Conference paper
Research on Lumbini in the Travels of Ancient Chinese Monks
Shi Kuansen (Wang Weila)
Ph.D. Scholar, Faculty of Buddhist Studies, LBU
Abstract
Lumbini is the birthplace of the Buddha. Since the Wei-Jin period, Chinese monks travelled to India, Nepal and Sri Lanka in search of the Dharma, compiling travelogues that became key historical sources for South Asian Buddhist history and the identification of holy sites. This paper analyses the records of Lumbinī in the travelogues of ancient Chinese monks, including the Great Tang Records on the Western Regions and A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms.