Faxian

Faxian (Chinese法 显/法 显, Pinyin Fǎxiǎn, W.-G. Fa -hsien; * to 337; † about 422) was a Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled 399-412 to India to study Buddhism and Buddhist to bring texts to China.

The name Faxian means " Dharmaglanz " and was only his spiritual name, his real name was Gong (龚/龚).

Faxian wandered since 399 supposedly 30 countries, including the Guptareich with its capital Pataliputra, where there were two Buddhist monasteries. His descriptions are an important source on ancient India. Finally, he embarked 411 in Calcutta to Sri Lanka one, from there he traveled on to Sumatra and returned as 413 with many holy books in his luggage to his homeland, which he transferred after his return into Chinese.

On his return he landed due to bad weather conditions in Laoshan in today's Shandong Province, 30 km east of Qingdao. From there he traveled to the then capital of Shandong Qingzhou and translated there for a year the scriptures he had brought.

His journey he describes in the Foguo ji (佛 国 记/佛 国 记) ( transliteration as " Fu -ko - wi " usual) ("Report of the Buddhist kingdoms. " Report by the Chinese monk Fa - Hien of his travels to India and Ceylon in search of the books on Buddhist teachings ). The work was first translated by Jean -Pierre Abel - Rémusat and as Foe Koue ki ou relation of royaumes bouddhiques (Paris 1836) published.