Nearly 1,400 years later, Xi Jinping follows Xuanzang’s route through Kyrgyzstan

A visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kyrgyzstan has been presented as a modern echo of Xuanzang’s journey through Central Asia nearly 1,400 years ago.

Kyrgyz State Secretary Arslan Koichiev said Xi had stayed in the Bas-Boltok, or Boz-Boltok, area near the village of Baytik. The area contains state residences. Koichiev connected the location with Xuanzang, the seventh-century Chinese Buddhist monk, traveler and translator.

Ahead of his visit to Bishkek, Xi published an article on China-Kyrgyzstan relations. He referred to the long history of contact between the two peoples and named Xuanzang, Zhang Qian and Li Bai among figures associated with civilizational exchanges. Koichiev said Xi’s mention of Xuanzang drew his attention to the historical coincidence.

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Nearly 1,350 years later, President Xi Jinping followed in the footsteps of Xuanzang, whom he himself mentioned, stopped at exactly the place where Xuanzang had stayed, and rested there. This cannot but inspire admiration.

Xuanzang left China in 629 for India in search of Buddhist manuscripts. His route crossed the Tien Shan mountains and passed through the Issyk-Kul area and the Suyab state before continuing west. He returned to China in 645, and his observations later formed the basis of “The Great Tang Records of the Western Regions,” an important written source on seventh-century Central Asia.

The account described Suyab, a major Silk Road city whose remains are associated with the Ak-Beshim archaeological site near present-day Tokmok. About 400 li west of Suyab, Xuanzang reached a place known in Chinese sources as Qianquan, or “Thousand Springs,” rendered in Turkic tradition as Min-Bulak.

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To this day, both countries cherish fond memories of Zhang Qian, Xuanzang, Li Bai and other prominent figures who contributed to civilizational exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan.