China News Service, Shanghai, April 7th: Why is "Xuan Zang's Road" particularly important for restoring the history of ancient Gandhara?
——Exclusive interview with Mohammad Naseem Khan, professor at the Institute of World Art History, Shanghai International Studies University
China News Service reporter Fan Zhonghua
Nearly three thousand years ago, on the northern edge of the Indian subcontinent, an ancient country called "Gandhara" became a place of exchange between ancient Eastern and Western civilizations because of its location on the ancient Silk Road. It was also the place where Xuanzang obtained the scriptures in "Journey to the West" The "Western Heaven" realm. Buddhist scriptures were introduced to China from Gandhara, and Chinese cultural elements also entered South Asia.
What significance does revisiting Xuanzang’s journey of seeking scriptures have for restoring Gandhara civilization and understanding the great exchanges of world civilizations in the past? What kind of valuable wealth has the ancient Gandhara art that has been glorious for hundreds of years left to the world? Starting from September 2023, M. Nasim Khan, an internationally renowned expert on Gandhara and professor at the Institute of World Art History at Shanghai International Studies University, will come to China, the other end of the Silk Road, to start "Xuan Zang" "Road" research. Recently, he accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service's "East-West Question" to interpret the above issues.
Video: [East-West Question] Mohammad Naseem Khan: Why is "Xuan Zang's Road" particularly important for restoring the history of ancient Gandhara?
Source: China News Network
The interview transcript is summarized as follows:
China News Service reporter: China is the country where Gandhara art was introduced. As a famous Gandhara researcher, why did you come to China to continue your research?
Nasim Khan:
First of all, Chinese academic circles are increasingly researching and interested in world art and civilization, including Gandhara civilization. Professor Zhu Qingsheng founded the Institute of World Art History in Shanghai and invited me to jointly promote the establishment of a mature Gandhara research institution to promote direct cooperation between China, Pakistan and other related countries in civilization exchanges and mutual learning, making it a It is a global benchmark academic institution and I am willing to make my contribution to this end.
"Like Fragrant Hills: Gandhara Art Exhibition" on display at the Palace Museum in Beijing displays a total of 203 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from Pakistan and the Palace Museum. Photo by Zhang Yu
Secondly, in my ongoing research on Gandhara civilization, a large amount of data comes from China, especially the records of Chinese pilgrims at that time, which also need to be verified on the spot.
Furthermore, I hope to study the connection between Gandhara and ancient China from a historical perspective. This is inspired by the recent archaeological evidence found in Gandhara that originated from China. There is much worth studying and learning in Chinese civilization. , on-site visits are required. After Buddhism appeared in Gandhara in the 3rd century BC, Gandhara began to have direct or indirect contact with China. During the rule of the Kushan Dynasty in the 1st century AD, the contact between the two became more extensive, which also greatly promoted Buddhism and Buddhism. dissemination of art. Recent archaeological discoveries in Gandhara and nearby areas have put forward a hypothesis that Chinese cultural elements may have penetrated as early as the Great Gandhara period and further developed in subsequent ruling dynasties.
Professor Mohammad Naseem Khan conducts archeology at the ancient Gandhara ruins. Photo provided by interviewee
Reporter from China News Service: Why is "Xuan Zang's Road" so significant to the study of Gandhara civilization?
Naseem Khan:
Historical research on ancient Gandhara is mainly based on archaeological evidence and literary records, based on which scholars have established parts of the history of the region. But these records are far from complete. Every new discovery and research may bring new turning points and even challenge the existing understanding of history. In addition to archaeological evidence, historians' archives, rulers' biographies, travelers and pilgrims' narratives are also important evidence for reconstructing the history of Gandhara. The records of Chinese pilgrims are one of the main sources for studying Buddhism and its practices in the Gandhara region at that time, and for restoring the culture, history and other information of the region. Faxian and Xuanzang were the most important and well-known Chinese who visited Gandhara, especially the latter, who became a household name in China.
