Travelers, Traders, and Missionaries, Part I: A Buddhist Monk on the Silk Road

Why would a young Buddhist monk from China risk life and health to travel to India in the 7th Century? And what does his voyage tell us about the ways the Buddhism helped to connect Asian societies at this time?

Follow this journey to find out more! As you travel the Silk Road, answer the questions below.

I. First you will need some background. Start at A Journey of a Thousand Li, For more information, you can also consult The Silk Road Project,

  1. What was the Silk Road?
  1. How and when did the Silk Road begin?

II. But where in the world are we?The Silk Road Project provides a map overview at as does the Silk Road Foundation at

  1. What regions of Asia and beyond were connected by these routes?

III. Wait! What doestrade have to do with Buddhism?You can start by returning to the short overview at (A Journey of a Thousand Li ( )Go in to greater depth at Buddhism and its Spread along the Silk Road,

  1. How did trade routes help Buddhism to spread?

IV. Buddhist teachings spread far and wide and eventually became very influential in China. To learn more, visit Monks and Merchants at

  1. How and when did Buddhism initially spread to China? What was China like at this time?
  1. How was Buddhism received in China? Who embraced this new teaching?

V. Now that you have some background, we turn to our traveler, Xuanzang. He lived in the seventh century, and set off on his journey around 627 CE. What motivated this young scholar? And what did his world look like? For these questions, return to A Journey of a Thousand Li, and read more at If you want additional information, try this article at The Silk Road Foundation,

  1. In the seventh century, what family ruled China?
  1. Why did the Chinese emperor forbid Xuanzang from traveling west?
  1. What challenges did Xuanzang face on his journey?
  1. What regions did Xuanzang travel through on his journey?
  1. When he finally reached India, what did Xuanzang do? What would he have seen?
  1. What happened when Xuanzang returned to China?
  1. How did Xuanzang’s travels and learning affect Buddhism in China?

VI. Your reflections

When you have finished Xuanzang’s journey, imagine yourself in his place. What wonders might you have seen? What would have been most important to you about these experiences? How would you feel returning home at last after many years of study in India?

Write a journal entry of at least one paragraph for Xuanzang after his return to China. You might describe his memories of part of his journey—why he was motivated to leave his home and travel to India—or what he learned. You could also describe his feelings upon returning home.

When you have composed your journal entry, copy and paste it into a new posting in the “Buddhist Pilgrim on the Silk Road” FORUM. You can find this forum under this week’s work on the Moodle page.

If you have additional time, please read your classmates’ journal entries! You can also read additional articles about the Silk Road from the list above.