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〃the eastern Tsin dynasty〃 （A。D。 317…419）； and sometimes to 〃the Sung；〃
that is； the Sung dynasty of the House of Liu （A。D。 420…478）。 If he became
a full monk at the age of twenty； and went to India when he was twenty…
five； his long life may have been divided pretty equally between the two
dynasties。
2。 If there were ever another and larger account of Fa…hien's travels
than the narrative of which a translation is now given； it has long ceased to
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be in existence。
In the Catalogue of the imperial library of the Suy dynasty （A。D。 589…
618）； the name Fa…hien occurs four times。 Towards the end of the last
section of it （page 22）； after a reference to his travels； his labours in
translation at Kin…ling （another name for Nanking）； in conjunction with
Buddha…bhadra； are described。 In the second section； page 15； we find 〃A
Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms；〃with a note； saying that it was the
work of the 〃Sramana； Fa…hien；〃 and again； on page 13； we have
〃Narrative of Fa…hien in two Books；〃 and 〃Narrative of Fa…hien's Travels
in one Book。〃 But all these three entries may possibly belong to different
copies of the same work； the first and the other two being in separate
subdivisions of the Catalogue。
In the two Chinese copies of the narrative in my possession the title is
〃Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms。〃 In the Japanese or Corean recension
subjoined to this translation； the title is twofold； first； 〃Narrative of the
Distinguished Monk； Fa…hien；〃 and then； more at large； 〃Incidents of
Travels in India； by the Sramana of the Eastern Tsin； Fa…hien； recorded by
himself。〃
There is still earlier attestation of the existence of our little work than
the Suy Catalogue。 The Catalogue Raisonne of the imperial library of the
present dynasty （chap。 71） mentions two quotations from it by Le Tao…
yuen； a geographical writer of the dynasty of the Northern Wei （A。D。 386…
584）； one of them containing 89 characters； and the other 276； both of
them given as from the 〃Narrative of Fa…hien。〃
In all catalogues subsequent to that of Suy our work appears。 The
evidence for its authenticity and genuineness is all that could be required。
It is clear to myself that the 〃Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms〃 and the
〃Narrative of his Travels by Fa…hien〃 were designations of one and the
same work； and that it is doubtful whether any larger work on the same
subject was ever current。 With regard to the text subjoined to my
translation； it was published in Japan in 1779。 The editor had before him
four recensions of the narrative； those of the Sung and Ming dynasties；
with appendixes on the names of certain characters in them； that of Japan；
and that of Corea。 He wisely adopted the Corean text； published in
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accordance with a royal rescript in 1726； so far as I can make out； but the
different readings of the other texts are all given in top…notes； instead of
foot…notes as with us； this being one of the points in which customs in the
east and west go by contraries。 Very occasionally； the editor indicates by a
single character； equivalent to 〃right〃 or 〃wrong；〃 which reading in his
opinion is to be preferred。 In the notes to the present republication of the
Corean text； S stands for Sung； M for Ming； and J for Japanese； R for right；
and W for wrong。 I have taken the trouble to give all the various readings
（amounting to more than 300）； partly as a curiosity and to make my text
complete； and partly to show how； in the transcription of writings in
whatever language； such variations are sure to occur；
〃maculae； quas aut incuria fudit； Aut humana parum cavit
nature；〃
while on the whole they very slightly affect the meaning of the
document。
The editors of the Catalogue Raisonne intimate their doubts of the
good taste and reliability of all Fa…hien's statements。 It offends them that
he should call central India the 〃Middle Kingdom；〃 and China； which to
them was the true and only Middle Kingdom； but 〃a Border land；〃it
offends them as the vaunting language of a Buddhist writer； whereas the
reader will see in the expressions only an instance of what Fa…hien calls
his 〃simple straightforwardness。〃
As an instance of his unreliability they refer to his account of the
Buddhism of Khoten； whereas it is well known； they say； that the
Khoteners from ancient times till now have been Mohammedans；as if
they could have been so 170 years before Mohammed was born； and 222
years before the year of the Hegira！ And this is criticism in China。 The
Catalogue was ordered by the K'ien…lung emperor in 1722。 Between three
and four hundred of the 〃Great Scholars〃 of the empire were engaged on it
in various departments； and thus egregiously ignorant did they show
themselves of all beyond the limits of their own country； and even of the
literature of that country itself。
Much of what Fa…hien tells his readers of Buddhist miracles and
legends is indeed unreliable and grotesque； but we have from him the truth
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as to what he saw and heard。
3。 In concluding this introduction I wish to call attention to some
estimates of the number of Buddhists in the world which have become
current； believing； as I do； that the smallest of them is much above what is
correct。
i。 In a note on the first page of his work on the Bhilsa Topes （1854）；
General Cunningham says： 〃The Christians number about 270 millions；
the Buddhists about 222 millions； who are distributed as follows： China
170 millions； Japan 25； Anam 14； Siam 3； Ava 8； Nepal 1； and Ceylon 1；
total； 222 millions。〃
ii。 In his article on M。 J。 Barthelemy Saint Hilaire's 〃Le Bouddha et sa
Religion；〃 republished in his 〃Chips from a German Workshop；〃 vol。 i。
（1868）； Professor Max Muller （p。 215） says； 〃The young prince became
the founder of a religion which； after more than two thousand years； is still
professed by 455 millions of human beings；〃 and he appends the following
note： 〃Though truth is not settled by majorities； it would be interesting to
know which religion counts at the present moment the largest numbers of
believers。 Berghaus； in his 'Physical Atlas；' gives the following division of
the human race according to religion：'Buddhists 31。2 per cent； Christians
30。7； Mohammedans 15。7； Brahmanists 13。4； Heathens 8。7； and Jews 0。3。'
As Berghaus does not distinguish the Buddhists in China from the
followers of Confucius and Laotse； the first place on the scale really
belongs to Christianity。 It is difficult to say to what religion a man belongs；
as the same person may profess two or three。 The emperor himself； after
sacrificing according to the ritual of Confucius； visits a Tao…sse temple；
and afterwards bows before an image of Fo in a Buddhist chapel。
（'Melanges Asiatiques de St。 Petersbourg；' vol。 ii。 p。 374。）〃
iii。 Both these estimates are exceeded by Dr。 T。 W。 Rhys Davids
（intimating also the uncertainty of the statements； and that numbers are no
evidence of truth） in the introduction to his 〃Manual of Buddhism。〃 The
Buddhists there appear as amounting in all to 500 millions：30 millions of
Southern Buddhists； in Ceylon； Burma； Siam； Anam； and India （Jains）；
and 470 millions of North Buddhists； of whom nearly 33 millions are
assigned to Japan； and 414；686；974 to the eighteen provinces of China
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proper。 According to him； Christians am