The Pilgrimage of FA Hian: From the French Edition of the ‘Foe Koue Ki’

Fa Hian, the Chinese Buddhist monk was the first pilgrim to cross the wastes if central Asia, penetrate India proper, and successfully return to China to record his experiences. “When I look back on what I have gone through,” he said about his stupendous undertakings, ”My heart is involuntarily moved and the perspiration flows forth, That I have encouraged danger and trod the most perilous places, with thinking of or sparing myself , was because I had a definite aim, and thought of nothing but to do my best in my simplicity and straightforwardness. Thus it was that I exposed my life where death seemed inevitable, if I might accomplish but a ten thousands part of what I hoped.” The present work is the Engloish version of the second revised edition of Abel Remusat’s French translation of Fa Hian’s text. Kalaporth and Landresse, while carrying out the revision, have added copious notes and comments which greatly increase the value of the book. Further, Klaporth decided Remusat’s text which, following the Chinese original ranon without a breas, into forty chapters. This division has been found so useful that all later translators-Beal, giles, Legge et al. – while acknowledging the value and authority of Remusat’s work, have incorporated the scheme in their own translations. Although Fa Hian’s work mainly discusses items of Buddhist interest, it nevertheless offers valuable information concerning life and conditions in Central Asia, India and Ceylon in those remote items and remains one of the great Chinese sources for the history and geography of these regions.