玄奘

Xuanzang, whose name is written variously e. g. Hsüan Chuang, Hiüen-tsang, Hiouen Tsang, Yüan Tsang, Yüen Chwang; the famous pilgrim to India, whose surname was 陳 Chen and personal name 禕 Wei; a native of Henan, A. D. 600-664 (Giles). It is said that he entered a monastery at 13 years of age and in 618 with his elder brother, who had preceded him in becoming a monk, went to Chang-an 長安, the capital, where in 622 he was fully ordained. Finding that China possessed only half of the Buddhist classics, he took his staff, bound his feet, and on foot braved the perils of the deserts and mountains of Central Asia. The date of his setting out is uncertain (629 or 627), but the year of his arrival in India is given as 633: after visiting and studying in many parts of India, he returned home, reaching the capital in 645, was received with honour and presented his collection of 657 works, 'besides many images and pictures, and one hundred and fifty relics, 'to the Court. Taizong, the emperor, gave him the 弘福寺 Hongfu monastery in which to work. He presented the manuscript of his famous 大唐西域記 Record of Western Countries in 646 and completed it as it now stands by 648. The emperor Gaozong called him to Court in 653 and gave him the 慈恩寺 Cien monastery in which to work, a monastery which ever after was associated with him; in 657 he removed him to the 玉華宮 Yuhua Gong and made that palace a monastery. He translated seventy-five works in 1335 (zh) juan. In India he received the titles of 摩訶耶那提婆 Mahāyānadeva and 木叉提婆 Mokṣadeva; he was also known as 三藏法師 Tripiṭaka teacher of Dharma. He died in 664, in his 65th year.