Xuanzangs

Xuanzangs is an uncommon plural form that is usually a misnomer for Xuanzang, the 7th-century Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar and traveler. The name Xuanzang (玄奘) is best known from his pilgrimage to India and his translations of Buddhist scriptures. In standard usage, the singular Xuanzang is used; when encountered in the plural, it generally refers to the monk's corpus or to the lineage associated with him rather than to multiple distinct individuals.

Life and travels: Born in 602 in what is now Henan Province, Xuanzang embarked on a 16-year overland journey to India in 629, traversing the Silk Road into Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. He studied Buddhist doctrine, languages and scriptures at Buddhist centers including Nalanda, before returning to China in 645 with a substantial collection of sutras and treatises. He spent the remainder of his life translating texts with a team of scholars, helping to standardize Chinese Buddhist translations.

Works and influence: His travelogue Great Tang Records on the Western Regions documents his observations of Central Asia, India and Buddhist communities along the route. His translations contributed to the formation of the Faxiang (Yogacara) school in China and influenced subsequent East Asian Buddhist scholarship.

Legacy and reception: Xuanzang's legacy extends into literature and popular culture; the character Tang Sanzang in Journey to the West is loosely inspired by him. In scholarly contexts, the protocol is to refer to him by the singular Xuanzang rather than the plural Xuanzangs, except when describing his body of work or the associated lineage. He died in 664.