjanfu of Marco Polo. The city, which is still of importance, was the capital of the empire during the T'sin, Han, and T'ang dynasties. It is now the capital of the province of Shen-si, and includes a quarter known by the ancient name of Ch'ang-an: N. lat. 34° 17', E. long. 108° 58'.

v2.c26.s1.7

From the capital he proceeded in a north-westerly direction through the provinces of Shen-si and Kan-suh, passing through the towns of Tsin-chau and Lan-chau, and so arriving at Liang-chau, the great mart and meeting-place for merchants and travellers from the west. The pilgrim was occupied for more than a month at Liang-chau, presumably in completing his equipment, and, when ready, advanced, through Kwa-chau, to the frontier. Crossing the Bulunghir (Hu-lu) river, and traversing the Kwan, or barrier, of Yu-mēn (Yuh-mēn), he passed four out of five of a series of frontier watch-towers, separated one from the other by intervals of a hundred li, or about eighteen miles. In pursuance of friendly advice, he avoided the fifth tower, and plunged into the Mo-ho-yen desert,¹ where he barely escaped with his life, having lost his way and been without water for four nights and five days.

v2.c26.s1.8

¹ The transcription Mo-kia-yen is erroneous (Chavannes, *Les Turcs Occidentaux*, p. 74, note 3).

v2.c26.s1.9

Beyond the desert, he reached I-gu, the capital of a principality subordinate to the kingdom of Kao-ch'ang, the exact position of which apparently has not been determined. Yuan-chwang, who had intended to travel by the northern route past Kagan-Stūpa, the modern Bishbalik or Pei-t'ing, near Gu-chen (Gutchen), to the north of Turfan, was compelled to change his plans in deference to peremptory orders of Kü-wēn-tai (Khio-wen-t'ai, or Kü-ka), the powerful Turkī king of Kao-ch'ang, who insisted on receiving a visit from the pilgrim. A journey of six days through the desert from I-gu brought Yuan-chwang to Pih-li (? = P'ih-chan or Pi-ch'ang between Hami and Turfan), a frontier town of the Kao-ch'ang State. From Pih-li he advanced to Kiao-ho, the Kao-ch'ang capital, now represented by Yar-khoto, a few miles (20 *li*) to the west of Turfan.²

v2.c26.s1.10

² Kiao-ho is generally identified with Karakhojo (Huo-chow), lying about 27 miles (40 versts) to the east of Turfan. But strong reasons exist for believing that the position of the capital in the time of Yuan-chwang is marked by Yar-khoto (Chavannes, *Les Turcs Occ.*, pp. 7, 8, 101, 305, note 2).

v2.c26.s1.11

Yuan-chwang was detained at Kiao-ho for a month or more, and was then sent on his way laden with valuable gifts. Passing through the towns of Wu-pwan and To-tsin, which do not seem to have been identified (Beal, *Life*, p. 34), he came to the kingdom of A-k'i-ni (O-ki-ni, Yen-k'i). The pilgrim does not state the name of the capital, but other Chinese authors give it as either Nan-ho-ch'êng or Yun-kü, the latter being perhaps only another form of Yen-k'i (Watters, p. 48). Its site is generally identified with Kara-shahr (Kharashahr), a town situated to the north of Lake Bagrash (Bostang, or Barashahr); but M. Chavannes holds that there is good authority for maintaining that the ancient town, which he calls Yuen-kiu-tch'eng, lay to the west of the lake.³ Yuan-chwang stayed a single night at the capital of A-k'i-ni, and next morning went forwards and crossed 'a great river', now known as the Khaidu (Kaidu, Khaidick, Haïdick, or Tan). After surmounting some hills, and traversing a level valley, he arrived in the kingdom of Ku-chih (Kūcha, Koutcha, K'iu-chi (Beal), Kocha, etc.).

v2.c26.s1.12

³ Watters, p. 48; *Les Turcs Occ.*, p. 7. Karashahr is also spelt Karachar by French, or Harashar, by Russian writers. Sven Hedin visited the town, which is now 'the chief commercial emporium in that part of Chinese Turkestan' (*Through Asia*, Vol. II, p. 859).

v2.c26.s1.13

At the capital of the same name he was detained for about sixty days waiting for the snow-covered passes of the Tian-shan (Thianshan) mountains, which lay before him, to be open. Enormous masses of snow accumulate during the winter on the mountains to the south of Lake Issik-kül.¹

v2.c26.s1.14

¹ Sven Hedin (*Through Asia*, Vol. I, p. 86).

