The birthplace of Buddha described in the 5th century Chinese Buddhist literature

Buddhism spread to China during the Han dynasty, but Chinese knowledge about the life and the birthplace of the Buddha was initially limited. In the 5^th century AD, the Buddhist monk Faxian travelled from China to Nepal. His description of Kapilavastu differed from Chinese translations of Buddhist scriptures, which idealised the Buddha’s homeland. In the same century, the Chinese monk Sengyou wrote an account on the life of Buddha, which remained faithful to Buddhist translations. Both books significantly influenced Chinese Buddhists and their perception of the Buddha and his homeland.