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Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud
The book begins with a vivid description of the atrocities perpetrated on the monks during the Cultural Revolution in China. This was a time when all forms of entertainment were banned and art, drama and other cultural forms were propagandist in nature. The author grew up in this environment of persecution and fear. When she went to university, she decided to undertake a long journey to discover the truth about who Xuanzang really was, why did he undertake such a perilous journey and what did he gain by it? The journey is long and arduous, as the author travels from China through the desert to Afghanistan to Patna and Banaras in India and back to China. Each place is vividly described, capturing the local flavour. By the end of her journey, the author not only has a clear historical perspective, but also she is spiritually rejuvenated. The author realises what Buddhism has given to the world. "Buddha lived and died as a man, a very human figure, but he left behind a very powerful message. You could improve yourself. You could rely on your inner resources. You could find your way. Finally it came home to me; like candles in the night, Buddhism shone light into the darkness of life." All the doubts regarding Buddhism are clarified along the way. The author understands the essence of Buddhist teaching; if you realise the impermanence of everything, you will never be unhappy. The book is written simply and sensitively. The language is scholarly, but devoid of verbose expression. The reader is transported into the seventh century, the era of Xuanzang and the Tang dynasty. The author points out ironically that the seventh-century China was more tolerant than the modern-day China, where everything that is western is deemed corrupt. This difference between modern and ancient China makes interesting reading. Overall, the book is a poignant personal account interwoven with historical details. It describes not only the geographical journey but also the spiritual progress of the mind of the author. It is recommended for historians specifically, as it offers a fresh insight into Chinese history from the ancient times to modern. However, a layman with an inquiring mind will also enjoy it, as largely, it is a quest of the human mind for truth and spirituality. |
THIS book is occasioned by a desire of the author to
relive and understand the era of the famous traveller Xuanzang (or Hieun
Tsang, as he is known in India). She follows in the footsteps of the
great Chinese traveller in an attempt to understand his sphere of
thoughts, words and deeds. It is also an attempt to give him his
rightful place in Chinese history as after the Cultural Revolution,
Xuanzang was projected as a bungling, foolish monk in the Chinese epic
The Monkey King.