DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36958#0138
repeatedly discussed by A. STEIN (1921: 5-9, 1928: 20-22). The
main event was the visit of a sanctuary at To-leih = T'o-li where
a huge wooden statue of Maitreya was venerated. The territory
was already considered as a part of India and as a center of mis-
sionary activities resulting in the extension of Buddhist preaching
far to the east. It took Faxian no less than "15 different marches"
following the course of the Indus river, climbing up and down the
towering cliffs skirting the banks, to reach the plains. Tb-li, later
on written Ta-li-lo, was identified by CUNNINGHAM (1853: 2) as
the valley of Darel - and that may correspond with the actual dis-
tance. In the end of his ordeal, the Indus had to be crossed by a
rope-bridge, after that Swat was very near. Palur is not mentioned
in this report.
In the hair-raising description of Fa-yong's journey over the moun-
tains which took place at the same time, nothing is said that would
allow an exact identification of his route. Po-lü = Palür is not
mentioned (CHAVANNES 1903: 435-436).
The next travelogue, ie of Song Yun, tells of a journey made in
518-522 AD, when the Hephtalites had just reached the height of
their power. The Chinese delegation had the task to obtain Bud-
dhist books in India, but the leader Song Yun was provided with
official letters from the imperial chancellery. They were handed
over to the king of the Hephtalites, so that the next - and most
difficult - part of the journey was under official protection.
From this report we learn that many small kingdoms were under
the control of the Hephtalite kings as far as "Tie-lo" in the south.
This region, however, was not identified by CHAAA.NNES or STEIN
with Tb-leih or Tb-li, the religious centre visited by Faxian.
Otherwise we could accept this as evidence that Hephtalite rule
was extended into the Indus valley as well.
Certainly under Hephthalite sovereignty was the land which ap-
pears under the name Chö-mi, identified with Chitral (CHAVAN-
NES 1903: 406) and not portrayed as a Buddhist country. And then
Palur is mentioned: one way was to pass through this territory
arriving at Wou-tch'ang = Swat, after many difficulties and dan-
gers. So another route was chosen and Uddiyäna (Swat) was
reached rather quickly.
This story is confusing because every normal traveller who already
had reached the central area of Chitral in the Kunar valley would
try to cross over into the Panjkora valley. There he would find
80
main event was the visit of a sanctuary at To-leih = T'o-li where
a huge wooden statue of Maitreya was venerated. The territory
was already considered as a part of India and as a center of mis-
sionary activities resulting in the extension of Buddhist preaching
far to the east. It took Faxian no less than "15 different marches"
following the course of the Indus river, climbing up and down the
towering cliffs skirting the banks, to reach the plains. Tb-li, later
on written Ta-li-lo, was identified by CUNNINGHAM (1853: 2) as
the valley of Darel - and that may correspond with the actual dis-
tance. In the end of his ordeal, the Indus had to be crossed by a
rope-bridge, after that Swat was very near. Palur is not mentioned
in this report.
In the hair-raising description of Fa-yong's journey over the moun-
tains which took place at the same time, nothing is said that would
allow an exact identification of his route. Po-lü = Palür is not
mentioned (CHAVANNES 1903: 435-436).
The next travelogue, ie of Song Yun, tells of a journey made in
518-522 AD, when the Hephtalites had just reached the height of
their power. The Chinese delegation had the task to obtain Bud-
dhist books in India, but the leader Song Yun was provided with
official letters from the imperial chancellery. They were handed
over to the king of the Hephtalites, so that the next - and most
difficult - part of the journey was under official protection.
From this report we learn that many small kingdoms were under
the control of the Hephtalite kings as far as "Tie-lo" in the south.
This region, however, was not identified by CHAAA.NNES or STEIN
with Tb-leih or Tb-li, the religious centre visited by Faxian.
Otherwise we could accept this as evidence that Hephtalite rule
was extended into the Indus valley as well.
Certainly under Hephthalite sovereignty was the land which ap-
pears under the name Chö-mi, identified with Chitral (CHAVAN-
NES 1903: 406) and not portrayed as a Buddhist country. And then
Palur is mentioned: one way was to pass through this territory
arriving at Wou-tch'ang = Swat, after many difficulties and dan-
gers. So another route was chosen and Uddiyäna (Swat) was
reached rather quickly.
This story is confusing because every normal traveller who already
had reached the central area of Chitral in the Kunar valley would
try to cross over into the Panjkora valley. There he would find
80