The Monk Tripitaka and the Golden Cicada

Last updated: 08-03-2025 The historical Buddhist monk Xuanzang (玄奘, 602-664) is famous for having traveled to India between 629 and 645 in order to supplement the Chinese Buddhist canon with fresh scriptures (see here). As his legend grew, an embellished story cycle began referring to him as Tang Sanzang (唐三藏; lit: “Tripitaka (“Three Baskets,” i.e. … Continue reading The Monk Tripitaka and the Golden Cicada