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...

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Chapter 32 - Country of Kie-chi (Gachi or Gaz)

This country from east to west is 500 li or so, from west to south 300 li. The capital is 4 or 5 li in circuit. The soil is stony, the country a succession of hills. There are but few flowers or fruits, but plenty of beans and corn. The climate is wintry; the manner of the people hard and forbidding. There are some ten convents or so, and about 200[1] priests. They all belong to the school of the Sarvāstivādas, which is a branch of the Little Vehicle.

On the south-east we enter the great Snowy Mountains. These mountains are high and the valleys deep; the precipices and hollows (crevasses) are very dangerous. The wind and snow keep on without intermission; the ice remains through the full summer; the snow-drifts fall into the valleys and block the roads. The mountain spirits and demons (demon sprites) send, in their rage, all sorts of calamities; robbers crossing the path of travellers kill them.[2] Going with difficulty 600 li or so, we leave the country of Tukhāra, and arrive at the kingdom of Fan-yen-na (Bāmiyān).

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

My text gives 200 as the number of the priests; but the error is in the printing; it ought to be 300.

[2]:

This phrase, "wei wu," may refer to the former statement, "that the robbers kill the travellers;" in which case wei wu would mean, "as a profession or business;" referring perhaps to the existence of a dacoit system.

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