It had been raining all night, and it did not stop until daybreak. The mist on the lake was dense. The piled clouds and fog over the distant mountains looked like an overcoat softly covering them, exposing only the toes of the hills. The clouds, fog and sky blended into one. The mountain ridge upheld the world between heaven and earth like the universe creator, Pan Gu. Heaven seemed to be only inches away in the clouds. As I sat on top of the Boat House, enjoying the serene and peaceful view of the lake, a crow that had been seated on the mast flew by and without my invitation, snatched away some tea biscuits on the table.

This was Lake Dal of Kashmir. It was located within the city limits of the capital, Srinagar. It was mentioned by Hsuan Tsang as the living quarters of Zhe Zu, the Dragon King

The confrontational armory between India and Pakistan

In the 7th century, Kashmir was a city where Buddhism was very popular. Hsuan Tsang described Kasmira: "There were hundreds of samgharama with over 5,000 monks. There was a stupa built by Ashoka, and it held some relics of the Buddha." The popular trend of studying Buddhism had also affected Hsuan Tsang who came to study Dharma from afar. Hsuan Tsang stayed in what is now called the valley of the Jhelum River and sought guidance in many sutra teachings from a well-learned renowned monk. For the next two years, Hsuan Tsang stayed at this place, a Xanadu surrounded by mountains, and studied Buddhist teachings diligently.

Kashmir is situated alongside China. With Pakistan to its west and China to its north, Kashmir is one of the few Shangri-la's in the world, and also has an important military passage that is easy to guard against attack. "Kashmir - with a perimeter of over 7,000 miles, is surrounded by high and steep mountains, with a very narrow passageway between. Thus, in the past, the neighboring enemies could not break through to challenge the kingdom", was how Hsuan Tsang described Kashmir.

However, times have changed. Today's weapons have destroyed the unchanging terrain. Buddhism had ceased to exist in this area. India and Pakistan have been constantly at war over this region. The cultural and religious conflicts have made Kashmir the main confrontational pawn between India and Pakistan since both they became independent of the British in 1947.

There have been three wars between India and Pakistan for the last fifty years, two of which involved Kashmir. Based on the statistics for the past 10 years, more than 16,000 people have died in these wars and most of the casualties were civilians. Although the area was known for its beautiful scenery, the wars have destroyed these attractions. The unsettledness is seen in the daily lives of the local civilians now.

A Warm Welcome from the King of Kashmir (Entering the City With Fireworks Along the Way)

At the time when Master Hsuan Tsang traveled to Kashmir, the King treated Hsuan Tsang's arrival as a significant event. "When the Master arrived, the King dispatched his mother and brother with horses and carriages to greet him. As they approached the palace, the King led his cabinet members and his head monk, FuSer, along with thousands of his subjects to welcome the Master. The roadways were lined with flags and covered with residue left from fireworks." This is how HueLi described the scene of Master Hsuan Tsang's visit to Kashmir in the book, The Biography of TzeEn.

We left the city and drove in a northwestern direction. This was the path the Master had taken to enter the valley of Kashmir. Along the way, after traveling about one hundred kilometers, we entered a town that was once called Ushkar. This was the entryway to the valley and to the place where the King of Kashmir sent his mother and brother to greet the Master.

After conflicts between India and Pakistan started in the late '40's, the passage at the border of the two countries was closed. Since then, the citizens on the borders of the two have ceased to have contact with each other.

The city of Ushkar, built along the Jhelum River, was replete with of Buddhist temples during Hsuan Tsang's time. At the time of our visit, the only ruin unearthed was a section of the stone foundation of a "stupa". This "stupa" was probably built by a King of the Lalitaditya Dynasty at a time slightly after Hsuan Tsang's visit. As I traced Hsuan Tsang's journey to the west, I was engrossed in the same space that the Master was once present. I had a strong sense of loss that the centuries between us made it impossible for me to meet the Master.

Not far from Ushkar, there was a small town called Singpora. Surprisingly, I found a landmark along the highway, engraved with the words "Singpora was visited by Hsuan Tsang" in black letters on a yellow background. The time seemed to have been evaporated by the heat and humidity prior to the monsoon season. The scene before my eyes was distorted by the hot air rising from the asphalt pavement. I had the illusion of seeing the Master riding on top of an elephant, accompanied by the King's mother and brother and their guards, making a grand procession moving eastwardly towards the capital city of Parihasapura.

Unwittingly, I had arrived at Paraspora, the site of the old capital city. There were remnants of "stupas" and temples scattered around on top of the mount. With his professional knowledge of the history of Kashmir, Iba said to me firmly, "this is the place where Master Hsuan Tsang stayed." And, this was the first version I have heard of where Master Hsuan Tsang landed at the end of his journey to the West.