Director: Liu Jinyuan / Deng Pinglan
Starring: Xu Shaohua / Fu Biao
Genre: Documentary
Country/Region of Production: Mainland China
Language: Mandarin
Date: 1994
Number of Seasons: 1
Episodes: 18
Adaptation: Meta

Summary:

The 18-episode TV series “Tang Xuanzang” strictly respects history and reproduces the historical reality of the monk Tang going to the West to learn Buddhist scriptures. There are hundreds of eminent Buddhist disciples from Southeast Asian countries. It made Zen Buddhism flourish in Southeast Asia and China. His contribution and influence went far beyond Buddhism, beyond national borders, and beyond history.

Tang Monk, whose common name is Chen Ye, and whose dharma name is Xuanzang. He was born in a family of officials who were “heirs of poetry and painting”. At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty, there were frequent wars, and his father was framed by treacherous officials, and his family was wiped out. Influenced by his mother who believed in Buddhism, Chen Ye, who had long been wise, escaped the catastrophe under the protection of eminent monks, and led him to practice at the White Horse Temple in Luoyang. The number of scriptures is not only small, but also incomplete, the translation is full of loopholes, and there are many Buddhist sects, each sticking to its own words. In order to rectify the chaos, get to the bottom of the matter, seek the true meaning of Buddhism, and rejuvenate Zen Buddhism, he boldly proposed a request to learn Buddhist scriptures in India, which was approved by the supreme ruler of the Tang Dynasty.

After a long journey, thousands of catastrophes, solitary smoke in the desert, flying stones in the Gobi, traitors chasing and killing, disciples rebelling, wilderness being robbed, Gaochang country being killed, enlightenment in suffering, bitterness in enlightenment, looking westward, cold moon and stars, severe cold. In the scorching heat, the white horse’s hooves shattered, and the setting sun was like blood, Tang Xuanzang finally arrived at the birthplace of Buddhism after going through untold hardships. He eagerly read Buddhist classics, and humbly turned to Mahayana. Theravada Buddhism inquired, and passed on the Tang Dynasty documents and his unique understanding of Buddhism to India, sowed the seeds of Chinese civilization, and established the image of his generation of masters. What is particularly valuable is that Tang Seng learned scriptures and wrote articles all the way. After returning to China, he wrote the immortal masterpiece “Da Tang Western Regions”, leaving precious literary and historical materials for China and the world.

The monks of the Tang Dynasty took the scriptures, and the white horses carried the scriptures, and what they carried back was the heavy Bayeux scriptures. In order to translate the scriptures, Tang Monk forgot to sleep and eat, worked tirelessly, and finally became sick from overwork, and passed away suddenly at the table of translating scriptures. A tragic journey, a poignant story, a great cause, and brilliant achievements.

Source: https://movie.douban.com/subject/5364983/