Central Asia

After Hsuan Tsang set off, he encountered his first great danger while climbing what he called Mount Ling (today called Mt. Bogda), a precipitous mountain covered with glaciers. Mount Ling is the highest peak in the Tianshan Mountain Range, located between Xinjiang and Kyrgyzstan. For seven days and nights, Hsuan Tsang and his entourage trekked perilous mountain trails. The wind was icy and biting, One third of his entourage froze to death.

After escaping from danger, Hsuan Tsang entered the vast, lush grasslands of Central Asia. In the city of Suye, he was treated with high respect and courtesy by Yehhu Khan, who ruled Central Asia at that time. He continued his journey along the "Grasslands Road" and arrived at Samarkand, a legendary city on the Silk Road. Heading south, he then traveled along the "Oasis Road," which led to India where the Buddha was born and lived.

Central Asia is today divided into five countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. All of them declared their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.