Identifying the Chinese Traveller in 7th Century Pataliputra

Ancient India attracted many scholars and travellers from across the world, including China. These travellers documented their journeys, observations, and the conditions of the places they visited, providing invaluable historical information. The question asks about a specific Chinese traveller or scholar who visited the city of Pataliputra in the 7th century CE and noted its state of ruin and small population at that time.

Examining Chinese Travellers and Their Visits to India

Let's consider the options provided and their historical periods:

• Fia-Xian (Faxian): Visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta period), which was in the late 4th and early 5th centuries CE. He described Pataliputra as a flourishing city.
• Xuan Zang (also known as Hiuen Tsang or Xuan Zhuang): Visited India in the 7th century CE, primarily during the reign of Emperor Harsha. His journey lasted from 629 to 645 CE. He extensively travelled across the subcontinent and recorded his findings in his work, the 'Great Tang Records on the Western Regions'.
• O-Sing (Likely a variation or misspelling of I-tsing): I-tsing (Yijing) was another Chinese Buddhist monk who visited India in the late 7th century CE (around 671 to 695 CE).
• It-Sing (I-tsing): As mentioned above, he visited later in the 7th century, after Xuan Zang.

Xuan Zang's Account of Pataliputra in the 7th Century

Xuan Zang arrived in India in the 7th century CE. During his travels, he visited Pataliputra, which was once the glorious capital of empires like the Mauryas and Guptas. However, by the 7th century, Pataliputra had significantly declined from its former prominence. Xuan Zang's records describe the city as largely deserted and in ruins, with only a small portion inhabited. This description aligns perfectly with the conditions mentioned in the question.

In contrast, Faxian, who visited much earlier, saw Pataliputra as a prosperous city. The later visitors like I-tsing would also have found the city in a similar state of decline as described by Xuan Zang, but Xuan Zang's visit falls squarely within the early to mid-7th century CE, making his account the primary reference for the city's state during that specific period.

Comparison of Chinese Travellers

Based on this comparison and historical accounts, Xuan Zang is the Chinese traveller who visited Pataliputra in the 7th century CE and recorded finding it in ruins with a small population.

Conclusion on Chinese Traveller to Pataliputra

The Chinese traveller/scholar who visited Pataliputra in the 7th century CE and found it in ruins with a small population was Xuan Zang. His detailed accounts provide valuable insights into the historical and geographical conditions of India during that period, including the state of once-great cities like Pataliputra.

Revision Table: Chinese Travellers and Ancient India

Additional Information: Pataliputra's Decline and Chinese Accounts

Pataliputra, located near modern-day Patna, was a major political and cultural centre of ancient India for centuries. It served as the capital for powerful dynasties like the Magadha Mahajanapada, Nanda Empire, Mauryan Empire, and Gupta Empire for significant periods. However, the city's importance began to wane after the Gupta period.

Several factors might have contributed to Pataliputra's decline, including changes in trade routes, shifts in political power centers, and possibly environmental factors like floods from the Ganges river. The accounts of foreign travellers like Xuan Zang are crucial for understanding the state of the city during its decline. His description provides direct evidence that by the 7th century CE, Pataliputra was no longer the sprawling, vibrant metropolis it once was, but rather a city in decay, reflecting the changing landscape of power and settlement in northern India.

Chinese pilgrims were primarily motivated by their desire to collect authentic Buddhist scriptures and visit holy Buddhist sites. Their travelogues are not just religious texts but also serve as important historical and geographical records, offering an external perspective on Indian society, politics, and urban life (or lack thereof) during their time of visit.