1854.] Bibliographical Notice. 183 



" I turn now to the contents and character of the work, for the ex- 

 cellent translation of which we are indebted to Stanislas Julien. He 

 mentions in the preface p. iv. all the accounts of India as yet ascer- 

 tained to have been written by Chinese pilgrims, with particulars of 

 their publication. The first of these is the well known work of Fa-hien, 

 who commenced his journey in 399, and is called " Eo-kue-ki," or 

 report on the countries of Buddha. The second work is entitled 

 Seng-hoei-sing-he-si-ju-ki, and its authors are Hoe'i-seng and Sang- 

 jiin, who were sent to India by the Empress in 518, to collect the 

 sacred writings ; its title signifies Report of Hoei-seng and Sang-jiin 

 deputed to India. Of the third work Si-jii-ki, it has already been 

 remarked that it was composed by Hiouen Thsang in 648, and con- 

 tains his own description of his extensive travels. The fourth work 

 is that which is now for the first time translated. Of its authors, the 

 first was Hoe'i-li a man distinguished for his talents and attainments, 

 who was directed by the Emperor to translate Indian manuscripts 

 under the guidance of Hiouen Thsang. In order to do honor to the 

 latter' s memory and to hand it down to posterity, he resolved (see 

 pref. p. lxxvi.) to compile a separate narrative of the travels of his 

 celebrated countryman, but he died before it was completed. After 

 his death the manuscript of this work was lost, and on being dis- 

 covered several years afterwards, Hiouen Thsang' s former pupils 

 requested Jen-thsong to arrange its scattered leaves and to write 

 an introduction to it. Jen-thsong corrected the errors, and with 

 the assistance of unedited documents filled up the gaps left by his 

 predecessor ; he also improved its style to which he imparted more 

 perspicuity and elegance. The year of his death is unknown. The 

 complete title of this work is Ta-thang-tsi-en-sse-san-thsang-fa- 

 sse-tsh' ouen Hoei-li-pen-shi-jen-thsong-tsien, and signifies " the 

 history of the Master of the law from the three collections in the 

 Convent of Great Benevolence, composed by Hoei-li and Jen-thsong." 

 The fifth journal of travels was composed by order of the Emperor 

 about the year 730, and its title is : Ta-thang-khieou-fa-kao-seng 

 tsh' ouen Thang-seng-i-tsing-tsionen i. e. " a description of the tra- 

 velling routes of fifty-six pious men who, under the dynasty of the 

 Thangs, explored western China in search of the law/' The sixth and 

 last work of this kind describes the journey of a single Chinese Bud- 



2 B 