v2.c26.s1.15

From the city of Ku-chih, Yuan-chwang proceeded in a direction slightly south of west for a distance estimated as 600 *li*,² across a strip of desert, to the small kingdom of Poh-lu-ka (= Sanskrit *bālukā*, or ‘sandy’; also called Kimē, Kimo, Kumē, or Kumo, with the same meaning in Turki). The intermediate stages are not named by the pilgrim, but he must have passed the towns now called Sairam and Bai. The kingdom of Poh-lu-ka undoubtedly is represented by the modern district of Aksu, but the exact position of the capital is uncertain. The town was known by the name of Nan-ch'eng, or ‘South City’, and also bore the names of Po-hoan (Pu-han) and Wei-jong. Some Chinese writers identify it with Bai, but Mr. Watters prefers to locate it at a place called Khara-yurgun (Kharayurghun, Karayalghan), while M. Chavannes argues that it should be identified with Yaka-aryk to the north-east of Aksu town, which latter stands in N. lat. 41° 12', E. long. 79° 30'.³ Perhaps the problem is not capable of an exact solution.

v2.c26.s1.16

² *i. e.* twelve days march, if M. Foucher is right in holding that the expression ‘about 50 *li*’, as used by Yuan-chwang is ordinarily an approximate equivalent for a day's march, which was variable in length, but averaged about four French leagues, nearly ten English miles. Yuan-chwang liked short marches. (*Notes sur la Géographie du Gandhāra*, pp. 20, 27, n. 1). The distance given in the text seems to be excessive.

v2.c26.s1.17

³ Watters p. 65; Chavannes, *Turcs Occ.*, pp. 8, 120, and Index *s. v.* Po-hoan and Po-lou-kia.

v2.c26.s1.18

Yuan-chwang probably proceeded as far south as Aksu, for it is recorded that when he quitted the kingdom of Poh-lu-ka, he travelled in a north-westerly direction to the foot of the great mountain range now known as the Ping-shan, or ‘Ice-mountains’ (old Chinese Ling-shan; Turki Musur-dabghan, with the same meaning). The transit through the passes occupied seven days, and was so arduous that twelve or fourteen of the company perished, and the number of oxen and horses lost was still greater (Beal, *Life*, p. 41). There seems to be little doubt that the Pass by which Yuan-chwang travelled was the Bedal (Bédel), and not the Muzart.⁴ After emerging from the mountains, he crossed the Ajak-tash or Chen-chu (Tchen-tchou) river, and in due course approached, and, perhaps, actually reached, the shores of Lake Issik-kül, which he designates simply as the ‘Clear (tsing) Lake’. The Turkish tribes call it Issik-kül, or the ‘Warm Sea’, because it never freezes, and a Chinese name, Jo-hai, has the same meaning. This great sheet of water, about 112 miles long by 38 broad, is also known to the Mongols as the ‘Ferruginous Lake’ (Temurtu-nor); and is sometimes called the ‘Salt Sea’.

v2.c26.s1.19

⁴ Chavannes, *Turcs Occ.*, p. 9, and Index, *s. v.* Pa-ta-ling and Bédel.

v2.c26.s1.20

Opinions differ concerning the question whether the pilgrim passed to the south of the lake, or followed the easier circuitous route through Karakol by the eastern and northern shores. The balance of evidence seems to be in favour of the former supposition, and the direct route is consequently shown on the map as that taken by Yuan-chwang.¹

v2.c26.s1.21

¹ Watters (p. 69) advocates the direct route, and this view is supported by the observations of Tomaschek (*Turcs Occ.*, Addenda, p. 304). But M. Chavannes (*ap. cit.*, p. 9) prefers the other opinion.

v2.c26.s1.22

A north-westerly course from Lake Issik-kül brought the traveller to the place which he calls ‘the city of the Su-she water’, that is to say, the modern Tokmak on the Chu (Tchou) river, which the Chinese knew by the name of Su-she. This city was the residence of the powerful Khākān, or supreme chief, of the Western Turks, who hospitably received the pilgrim,² and appointed officers to conduct him as far as Kapiśa on the Indian frontier (Beal, Life, p. 44).

v2.c26.s1.23

² Tomaschek is positive that Tokmak represents the capital of the Turkish sovereign (*Turcs Occ.*, Addenda, p. 304).

