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Fahein who is also known as Faxian was a Chinese traveller who had come to India to
visit the holy Buddhist places and to collect sacred works connected with the life and the
teachings of the Buddha. He came here in the beginning of the 5th century A.D. He came
to India by land and returned by the sea-route. He started from China in 399 A.D. and
crossed through the Gobi desert. He suffered great hardships while travelling through
Khotan, Taskhand, Pamir, Swat and Gandhara before reaching Peshwar and Taxila. After
visiting the holy places in the North-West of India he travelled through such places as
Mathura, Kanauj, Kausambi, Pataliputra and Kasi etc. He also undertook pilgrimage to the
holy places of the Buddhists like Kapilvastu, Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. On his return
journey, he visited Ceylon, Java, Sumatra before he reached home in 414 A.D. In India, he
stayed for about 6 years (405-411 A.D) whatever he observed and recorded here is being
summed up below:
Fahein (Fahsien) has lavishly praised, the administration of the Gupta Dynasty. He says:
(1) the administration was well-organized and liberal. The officials least interfered in the
private affairs of the people. There was freedom of travel and they were not forced to
attend to any magistrate or his rule. If they desired to go, they would go, if they liked to
stop, they would stop. (2) Punishments were mild. In most cases, fines were considered
sufficient. The capital punishment was never awarded. Only in case of persistent criminals
their right hands were chopped off. (3) Public highways were safe from thieves and
highwaymen. Fahein himself travelled widely without ever being robed. (4) taxes were low
and people could easily pay them .(5) Land was the chief source of revenue which was
collected both in cash and kind. (6) Government officials were paid wages in cash, which
were both sufficient and promptly regular. It made them honest and they never did wrong
to the people or accepted bribes.
Fahein says that he people were rich, prosperous and happy. They excelled in charity and
vied with one another. People possessed high moral and were afraid of doing any sin. (4)
They had built several chartable rest-houses where the wearied travelers could stay for
rest. (5) They had also built charitable hospitals where the poor were given free treatment
besides food and clothing. (6) People were mostly vegetarians and practiced ahimsa.
Fahein writes, “Throughout the whole country, the people do not kill any living thing, nor
drink any intoxicating liquor, nor wine, or eat onions. They do not keep pigs or fowls, there
are not any dealings in cattle no butcher shops or distilleries in their market placers.” (7)
Only the Chandalas practiced hunting and ate animals flesh. They lived outside the city
bounds. They had to seek permission before entering the city lest other people should get
polluted by their touch. India had a prosperous trade.Foreign trade was carried through the
ports of Broach, Cambay and Sopara.
Fahein was a religious visitor and a holyman. Therefore, he gave more attention to the
religious conditions of his times. He writes: (1) Buddhism flourished in the border
provinces of the Punjab, Bengal and Mathura. The people followed the principle of Ahimsa
and honoured the Buddhist monks. (2) Fahein nowhere observed hat Buddhism was
declining. Nevertheless it is clear from his other observations that Hinduism was gaining
popularity. His other observations that important Buddhist places like Gaya, Sarnath,
Kapilvastu, and Kushinagar were decaying in importance sufficient to prove that gradually
the religion of the Buddha was declining. (3) Though the Gupta rulers were Hindus and
also built beautiful temples for the Hindu gods they observed tolerance towards other
religions and treated them with equal care. Protection was offered to the Buddhist and the
Jains as well. In short, the Brahmanas, the Buddhists and the Jains lived together
peacefully.
Chinese description of the Indian Gupta Empire - Historum - History Forums
visit the holy Buddhist places and to collect sacred works connected with the life and the
teachings of the Buddha. He came here in the beginning of the 5th century A.D. He came
to India by land and returned by the sea-route. He started from China in 399 A.D. and
crossed through the Gobi desert. He suffered great hardships while travelling through
Khotan, Taskhand, Pamir, Swat and Gandhara before reaching Peshwar and Taxila. After
visiting the holy places in the North-West of India he travelled through such places as
Mathura, Kanauj, Kausambi, Pataliputra and Kasi etc. He also undertook pilgrimage to the
holy places of the Buddhists like Kapilvastu, Gaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. On his return
journey, he visited Ceylon, Java, Sumatra before he reached home in 414 A.D. In India, he
stayed for about 6 years (405-411 A.D) whatever he observed and recorded here is being
summed up below:
Fahein (Fahsien) has lavishly praised, the administration of the Gupta Dynasty. He says:
(1) the administration was well-organized and liberal. The officials least interfered in the
private affairs of the people. There was freedom of travel and they were not forced to
attend to any magistrate or his rule. If they desired to go, they would go, if they liked to
stop, they would stop. (2) Punishments were mild. In most cases, fines were considered
sufficient. The capital punishment was never awarded. Only in case of persistent criminals
their right hands were chopped off. (3) Public highways were safe from thieves and
highwaymen. Fahein himself travelled widely without ever being robed. (4) taxes were low
and people could easily pay them .(5) Land was the chief source of revenue which was
collected both in cash and kind. (6) Government officials were paid wages in cash, which
were both sufficient and promptly regular. It made them honest and they never did wrong
to the people or accepted bribes.
Fahein says that he people were rich, prosperous and happy. They excelled in charity and
vied with one another. People possessed high moral and were afraid of doing any sin. (4)
They had built several chartable rest-houses where the wearied travelers could stay for
rest. (5) They had also built charitable hospitals where the poor were given free treatment
besides food and clothing. (6) People were mostly vegetarians and practiced ahimsa.
Fahein writes, “Throughout the whole country, the people do not kill any living thing, nor
drink any intoxicating liquor, nor wine, or eat onions. They do not keep pigs or fowls, there
are not any dealings in cattle no butcher shops or distilleries in their market placers.” (7)
Only the Chandalas practiced hunting and ate animals flesh. They lived outside the city
bounds. They had to seek permission before entering the city lest other people should get
polluted by their touch. India had a prosperous trade.Foreign trade was carried through the
ports of Broach, Cambay and Sopara.
Fahein was a religious visitor and a holyman. Therefore, he gave more attention to the
religious conditions of his times. He writes: (1) Buddhism flourished in the border
provinces of the Punjab, Bengal and Mathura. The people followed the principle of Ahimsa
and honoured the Buddhist monks. (2) Fahein nowhere observed hat Buddhism was
declining. Nevertheless it is clear from his other observations that Hinduism was gaining
popularity. His other observations that important Buddhist places like Gaya, Sarnath,
Kapilvastu, and Kushinagar were decaying in importance sufficient to prove that gradually
the religion of the Buddha was declining. (3) Though the Gupta rulers were Hindus and
also built beautiful temples for the Hindu gods they observed tolerance towards other
religions and treated them with equal care. Protection was offered to the Buddhist and the
Jains as well. In short, the Brahmanas, the Buddhists and the Jains lived together
peacefully.
Chinese description of the Indian Gupta Empire - Historum - History Forums
