Knowra Xuanzang Xuanzang Xuanzang (602–664) was a Chinese Buddhist monk and scholar who traveled to India and translated Buddhist texts into Chinese. His records of Indian Buddhism and his translations deeply influenced East Asian Buddhist thought.
Tang dynasty : A Chinese imperial dynasty that ruled from 618 to 907 and fostered extensive cultural and religious exchange. Xuanzang began his journey during the early Tang dynasty, despite restrictions on travel abroad.
Great Tang Records on the Western Regions : Xuanzang's account of the peoples, places, and Buddhist sites he encountered across Central and South Asia. This travel record preserved detailed observations from the pilgrimage that made him famous.
Taizong of Tang : The second emperor of the Tang dynasty, who ruled from 626 to 649. After Xuanzang returned, Taizong welcomed him and supported his translation activities.
Da Ci'en Temple : A Buddhist temple in Chang'an, now Xi'an, associated with Xuanzang and the translation of scriptures. Xuanzang worked on translations at this temple after returning from India.
Heart Sutra : A short Mahayana Buddhist scripture teaching emptiness and the absence of inherent existence. Xuanzang's Chinese rendering became one of the best-known versions of this scripture in East Asia.
Buddhism in China : The development of Buddhist traditions, institutions, and practices in China from the first centuries CE onward. Disagreements within Chinese Buddhism motivated Xuanzang to seek authoritative Indian teachings.
Chinese Buddhist translation : The rendering of Buddhist scriptures and commentaries into Chinese from languages such as Sanskrit. Xuanzang's translation work became one of the most consequential phases of this long tradition.
Gaozong of Tang : A Tang emperor who ruled from 649 to 683 and succeeded his father, Taizong. Gaozong continued imperial support for Xuanzang's scholarly and religious work.
Giant Wild Goose Pagoda : A seventh-century pagoda in Xi'an built to house Buddhist scriptures and relics brought from India. The pagoda became a landmark of Xuanzang's return and the preservation of his imported texts.
Madhyamaka : A Mahayana Buddhist philosophical tradition that explains emptiness through the critique of inherent existence. Xuanzang's Yogācāra commitments differed from Madhyamaka interpretations debated in Chinese Buddhism.
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