In the lunar month of August, the sky above Xian was gray and the temperature had not yet started to cool for the autumn. Clouds and mist were settling in and, as expected, around the time of our departure in the early afternoon, it began to drizzle.

Risking dangers to walk the long journey; a lonely journey accompanied only by a long staff.

We stand on the verdant land of the outskirts of Xi'an, gazing at a statue depicting a caravan of traders traveling on the Silk Road. The Tang Dynasty Kai Yuan Gate once stood at this site, which represents the Eastern departure point for travelers on the Silk Road. Even today, people traveling westward from Xian must pass this place.

The sculpture expresses the richness of the "Silk Road". Ever since Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty sent Zhang Qian to the western regions of China and beyond, exchanges between China and the western world have increased continuously. From the distant western regions and the Middle East, over icy mountains, vast deserts and hazardous winding roads, countless foreigners traveled to Changan, China, and Han people journeyed to foreign lands.

For over 2000 years, countless numbers of valiant, fiery-spirited businessmen, monks, government officials, and soldiers uprooted themselves to start on their journey west from the land now under our feet. Among them was Master Hsuan Tsang who took advantage of local turmoil and fled the city of Changan along with many refugees.

In August of the year 627, the areas around Changan, Guandong, Henan, Longyou, and the surrounding states suffered from severe hail-storms which destroyed all crops, subjecting the population to severe famine. The government, unable to provide adequate relief, instructed people to fend for themselves and migrate in search of food. Taking advantage of the chaos, Master Hsuan Tsang packed his bags and started off on a solitary long journey. He planned to journey west to India in search of Buddhist scriptures.

At this time, the Tang Dynasty had just been established, and had not yet realized effective unification or control of all of China. The northern and western borders still suffered frequent attacks from invading East Turkic hordes surging out of the deserts. Therefore, the Tang Empire severely restricted the departure of its citizens from the borders of the empire. Anyone needing to cross the border had to have formal government permission as indicated by written forms similar to today's passport and visa.

Unfortunately, Hsuan Tsang's application to travel was denied by the government. Under the circumstances, other monks who were planning to travel with Hsuan Tsang withdrew from the travel plan. Hsuan Tsang was the only one who still insisted on traveling and was determined to reach the remote west, India, to obtain Buddhist scriptures.

At the time, Buddhism in China was divided into many different sects. The top masters of each sect adhered to their own views about the Buddha's teaching in the available scriptures. Hsuan Tsang had devoted over 10 years of his life to thoroughly studying the available Buddhist texts. The discrepancies and disputes between sects caused him to imagine traveling to India, the birthplace of Buddhism, to obtain the original scriptures. With these, the principles in them could be identified and disputes between sects could be reconciled. Thus, he started his lonely journey west. Standing at a western corner of this thousand-year old capital city in the rain, where numbers of tall buildings now stand and automobiles are speeding on the streets, we seem to feel the air from the Tang Dynasty mixing with the rain blowing in our faces. Reality and visions of history become intertwined, confusing one's senses. We must continue our journey, drawing inspiration from Hsuan Tsang's determination to cross borders secretly in search of scriptures. At the moment of starting his journey, he must have had mixed feelings, but nevertheless he persevered. With the transition from summer to fall, leaves changed color, frost settled onto the land, and Hsuan Tsang proceeded on his trip at full speed without regard to rain or shine.