Why did Tang Xuanzang go to India instead of Indochina Peninsula, but to wade in the desert and climb the Pamirs?

At that time, there were green states, paths and people in the desert. No, desertification is serious now. Now the environmental conditions are only walking, let alone mysterious, Dai Zong will die in the desert.

I thought about this problem when I was in primary school. From the road map of Xuanzang's westward journey, it is obvious that it is much shorter to go from the southwest than to bypass the northwest and Central Asia. Wouldn't it be faster if Xuanzang set off from the southwest to India? However, when I grew up, I discovered that if Xuanzang went southwest, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to go to India. First of all, the southwest direction is not better than the northwest direction.

Xuanzang travels westward. After leaving Yumenguan, he goes all the way to the west, goes south in Tianshan Mountain area, detours Central Asia, and then reaches India after a big circle. It is said that it is "18, Li", but it is actually similar.

It's not only a long journey, but more importantly, almost all the places that Xuanzang passed along the way are desert Gobi and snowy mountain plateau. Not only is the environment harsh and desolate, let alone whether he will lose his way, but it is quite difficult to survive by luck.

Not to mention the Tang Dynasty in which Xuanzang lived. Up to now, the areas around the northern and southern Tianshan Mountains and Pamirs in the northwest are still very dangerous areas, and few outsiders dare to set foot in these areas easily.

Relatively speaking, today's southwest region and Indo-China Peninsula region, with beautiful scenery, warm climate and developed tourism industry, seem to be good places, so some people think that Xuanzang's trip to India from the southwest should be a more wise choice.

but in fact, it's more dangerous to walk along the southwest and Indochina Peninsula than the northwest.

During the Tang Dynasty, the vast southwest and Indochina Peninsula were not effectively developed, and dense virgin forests were everywhere, filled with miasma and snakes and insects. Except for the Red River Delta directly under the Tang Dynasty, most other places in Indochina Peninsula were still in a relatively primitive state.

Different from today's tourist attractions, the southwest region in the Tang Dynasty was mainly used as a place of exile. As for the Indo-China Peninsula, it didn't really develop until the Song and Yuan Dynasties of the Central Plains. If Xuanzang went to India from the southwest and Indo-China Peninsula, it would be even more difficult than bypassing the northwest. In the northwest, Xuanzang was mainly short of water and high rebellion, but in the southwest, he would encounter dehydration and poisoning.

In fact, although the environment in northwest Central Asia is relatively difficult, it can be developed relatively early. In the mountainous basins and oasis areas on the edge of the desert in Central Asia, civilizations were born very early, and the degree of development was much higher than that in Indo-China Peninsula at that time. Although the density between civilized settlements is not very high, it is better than nothing. Secondly, Xuanzang snuck out, so he couldn't go from the south.

In The Journey to the West, Tang Priest went to the West to learn Buddhist scriptures, and Emperor Taizong Li Shimin personally saw him off, with a huge momentum and prestige. However, Xuanzang, who really learned Buddhist scriptures in the West in history, didn't have this kind of treatment. Instead of this treatment, Xuanzang sneaked out at great risk when he went to India.

During the Wude period, Xuanzang had the idea of going to Tianzhu to seek Buddhism, so he applied to the imperial court several times. However, the Tang Dynasty was very strict in population control and was still fighting against the Turks, so Xuanzang's applications were all rejected.

however, Xuanzang didn't give up until Zhenguan period, when a monk from Qin Zhou arrived in Chang 'an to study, and then Xuanzang returned to Qin Zhou with him. After Zhenguan period for three years, Xuanzang was mixed with the local refugees and arrived in Liangzhou, where he was helped by Master Huiwei, a monk from Hexi, and was able to leave Liangzhou and arrive in Guazhou.

In Guazhou, although Li Chang, the commander-in-chief of Guazhou, had already received an order to intercept Xuanzang, Li Chang believed in Buddhism. Not only did he not listen to the order, but he also sent Xuanzang horses and dry food and sent him out of Yumenguan.

In the early Tang Dynasty, its influence in the northwest had not yet crossed Yumen Pass, so Xuanzang went all the way out of Yumen Pass and set off with peace of mind.

If Xuanzang had chosen to walk from the south, he might not have been able to get out of the gate of the Tang Dynasty.