Professor Mohammad Nasim Khan shows the "Xuan Zang Road" map he studied. Photo by Ren Xinyue
For the existing historical research on Gandhara Buddhism, Gandhara and Xuanzang appear to be interdependent. Xuanzang is a legendary figure and the "encyclopedia" of Gandhara. He traveled almost all over the country, seeking knowledge and wisdom, and collecting Buddhist classics. His journey is the great epic of mankind. Thanks to his records, many unknown aspects of Gandhara history have come to light. When he arrived in Gandhara, the afterglow of Buddhism and Buddhist art in Gandhara was about to expire. Therefore, his story, such as the "Records of the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty" that exists in multiple languages, is very important and is an important discussion of archaeological discoveries. in accordance with.
But the most complicated problem is to confirm Xuanzang's route in Gandhara based on the places he visited or mentioned. There are many contradictions in the existing scattered research results, and some still lack reliable evidence. Therefore, some previously determined routes and locations need to be corrected, adjusted and substantiated based on new information from archaeological excavations.
Professor Mohammad Naseem Khan retraced the path that Xuanzang had walked. Photo provided by interviewee
In addition, scholars generally believe that Xuanzang’s main purpose of visiting Gandhara was to worship Buddhist holy places, and he only made records related to Buddhism. But the recent discovery of the ruins of Kashmir Smast, a Hindu holy site, shows that Xuanzang did not miss the opportunity to visit other religious sites. Therefore, we need to re-examine Xuanzang’s journey to Gandhara and try to restore his true walking route. New research on the "Road to Xuanzang" helps us trace the routes and distances of these Buddhist sites, discover their original names, and how and why the etymology of their names changed during their existence, and further explore the Xuanzang The condition of these Buddhist sites at the time of the visit, the Buddhist sects or groups to which the sites belong, correct some obvious errors, and present more aspects of Gandhara civilization.
China News Service Reporter: What are the archeological discoveries in the ancient Gandhara region that impressed you?
Naseem Khan:
The Gandhara civilization and its archaeological research are always full of surprises and fascinations. My work mainly involves four different fields: archeology, paleography, Buddhist art and Gandhara religion. In recent years, important discoveries have been made in these four fields, which have significantly changed the historical chronology of Gandhara and revealed the writing of local languages, religious practices and Buddhist art, some of which are also closely related to ancient China.
Kohi script, the ancient Gandhara script discovered by Professor Mohammad Naseem Khan. Photo provided by interviewee
One of the most important archaeological finds is the Buddhist site of Aziz Dheri, which helps us establish the complete cultural outline of Gandhara from the 5th to the 12th century BC. In my research on ancient scripts and languages, I discovered and studied the earliest Mahayana texts written in Kharoshthi and Gandhara dialects. At the same time, a new script was discovered, which I interpreted as Kohsi. This discovery shows that in addition to Kharu script and Brahmi script, there is a third important Gandhara script.
Research on the region's religious landscape has also been fruitful. It is generally believed that Buddhism and Buddhist art are the only treasures of Gandhara, but discoveries at Kashmir Simast indicate that Hinduism and Buddhism coexisted in Gandhara between the 2nd and 12th centuries BC. In terms of Buddhist art, I think the most important discovery is the Gandhara murals. This discovery challenges the theory that there are no murals in Gandhara due to limited climatic conditions.
Gandhara murals discovered by Professor Mohammad Naseem Khan. Photo provided by interviewee
Overall, what impressed me most was the overall beauty of the Gandhara civilization. All these new discoveries fundamentally changed the historical, cultural and religious picture of Gandhara.
Reporter from China News Service: Gandhara is a place where Eastern and Western civilizations blend. How did it play the role of a hub of world civilization?
