Faxian

Faxian
Faxian sculpture at the Singapore Maritime Museum
Personal
Born337 CE
Pingyang Wuyang (平陽武陽), in modern Linfen City, Shanxi
Diedc. 422 CE (aged 85)
ReligionBuddhism
ParentTsang Hi (father)
Notable work(s)Foguoji (A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms)
Other namesGong Sehi
Faxian
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Literal meaningSplendor of the Dharma
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinFǎxiǎn
Wade–GilesFa-hsien
IPA[fà.ɕjɛ̀n]
Hakka
RomanizationFap5-hien3
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationFat3-hin2
IPA[fɐt̚˧.hin˧˥]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJHuat-hién
Middle Chinese
Middle ChinesePjop-xén
Gong Sehi
Traditional Chinese
Simplified Chinese
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGōng
Wade–GilesKung
Japanese name
Kanji法顕
Kanaほっけん
Transcriptions
RomanizationHokken
Sanskrit name
Sanskritफा हियान

Faxian (337–c. 422 CE), formerly romanized as Fa-hien and Fa-hsien, was a Chinese Buddhist monk and translator who traveled on foot from Jin China to medieval India to acquire Buddhist scriptures. His birth name was Gong Sehi.[citation needed][dubiousdiscuss] Starting his journey about age 60, he traveled west along the overland Silk Road, visiting Buddhist sites in Central, South, and Southeast Asia. The journey and return took from 399 to 412, with 10 years spent in India.[1][2][3]

Faxian's account of his pilgrimage, the Foguoji or Record of the Buddhist Kingdoms, are a notable independent record of early Buddhism in India. He returned to China with a large number of Sanskrit texts, whose translations greatly influenced East Asian Buddhism and provide a terminus ante quem for many historical names, events, texts, and ideas therein.[1][2]