From Chang 'an to Yumenguan in the northwest, there are not many passes in the middle. If Xuanzang wants to pass, it is difficult, but it is not so difficult. However, if he goes from the south, there were a large number of counties and counties in Hanzhong, Bashu and other places south of Chang 'an in the Tang Dynasty. In ancient times, the population flow was strictly controlled. Xuanzang was extremely easy to be questioned and was able to leave the Tang Dynasty smoothly.

if Xuanzang wants to go from the south, I'm afraid he has been stopped before he reaches Indochina Peninsula, let alone going to India. Finally, there are technical problems

Ancient times are different from modern times. When the ancients went out to find the direction, most of them could only sum up the experience of their predecessors. Although Sina, the predecessor of the compass, was invented long ago, it was heavy and inconvenient to carry, and it was still difficult to identify the specific and clear route.

in the northwest, due to the prosperity of the Silk Road, the route in the northwest was relatively mature from the Han Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty, so people from the Central Plains went to the Western Regions, or people from the Western Regions and Tianzhu went to the Central Plains from the northwest.

In contrast, although there is a poisonous Shu Road in the southwest, this commercial road is not directly connected to the Central Plains, but exists as a channel between the southwest and India. Moreover, because of the difficulties along the way, few people take this road except the caravan in the southwest.

Xuanzang's westward journey was not a random walk, but a preliminary investigation was made in advance, and according to the technology at that time, the northwest route was the most reliable and reliable.

Why don't Tang Priest go to India by sea, but must wade in quicksand and climb mountains, which means Indochina Peninsula is easy to walk, so why is it difficult to walk?

The situation is not as simple as you think, because the Indo-China Peninsula is the really dangerous place. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties, there was a religious school called Shicheng Mountain School who moved from the north to the Yuezhong Mountain area in Zhejiang Province. Their school was relatively small, consisting of one * * * three people, master Yu Falan and his two disciples, who were enlightened by the law and learned by the Tao. Although there were only three people, they had a great position in religion at that time. At that time, China's Prajnaparamita School was divided into six schools and seven schools, and there were two masters in his family. They were founded in Dharma, knowing the meaning, creating knowledge and containing the Sect, and establishing the meaning and creating the Sect in Daojia. For those of us who don't know the history of Buddhism, we may not know the difference between this faction. We know that Buddhism developed very strongly in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, especially in the South. The 48 Temple in the Southern Dynasty was the grand occasion at that time. In the early Buddhism, it was not as simple as monks banging bells to recite scriptures. They included calligraphy monks, painting monks, literary monks, and even very powerful medical monks. This Shichengshan school is the representative of the famous medical monks. Yu Fa was good at prescribing prescriptions, and was repeatedly called into the capital by Emperor Ai of Jin to help the emperor see a doctor.

then why am I babbling about this? What does it have to do with the route taken by Tang Priest? The relationship is coming, and Yu Falan and Yu Daojia are about to toss. After Master Yu Falan went to Yuezhong, Zhejiang Province from the north, he lived for a period of time, and felt it necessary to visit the birthplace of Buddhism and India to study Buddhism, that is, he wanted to continue his studies. Then Yu Daojia and his master went south from Baoding, so he decided to accompany him to India. At that time, there were two ways to go to India to seek the Dharma. One was the road similar to that of Tang Priest, and the other was this way. Because of the war in the north, they were closer to Vietnam, so they chose the route mentioned by the questioner. They planned, first to Hanoi, Vietnam, then to cross the peninsula, via Cambodia, Thailand and then to India. However, they just arrived in Vietnam, where there was epidemic febrile disease. The master, a famous doctor, was seriously ill, so he died there, and disciple Yu Daojia died there together. Before he was 3 years old, he basically left no information, so he founded a predestination Sect. What can I say? Die for your ideal! Also calculate a fair death honors the whole life!

so that road is by no means smooth. In addition, the Tang Priest secretly went abroad to learn Buddhist scriptures, and almost failed to go. Only with the help of Buddhists did he come out of Yumenguan. In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, because the country had just been pacified and the society was not completely stable, it was forbidden to go abroad without permission, which may also lead to the fact that Tang Priest could not choose this side of the sea. After all, it needs official proof! And to expose yourself easily. This may be one of the reasons.

because of the shortage of food, you can ensure a long-term food supply as long as you prepare a few hundred kilograms of food.