從長安到那爛陀-轻识

Xuanzang was a unique figure in Chinese history who was able to have a profound impact on monks and lay followers, the elite and the general public, the bureaucracy and the common people, the entire East Asian and South Asian world, and the history and reality of the seventh century onward. In the monastic world, he was a once-in-a-millennium monk who was not only extremely learned but also a devoted practitioner, thus inspiring generations of monks from all over the world. For lay people, even if they were not Buddhists, Xuanzang’s character was worthy of study. In terms of academic significance, Xuanzang’s outstanding translation achievements, his faithful introduction and profound understanding of the latest ideas in Indian Buddhism and logic, and his founding of the widely influential Yogācāra school have been well established in past academic studies. In folklore, he had been gradually sanctified since the day of his death, and eventually evolved into numerous legends until he became a household name with the image of the Tang monk in Journey to the West. During his lifetime, Xuanzang was worshipped by emperors and dignitaries, and since his death, he has become an object of worship for thousands of people. But even so, there are still many enigmas surrounding this remarkable figure who lived more than fourteen hundred years ago that remain to be studied.

Therefore, from August 16–19, 2018, we held the First International Conference on Xuanzang and Silk Road Culture. Soon after the conference, we collected meticulously drafted papers by some of the participants and published them in both Chinese and English. A total of thirteen papers in English are included in these proceedings, which are just one part of this conference’s achievements.