Xuanzang

Xuanzang (602–664) was a renowned Tang-dynasty Buddhist monk who, driven by a quest for authentic Buddhist teachings, undertook a solitary pilgrimage spanning over 50,000 li—crossing shifting deserts and scaling snow-clad mountains—to reach Nalanda Monastery in India. There he studied under eminent masters before returning to China with more than 600 Sanskrit Buddhist texts. For nineteen years in Chang’an, he led an unprecedented translation project, producing seminal works including the Records of the Western Regions of the Great Tang. He stands as a foundational figure in Chinese Buddhist scholarship. His life inspired the Ming-dynasty literary masterpiece Journey to the West, in which he is venerated as ‘Tang Sanzang’ and ultimately conferred the title ‘Sandalwood Merit Buddha’—a designation that cemented his popular image as a divine patron of scriptural study and intellectual enlightenment. His relics are enshrined at the Xuanzang Pagoda within Xingjiao Temple in Xi’an, while the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda in the same city houses the very scriptures he translated. Students seeking perseverance in learning and scholarly accomplishment continue to revere Master Xuanzang.