Great Tang Records on the Western Regions

A page from the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions, an edition collected in 1773-1782

The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions (simplified Chinese: 大唐西域记; traditional Chinese: 大唐西域記; pinyin: Dà Táng Xīyù Jì; Wade–Giles: Ta T'ang Hsiyü Chi) is a narrative of Xuanzang's nineteen year journey through Chang'an to Central Asia and eventually South Asia between 626 and 645. It was compiled in 646^[1] by Bianji, a disciple of Xuanzang, who spent more than one year editing the book through Xuanzang's dictation.

The book contains more than 120,000 Chinese characters and is divided into twelve volumes, which describe the geography, land and maritime transportation, climate, local products, people, language, history, politics, economic life, religion, culture, and customs in 110 countries, regions and city-states from present-day Xinjiang to Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka, etc.

Today, the text is of a great value to modern historians and archaeologists.^[1] The Records is an important document of Central Asia during the early seventh century, as it provides information of a Buddhist culture existed in Afghanistan during that time and the earliest textual evidence for Buddhist sculptures at Bamiyan.^[2] The text also has equal importance in the studies of India, and archaeologists has been using it to fill in certain gaps in Indian history.^[1] The text has served as a guidebook for the excavation of many important sites, such as Rajagrha, the Temple at Sarnath, Ajanta, the ruins of Nalanda Monastery in Bihar, etc.^[1] The text has also been known for having "exact descriptions of distances and locations of different places."^[1] The text inspired the popular epic novel Journey to the West, published in the 16th century.

See also

• Journey to the West

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} "The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions". University of Hawaii Press. http://www.uhpress.hawaii.edu/p-4509-9781886439023.aspx. 
2. ^ New Bamiyan Buddha find amid destruction

References

• Zhu, Yunqiu and Wang, Lixin. Da Tang Xiyu Ji Zhong De Yinduren Xingxiang (The Image of Indians in the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions). Journal of Shenyang University. 2005.2. p. 98-102. ISSN 1008-9225.
• Tang, Qinfu (2001). History of Chinese Historiography. Taiyuan: Shanxi Education Press. ISBN 7-5440-2111-4. p. 230-232.
• Xie, Fang, "Da Tang Xiyu Ji" ("Great Tang Records on the Western Regions"). Encyclopedia of China, 1st ed.
• Zhang Xiuping et al. (1993). 100 Books That Influenced China: Da Tang Xiyu Ji. Nanning: Guangxi Renmin Press. ISBN 7-219-02339-1. p. 392-398.

Further reading

• Watters, Thomas (1904). On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India, 629-645 A.D.. Royal Asiatic Society, London. http://www.archive.org/stream/cu31924071132769#page/n3/mode/2up. 

External links

• Da Tang Xiyu Ji "Records from the Regions West of the Great Tang Empire" — Chinaknowledge.de.