I made a trip to the Silk Road to find Wangochonchukukjon, or “Journal of Five Nations in India”, written in early 8th century, by Haecho, a Silla Kingdom monk. It was the first travel essay written by any Korean on the people, governments, diets, dresses and religions across 44 nations and places, the modern day’s India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Central Asia, and the so-called Western Territories, throughout his pilgrimage to Buddha in India on both sea and foot over a four-year period (723-727). He died in Tang as a famous Buddhist scholar and monk at 78.

His essay was discovered in 1908 by French sinologist and scholar, Paul Pelliot, inside Cave #17 in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, and was later shipped to the France National Library in Paris, in an incomplete state as the front and back of the essay had disintegrated due to unknown reasons.

Haecho’s journey and discovery inspired me to explore the Silk Road. So this past September, I embarked on my journey from Xian, the modern day capital of Shanxi Province, or Chgangan, during the 8th century, to Urumqi, Xinjiang, bordering with Mongol. Today’s Xian was the starting or ending point of the ancient Silk Road. So I walked into the Islam market area of Xian downtown. The current Islamic people’s ancestors settled down in the Tang capital 2000 years ago as international traders and have maintained their identity with their mosques, carpet and food business and unique hats. The modern metropolitan city, representative of the booming economy, which now houses Korea’s largest conglomerate, Samsung Electronics. It is the hometown of China’s current Premier Mr. Xi Xin-ping.

After Xian, I took a high-speed train to Lianju to see the Huangha Soklim, “ Yellow River Rock Woods” and the old Byungyoungsa Temple and Grottoes. Most probably, this narrow valley where the temple and grottoes located was the Silk Road oasis 2000 years ago. The area was the upper stream of the Yellow River, the birth place of first Chinese civilization. I could see the old glorious days of Buddhism in the grottoes. However, most of the 1000 Buddha caves were empty. Restoration works are underway here. I lamented the Western art thieves and robbers in early 20th century who cut out from the earthen Buddha images, sculptures and mural paintings inside the caves when China was in turmoil under the names of archeologists’ exploration or exploitations.
The next destination was the western end of the Great Wall, Jiayumenguan. The first Ming Emperor ordered the fortification of defenses at China’s western frontier in order to prevent and deter the Hun invasions. This fort was built to house more than one army division, despite its isolated location. However, this must have intimidated the aggressors as after this fort was built, the Huns, and Mongols did not attempt an invasion since then at this location.

I arrived at Dunhuang by bus from Lianju in the middle of the night. Despite the darkness, I could still see and feel the outlines of the ancient cultural oasis. I fell into sleep, in my dream in searching for Cave #17 of Mogao Grottoes, UNESCO Cultural Heritage, where Haecho’s travel essay was discovered.

This was the part of the trip that I was most eager to experience. And the Tourism office has set up a program facilitating the visit for tourists. The following morning, I visited the Tourist information center which aired a 30-minute film on history of Dunhuang Mogao, before stepping onto a museum bus which transported me to another oasis where the famous Mogao [Mogao means caves in the rock cliff] was located in the shades of lined tall silver poplar trees along the stream. Dunhuang reminded me of the oases in Arizona and New Mexico and the Indian caves carved into the soft rock cliffs. The sun was bright and air was clean and fresh. The main cave housed the five-story stone Buddha built in Tang, China.



Not all caves were open to the public, but #17 was open. All my interest was on that cave, because Haecho’s travel essay was found inside the cave in 1908. There was a small library space on the right side wall from the entrance. The care-taking monk sealed the library, another small cave inside Cave#17 for the manuscripts. The library was sealed with a clay wall in order to camouflage and protect the manuscripts from the possible Hun invaders when Tang was no longer able to resist their invasions. This is why so many precious manuscripts had so long been protected. Fortunately, I met a Chinese tour guide and Dunhuang researcher who could speak Korean and asked her whether there was any record of Haecho’s stay in a Dunhuang cave. Her answer was “no.” Realistically, there is no hope to find the complete Haecho essay in its original state now. The only remnant of Haecho’s document was a photo copy of one page of the Wangochonchukkukjon displayed at a small museum near the cave 17. I was disappointed.

Many caves along the Silk Road were constructed for places of prayer to Buddha. Every cave was occupied by Buddha images, sculptures and paintings, encounters, blending and harmonizing arts of the East and West, seemingly managed by a monk or a group of monks. Merchants’ must have relied on their faith of the Buddha to protect them in their adventure to the next oasis city with the many hardships that they faced traveling the Silk Road. It was sad to see that all the Buddha sculptures and mural paintings inside the caves were gone and had been shipped to the European and American museums in early 20th century. However, I could faintly see the art works in ruins as good mixtures of the East and the Western people, colors and designs. The Silk Road was not only the trade route but also the cultural exchange route. All the art works in almost all Chinese caves were sadly stolen and shipped to the West. Restoration works were going on in all caves right now.

Dunhuang and other caves on the Silk Road were cities of religious arts like the European cathedrals with Christian paintings and sculptures.

In the slow-moving night train, I was heading to Trupan from 11: 30 pm to 8:30 am. After landed on Trupan, I visit the Bezekkilik Thousand Buddha Grottoes in an oasis cliff, but there was not much to look at inside the cave. I could see only the ruins of mural paintings. The most memorable part of Trupan was walking into the old Gaochang ruins where Tang monk, Xuanjang, stayed under the invitation of the ardent Buddhist King of the Goachang Kingdom in the mid-seventh century. This was one of the few places that still housed relics, including sculptures of the characters of Journey to the West, e.g., the monk, monkey and a faithful servant, a famous fictional story modeled after Monk Xuanjang’s pilgrimage to Buddha before Haecho. There is no way of knowing Haecho read the Journey to the West. I just guessed he read it before his own journey.

Haecho stayed in this area and recorded his arrival here in early November of 727 in his Wangochonchukkunjon. Tang’s military headquarters to control and govern the vast Western Territories was located in Kucha (640-790). Haecho wrote about Kucha and Anxi. Later in 751, the commander of this territory was General Koh Sun-ji, a son of A Koguryo officer. Haecho must have felt safe when he arrived in this Tang-controlled area after a long journey to India and the West. He must have found comfort here, because of its proximity to his final destination, Changan, about 1000 km away, and that its produce of melon, watermelon and pomegranate were produce from his native region. The oasis farmers wisely managed snow-melted water from the Tian Shan Mountain via underground channels, or the “Kaze”. The best fruits in the world were harvested under the desert weather and long sunlight hours. I enjoyed very much the Trupan melon during my two-day stay here. Haecho mentioned sweet grapes in this area. I could feel I took Haecho’s pleasant walk on Trupan land.

On the following day, I went up to my final stop of the Silk Road, Urumqi, pronounced as Urumuchi, the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which was crowded with people and cars. I could see the burgeoning economy, driven by the oil and coal industries. There were many check-points by armed police and soldiers at the entrance of each hotel and even restaurants. The Chinese government carefully watches all foreigners visiting the region with possible terrorist independence movement. The best sightseeing at Urumqi was a boat cruise of the Tian Shan Heavenly Lake, comparable to Paikdu Mountain-top Lake. The Tian Shan divides Xinjiang in half, creating northern meadows and southern desert areas.

My short nine-day pilgrimage to Haecho was over when I arrived at Inchon Airport at 6:30 am of September 18. It was a small portion of his Silk Road. I saw his desert, met his sand storms and walked snowy mountains in leisurely. Another 13-hour flight to Washington, the last leg of my modern day Silk Road.

Dr. Choi is a Washington-based Korean poet and writer.

<By Yearn Hong Choi>