National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The Great Tang Records on the Western Regions (大唐西域記) is a travel report written by Xuan-zang (600/602－664) during the Tang period. After he came back from a journey from Changan to India in search of sutras, he wrote this report (travelogue) by an Imperial order of Emperor Tai Zong. It was completed in 730 and included in Kaigen Shakkyo Roku (a list of sutras) compiled by Chishyo, which was then incorporated into Issaikyo sutra. The travel report describes the Buddhism, history, geography, culture, society, and manners and customs of countries in the Central Asia and India in the seventh century.
These scrolls possessed by the Tokyo National Museum constitute part of the Issaikyo (Daizokyo) sutra scrolls copied on navy blue paper in gold and silver ink (Konshi-kinginjikosyo Issaikyo), which were originally possessed by Chusonji Temple and created by a votive offering of renowned Fujiwara no Kiyohira. This version of Issaikyo is commonly known as Chusonji-kyo since over 5000 scrolls were dedicated to Chusonji Temple in 1126 at the foundation ceremony of the temple. The cover has a hosogemon pattern (abstracted flower pattern) painted in gold and silver, on which a title is written in gold, such as "Saiikiki" Vol. 8. On the flyleaf of each scroll, preaching Sakyamuni is brilliantly painted in gold and silver. The scriptures are written on silver-ruled navy blue paper using gold and silver ink alternately. The persons who transcribed differ by volume and at the upper space of Volume 1, there is a preface written by Ushinei and Keihan(敬播). Both ends of the scroll stick are in the shape of a gold-plated plectrum with a karahana pattern (Chinese flower pattern) on it. The binding string is partially in original style. These scrolls serve as valuable materials for the research of Buddhist history and the history of traffic on the Silk Road in the Tang period.