Xuanzang: China’s Legendary Pilgrim and Translator

In this excellent addition to the Lives of the Masters Series, Brose (Patrons and Patriarchs), an associate professor of Chinese Buddhism at the University of Michigan, explores the life, work, and legacy of Xuanzang, an influential seventh-century Buddhist monk. Driven by a desire to resolve conflicts in interpretations of Buddhist scriptures by going to sources throughout India, Xuanzang absconded from China and embarked on a 17-year journey. When Xuanzang returned, he served as an advocate of Buddhist interests and was given imperial support to complete his translation work. Brose offers excerpts from Xuanzang’s works, describing his pilgrimage through Central Asia and India, particularly focusing on key Buddhist sites and personal correspondences, such as his many letters to Indian royals. In the final section, Brose explores Xuanzang’s teachings on Yogacara, his posthumous influence on Buddhist studies, the distribution of his relics, the deification and fictionalization of his story, and contemporary invocations of him for political purposes. Brose’s smart volume is a compact yet comprehensive introduction to Xuanzang, exploring both the mundane (such as doctrinal studies and disputes) and the fantastical dimensions (such as the Buddhist demons that hound his past and spiritual connection to deities he forges). Readers looking to learn more about the early history of Buddhism will find this an accessible yet thorough starting point. (Oct.)