ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

Hyecho(慧超) made a pilgrimage to India in early 8th century, and wrote a record WangOcheonchukgukJeon(往五天竺國傳). The record which was extent is the center part of complete version. And this record seems to be a draft copy. WangOcheonchukgukJeon is a particular record on India and Central Asia. It is an unique description in early 8th century, and an only record which comes to India by sea and back to China by land. In this record, Hyecho wrote more about Central Asia than India. This is the distinctive character among other pilgrimages like FuguoJi and DatangXiyuJi. At that time India and Central Asia were in the era of change. In WangOcheonchukgukJeon, Hyecho wrote the circumstances of Buddhism, geography, customs, products, language and political condition of each countries he passed. These descriptions showed the real political conditions of the countries. The descriptions of Persia, Arab, Byzantine, Sogd and Turks are very important meanings in the point of cultural exchange between the East and the West. Moreover, WangOcheonchukgukJeon contains 5 poems which express the emotion of the pilgrimage, relatively other records have no poem. Hyecho explained the fact of pilgrimage in prose style, and the religious emotion in verse style.

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