Recently my Chinese tutor has been teaching me Chinese history. I am really learning a lot. I have never studied Chinese history because the numerous dynasties and names of emperors or four beauties just go in one ear and out the other.
In sharing the Bible with friends, we are, in a way, asking them to learn our history. I should appreciate more the “5,000 years of Chinese history.”
Perhaps the most popular story from Chinese history is that of Xuan Zang. Xuan Zang left his home at the young age of 13 to become a Buddhist monk. He endured years of studying Buddhist scriptures. In his study he discovered the texts had many mistakes. Xuan Zang decided he must journey to India and bring back the accurate Buddhist texts. Around 627 AD he set out through western China, turning south over the mountains of present day Afghanistan and Pakistan, and persevering through great hardship to finally arrive in India. He returned to China nearly 20 years later with more than 650 Sanskrit texts. Xuan Zang spent the rest of his life translating only a small portion of these texts. In addition, Xuan Zang introduced the Faxiang school of Buddhism to China, which became quite popular in China during Xuan Zang’s lifetime. Faxiang Buddhism quickly declined however after Xuan Zang died.
Xuan Zang’s story is so popular because it inspired the classic fiction novel “Journey to the West.” In the novel the Buddhist monk is accompanied by three disciples: the monkey king, a pig man, and the sand general in his trip to India. If you are flipping through the TV channels in China you are sure to see the monkey king.
Xuan Zang’s life can offer some helpful humble questions in talking with friends about Jesus: Do I need to travel back to Jerusalem to find accurate Bible texts? Why is the life of Jesus and his teaching so popular today?
In sharing the Bible with friends, we are, in a way, asking them to learn our history. I should appreciate more the “5,000 years of Chinese history.”
Perhaps the most popular story from Chinese history is that of Xuan Zang. Xuan Zang left his home at the young age of 13 to become a Buddhist monk. He endured years of studying Buddhist scriptures. In his study he discovered the texts had many mistakes. Xuan Zang decided he must journey to India and bring back the accurate Buddhist texts. Around 627 AD he set out through western China, turning south over the mountains of present day Afghanistan and Pakistan, and persevering through great hardship to finally arrive in India. He returned to China nearly 20 years later with more than 650 Sanskrit texts. Xuan Zang spent the rest of his life translating only a small portion of these texts. In addition, Xuan Zang introduced the Faxiang school of Buddhism to China, which became quite popular in China during Xuan Zang’s lifetime. Faxiang Buddhism quickly declined however after Xuan Zang died.
Xuan Zang’s story is so popular because it inspired the classic fiction novel “Journey to the West.” In the novel the Buddhist monk is accompanied by three disciples: the monkey king, a pig man, and the sand general in his trip to India. If you are flipping through the TV channels in China you are sure to see the monkey king.
Xuan Zang’s life can offer some helpful humble questions in talking with friends about Jesus: Do I need to travel back to Jerusalem to find accurate Bible texts? Why is the life of Jesus and his teaching so popular today?
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