Given below is a list of places with respect to distance and direction as mentioned by Xuanzang and Fahien in a matrix format. For calculation purpose we have divided the places in 5 different groups.
Land use has changed a lot in last 1500 years; the endpoints for many measurements cannot be verified with precision specially the smaller distances. Many sites like Nalanda Mahavihara are very big and a small measurement up to 4li will fall within its premises. It holds true for places like Venuwan too whose size a few centuries ago must be much larger than the current site. In such cases these places can’t be used for identification of places in reference to them.
Since there is a vast range of interpretations between the travelogues and a few discrepancies have come up during the various revisions, detail matrices have been prepared for different translation works.
1- Fahien accounts- by James Legge
B- Xuanzang
1- The life of Hiuen-Tsiang by Shaman Hwui Li
By Samuel Beal
2- Record of western countries- Samuel Beal
Venuwan Details
Details of Nalanda and vicinity
3- Xuanzang travels in India- Thomas Watters
4- Xuanzang- Histoire de la vie de Hiouen Thsang- 1853 (Broadley-Buddhist remains of Bihar)
5 - Xuanzang - Memories sur les contrees occidentales- 1857 (Broadley-Buddhist remains of Bihar)
NOTE: Click on tables to view larger image
NEXT: 'Li' & 'Yojan' in Nalanda Using GIS
Land use has changed a lot in last 1500 years; the endpoints for many measurements cannot be verified with precision specially the smaller distances. Many sites like Nalanda Mahavihara are very big and a small measurement up to 4li will fall within its premises. It holds true for places like Venuwan too whose size a few centuries ago must be much larger than the current site. In such cases these places can’t be used for identification of places in reference to them.
Since there is a vast range of interpretations between the travelogues and a few discrepancies have come up during the various revisions, detail matrices have been prepared for different translation works.
1- Fahien accounts- by James Legge
B- Xuanzang
1- The life of Hiuen-Tsiang by Shaman Hwui Li
By Samuel Beal
2- Record of western countries- Samuel Beal
Venuwan Details
Details of Nalanda and vicinity
3- Xuanzang travels in India- Thomas Watters
4- Xuanzang- Histoire de la vie de Hiouen Thsang- 1853 (Broadley-Buddhist remains of Bihar)
5 - Xuanzang - Memories sur les contrees occidentales- 1857 (Broadley-Buddhist remains of Bihar)
NOTE: Click on tables to view larger image
NEXT: 'Li' & 'Yojan' in Nalanda Using GIS
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