The Travelogues of Buddhist Monks and the Knowledge of the Western Regions during the Fourth to the Sixth Centuries

• Published in: Religions (Basel, Switzerland ) Vol. 15; no. 8; p. 886
• Main Author: Zhang, Kaiyue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.08.2024
• Subjects: 2nd century; 4th century; 6th century; Bans; Buddhism; Buddhist monks; Centuries; Faxian; Huisheng; Knowledge; Monks; the Western Regions; travelogues; Zhang Qian; Taklamakan Desert; Central Asia; China; Khotan China; India
• ISSN: 2077-1444; 2077-1444
• DOI: 10.3390/rel15080886

In the context of monks traveling westward in search of Buddhist scriptures, their travelogues emerged during the fourth to the sixth centuries as a new channel for producing knowledge about the Western Regions, distinct from official sources. The fundamental reason monks wrote these travelogues was to enhance the sanctity of their journeys and the scriptures. Additionally, they fulfilled the demands among Buddhists for information about Buddhism in Central Asia and India. The knowledge about the Western Regions in these travelogues was referenced in works by Chinese scholars, such as the Weishu, Beishi, Shuijing zhu, and Luoyang qielan ji, thereby expanding the audience for such knowledge. Even after the original texts were lost, their content continued to be transmitted through these citations. However, while Chinese scholars often criticized these travelogues for some absurd accounts and made adaptations or deletions, they were nonetheless compelled to utilize the unique knowledge these travelogues offered about the Western Regions.