The Life of Hieun-Tsiang by my Shaman Hwui Li, by Samuel Beal

One of the first pilgrims to travel to India from China, Hiuen-Tsiang was a monk whose journeys brought him in close contact with India's flourishing Buddhist culture, giving him a deep understanding of the political, social, and economic scenarios of the country. Translated in the mid-nineteenth century by Samuel Beal, this gripping account of a scholar's journeys takes us across seventeen years of travel-through the Gobi desert, to the ancient monasteries of Kabul, and finally to the hotbed of Buddhism, India. Known as the Master of the Law, Hiuen-Tsiang provided an insightful commentary on India's social structure during the times of monarchs such as Ashoka and Harsha. A book replete with undertones of adventure and wanderlust, The Life of Hiuen-Tsiang is a riveting narrative about one of the world's most celebrated travellers.