Naseem Khan:
Ancient Gandhara is located at the crossroads of world civilizations and has played a pivotal role in Eurasia since ancient times. Relevant literature records that Gandhara was the place where Alexander the Great fought, where Asoka fought for hegemony and spread Buddhism, and later became a highland for Buddhist and Hindu believers to learn their teachings. Gandhara is a famous place of intellectual theory, and two famous ancient academies-Taxila and Kashmir Sima (I think it may be the earliest institution of learning in Hinduism) are located here. From the 1st to 2nd century BC, the abundant products and intellectual wealth made the Gandhara region a place where Central Asian nomads set foot. During the Kushan Dynasty, the royal family became believers and sponsors of Buddhism, especially Mahayana Buddhism, and Gandhara's reputation reached its peak. It is said that the world's first Buddha statue was born in Gandhara. This is also the source of the spread of Buddhism to Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, the Korean Peninsula and other regions.
Ancient Gandhara ruins. Photo provided by interviewee
Professor Mohammad Naseem Khan conducts archeology at the ancient Gandhara ruins. Photo provided by interviewee
At the same time, Gandhara art is also considered to be a representative of the fusion of different cultures and civilizations such as India, Greece, Rome, and Central Asia. Over time, invaders, diplomats, pilgrims and traders from different regions arrived at or passed through Gandhara via different routes, which became channels for the spread of religion. Around the 1st century BC, Buddhism penetrated into surrounding countries through different trade routes, the most famous of which was the Silk Road connecting China and the Mediterranean region. I believe that Buddhism was probably introduced to China from Gandhara at the beginning of the 1st century AD, around the time of China’s New Dynasty (9-23 AD). Ancient Chinese coins were discovered in the Kashmir Smaster site, including a currency coin issued by Wang Mang. My ongoing research shows that there are considerable similarities in iconography and style between the Gandhara Buddha statues and some images from Han Dynasty tombs in China.
Reporter from China News Service: What kind of cultural heritage has Gandhara art, which has been glorious for hundreds of years, left to the world today?
Nasim Khan:
As the intersection of different civilizations, Gandhara has experienced, integrated, understood and assimilated the invasion of foreign elements into its culture. This is fully reflected in Gandhara art, which is a perfectly presented The art of "neutralization". Gandhara art not only conveys the teachings and life of the Buddha, but also expresses the local lifestyle, clothing, environment, flora and fauna, language and writing at that time. It also reflects the circumstances under which local artists integrated foreign elements. And adopt it into your own cultural expression. Therefore, Gandhara art not only serves to spread religion, but also demonstrates goodwill towards others and teaches about harmony, love and respect. This may be why Buddhism and Buddhist culture spread to neighboring countries and became widely accepted.
Yungang Grottoes, Datong City, Shanxi Province. The style of Buddhist statues in Yungang Grottoes was influenced by Gandhara art. Photo by Xiao Paigu
In my opinion, Gandhara art includes almost all forms of art works, such as sculptures, murals and images on coins. Gandhara art is a type of art that is closest to China and is quite convincing and confirmatory in expressing the exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations between ancient China and the world. Although the study of it still needs to solve many original problems through mutual verification with the local area and its surroundings - this is also the reason why I studied Xuanzang and came to China in reverse - Gandhara The gentle temperament of Buddhist art not only achieves its artistic beauty, but also symbolizes the harmonious and tolerant coexistence between different civilizations. Looking at it with open arms and hope will bring us closer to and understanding the language of Gandhara art and the wisdom given to us by ancient civilizations.
About the Author:
Mohammad Nasim Khan (M. Nasim Khan), archaeologist, palaeologist, member of the National Cultural Heritage Management Committee of Pakistan, specializes in the study of Gandhara civilization. After studying and working in France and the United Kingdom, he returned to China in 1997 and joined the Department of Archeology at the University of Peshawar. In 2017, he was awarded the title of National Meritorious Professor. In 2015, he was awarded Pakistan’s “Star of Excellence” National Medal of Honor for his outstanding performance in research and teaching on Gandhara civilization. He has held academic positions in international academic institutions such as the British Museum, Cambridge University, Heidelberg University, and Soka University, and has won many awards. He has extensive experience in field archaeology. In September 2023, he joined Shanghai International Studies University as the head of Gandhara Studies at the Institute of World Art History.