v2.c26.s1.24

At a distance of some seventy or eighty miles (400 *li*) to the west of Tokmak, Yuan-chwang entered the pleasant district lying to the north of the Alexander Mountains, which was known by the name of the ‘Thousand Springs’ (Chinese *Ch’ien-chuan*, or *Ts’ien-tsüan*; Turki *Bing-ghyul*, transliterated in Chinese as *Ping-yü*; Mongol *Ming bulak*). The modern town of Tardy seems to mark the position of this district.³

v2.c26.s1.25

³ Watters, pp. 72—82; Chavannes, *Turcs Occ.*, references under *Ts’ien-ts’iuen* in Index.

v2.c26.s1.26

The next important halting-place was the town of Talossŭ, situated about seventeen miles (5 *farsang*) to the south of the modern Aulié-ata on the river Talas (Taras).⁴

v2.c26.s1.27

⁴ *Turcs Occ.*, p. 304.

v2.c26.s1.28

The pilgrim’s face was now turned in a south-westerly direction, so that he might traverse in succession the basins of the rivers Jaxartes (Syr Daryā), Zarafshān, and Oxus (Amū Daryā), on his way to India. The town designated as ‘White Water City’ (Pai-shui-ch’êng, Peh-shwui, Beal) cannot have been far from the modern Mankent, which lies about fifteen miles to the north-east of Chimkend. Passing through a town named Kung-yü and a district named Nu-chih-kan, Yuan-chwang arrived at Tashkend (Che-shih, Che-she, etc.), now the capital of Russian Turkestan, situated on a tributary of the Jaxartes in N. lat. 43°, E. long. 69°. From Tashkend probably he proceeded direct to Samarkand (Sa-mo-kin). The descriptions of Ferghana (Fei-han) and Ura-tépé (Ura-Tube, Ouratjübe etc.

v2.c26.s1.29

of maps; Chinese Su-tu-li-se-na, ? = Sutrishṇa), which are interpolated, do not seem to be based upon personal observation (Watters, p. 91).

v2.c26.s1.30

While staying at Samarkand, Yuan-chwang collected and recorded much information concerning neighbouring regions, and then continued his march, in a direction slightly west of south, to Shahr-i-sabz in Kesh (K'a-sha, K'ê-shih, or Kasanna). From this town he proceeded, by four marches, a distance of about 55 English miles, nearly due south to the famous defile of the ‘Iron Gates’, which marked the boundary between Sogdiana and Tokhāristān (Tu-ho-lo, Bactria), and is situated about eight miles to the west of Derbent (N. lat. 38° 11', E. long. 66° 54').¹ Yuan-chwang thus attained the most westerly point of his pilgrimage, having traversed about forty-two degrees of longitude since he quitted the Chinese capital.

v2.c26.s1.31

¹ Full details are given by Bretschneider (*Mediæval Researche*, Vol. I, pp. 81-4); and Chavannes (*Turcs Occ.*, p. 146, n. 5).

v2.c26.s1.32

On emerging from the pass he turned in a south-easterly direction through Tokhāristān (Tu-ho-lo), and, crossing the Oxus, reached Kunduz (Huo), where he was obliged to halt for more than a month. From this resting-place he made an excursion westwards to Balkh (Fo-ho, Po-ho), and thence resumed his journey to India. At a distance of about twenty miles (more than 100 *li*) to the south of Balkh, he passed through a district called Ka-chih (Kie-chih), supposed to be that now known as the valley of Gaz; and thence made his way, in a direction east of south, to the ‘Great Snowy Mountains’, or Hindū Kush range, and so arrived at the pass and city of Bāmiān (Fan-yen-na, Wang-yen). He then turned eastwards through the Ghorband Valley, crossed ‘a black range’, that is to say, mountains of moderate elevation without snow, apparently those marked on modern maps as the Paghmān Mountains, and so entered the kingdom of Kapiśa (Ka-pi-shih), roughly corresponding with Kāfiristān. Yuan-chwang fails to specify the position of the capital, which has not been identified.² The pilgrim spent the season of compulsory ‘rest’ or ‘retreat’ during the rains at a monastery named Sha-lo-ka in the capital; and, when travelling was again lawful, resumed his journey. Passing, evidently, down the valley of the Panjshīr river, and crossing a ‘black’ range (Siyāh Kōh) he entered the country of Lamghān (Lan-p'o); which, as a foreigner, he considered to be part of India.³ The traveller had then no difficulty in marching down the valley of the Kābul river until he reached India Proper.⁴ On his way he crossed a large river, the Kunar, and passed through the Na-ka-lo-ho country, or region near Jalalabad, and so entered the kingdom of Gandhara (Kan-t'o-lo), now the Peshawar District. His entry into this kingdom may be dated at the end of September or beginning of October, 630 A. D.

Cites (1)

Kunduz