| Author: |
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Sun Shuyun
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| Title: |
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Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud |
| Moochable copies: |
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No copies available |
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| Topics: |
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| Published in: |
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English |
| Binding: |
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Paperback |
| Pages: |
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496 |
| Date: |
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2004-06-07 |
| ISBN: |
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0007129742 |
| Publisher: |
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Perennial |
| Weight: |
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0.84 pounds |
| Size: |
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5.12 x 0.0 x 7.76 inches |
Amazon prices: |
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| Description: |
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Product Description
Ten Thousand Miles Without a Cloud is a beautifully written account of Sun Shuyun's journey to retrace the steps of one of the most popular figures in Chinese history - the monk Xuanzang, who travelled to India searching for true Buddhism. Xuanzang should be known as one of the world's great heroes. His travels across Asia to bring true Buddhism back to China are legendary, and his own book provides a unique record of the history and culture of his time. Yet he is unknown to most of us and even to most Chinese, whose knowledge of Buddhist history has been eradicated by decades of Communist rule. Sun Shuyun was determined to follow in his footsteps, to discover more about Xuanzang and restore his fame. She decided to retrace his journey from China to India and back, an adventure that in the 8th century took Xuanzang eighteen years and led him across 118 kingdoms, an adventure that opened up the east and west of Asia to each other - and to us. A man of great faith and determination, Xuanzang won the hearts of kings and robbers with his teaching, his charm and his indomitable will. Against all odds he persuaded the Confucian emperors to allow Buddhism to flourish in China. At the heart of the book lies Sun Shuyun's own personal journey towards understanding the Buddhist faith of her grandmother, recognising the passionate idealism of the communist beliefs of her own family and discovering her own ideological and personal path through life.
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| Reviews: |
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Marianne (Australia) (2011/12/25):
Ten Thousand Miles Without A Cloud is the first book by Sun Shuyun. It details Sun’s experience as she tries to follow in the footsteps on Xuanzang, a Buddhist monk who, in the 7th century, made a pilgrimage through Central Asia and into India, to find the original sutras of the Buddha. Xuanzang made his trip during a time of political unrest, as does Sun; both confront obstacles and both come to understand Buddhism and themselves better for their encounters with others on the way. I found myself checking how many pages left and eyeing my next read with increasing frequency as the book progressed: never a good sign! Readers interested in Buddhism would find this book informative and enjoyable; readers with less of a fascination might find it somewhat repetitive and a bit slow. All those Chinese and Indian gods and historical figures had my eyes glazing over, but I did learn a few noteworthy facts. This was not my first choice of Sun’s books: I still hope to read A Year in Tibet.
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| URL: |
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http://bookmooch.com/0007129742 |
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