Xuanzang was about to leave the desert and enter an oasis. Ahead awaited the 36 Western kingdoms. How would these distant lands, far removed from Chinese civilization, receive a monk from the Tang Empire?
Kingdom of Khocho and the Flaming Mountain
Today, the ruins of the Kingdom of Khocho lie quietly at the foot of the Flaming Mountain near Turpan. According to Journey to the West, the Flaming Mountain formed from the fragments of a celestial incense burner shattered by the Monkey King during his youthful rebellion. During the pilgrimage, the Monkey King had to borrow a palm-leaf fan from the wife of his sworn brother, the Bull Demon King, to quench the flames—a battle-filled ordeal to secure the fan.
While the Bull Demon King and his wife were fictional, the theme of sworn brotherhood held historical truth. Unlike the novel’s depiction, the Tang Monk (Tripitaka) never swore brotherhood with the Tang emperor. In reality, it was a foreign king who became Xuanzang’s sworn brother.
Sworn Brotherhood with the King of Khocho
Khocho was a unique kingdom founded by descendants of soldiers sent there during China’s Wei and Jin dynasties. Its king, eager for spiritual guidance, ruled a realm wholly devoted to Buddhism. Hearing of Xuanzang’s fame from his lectures in Liangzhou, the king eagerly awaited the monk’s arrival.
When Xuanzang reached Khocho at night, the king personally welcomed him. Deeply moved, Xuanzang witnessed the entire royal family—king, queen, queen mother, and ministers—paying him homage. He was then lodged in a monastery beside the palace. For each lecture, the king escorted Xuanzang to the altar, even kneeling to let the monk step onto the podium using his back. The king, desperate to keep Xuanzang permanently, tried to retain him with lavish hospitality. In protest, Xuanzang began a hunger strike, refusing food and water for three days. By the fourth day, weakened and near death, he compelled the king to relent—but only after swearing brotherhood with him.
Bid farewell and continue the journey
On the day of departure, all of Khocho gathered to bid farewell. The king accompanied Xuanzang for miles, embracing him tearfully. Grateful yet burdened by debt, Xuanzang continued his journey with a caravan of 29 people, supplies for 20 years, and letters of passage from the king to every realm along the route.
Yet disaster struck as they crossed the Pamirs. Forty percent of the followers perished, along with even more horses. Xuanzang later recalled hearing incantations from a malevolent dragon summoning a blizzard—likely a catastrophic avalanche.
Leave a Reply