Which Chinese traveller in ancient India wrote the diary called ‘Records of the Travels to Middle India?

Xuanzang (also known as Hiuen Tsang) was a 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India during the reign of King Harshavardhana [1]. He spent approximately seventeen years in India, including five years at Nalanda University, collecting Sanskrit manuscripts and studying Buddhist doctrines [1]. Upon his return to China, he authored the famous travelogue 'Da Tang Xiyu ji', which is translated as 'The Great Tang Dynasty Record of the Western Regions' or 'Records of the Travels to Middle India' [3]. This work provides a meticulous account of the social, political, and religious conditions of South and Central Asia during that period. While other travelers like Faxian and Yijing also left records, Xuanzang's detailed diary remains the most comprehensive source for 7th-century Indian history.

Sources

1. [1] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: India, That Is Bharat > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 83
2. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Records_of_the_Western_Regions