Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang)
by Samuel Beal | 1884 | 224,928 words | ISBN-10: 8120811070
This is the English translation of the travel records of Xuanzang (or, Hiuen Tsiang): a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during the seventh century. This book recounts his documents his visit to India and neighboring countries, and reflects the condition of those countries during his time, including temples, culture, traditions and fest...
Chapter 5 - Country of Che-shi (Chaj or Tashkand)
The country of Che-shi[1] is 1000 or so li in circuit. On the west it borders on the river Yeh.[2] It is contracted towards the east and west, and extended towards the north and south. The products and climate are like those of Nu-chih-kien.
There are some ten towns in the country, each governed by its own chief; as there is no common sovereign over them, they are all under the yoke of the Tuh-kiueh. From this in a south-easterly direction some 1000 li or so, there is a country called Fei-han.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
That is, Tāshkand, which means in Turkish the "tower" or "residence of (tash) stone" (V. St. Martin, p. 276 n.), corresponding with the explanation in the text. Compare Lithinos purgos of Ptolemy, Geog., I. xi. 4, 6, xii. 1, 3, 9, 10; VI. xiii. 2; Ouseley, Orient. Geog., p. 269; Leyden and Erskine's Memoirs of Baber edit. 1826), pp. xl. 99, 102; Deguignes, Hist. G. des Huns, tom. ii. p. 497, tom. v. pp. 26, 31; Ritter, Asien, vol. v. p. 570; Klaproth, Magaz. Asiat., tom. i. p. 31; and Bretschneider, Med. Geog., pp. 159, 160. It is in lat. 41°19' N., long. 69°15' E., and in H. Moll's map (1702) is called Al-Chach, and placed 155 miles south-west from Taras or Dahalan." Rawlinson identifies Lithinos purgos with Tāsh-kurghān and with Kie-cha of Fahien.—Jour. R. Geog. Soc., vol. xlii. p. 503. Yule, however, doubts this: Wood's Oxus, int. pp. xxxix., xl.
[2]:
"The River Yeh, i.e., the Sihun, Syr-daria, or Jaxartes.