| Director | Huo Jianqi |
|---|---|
| Genre | adventure film, biographical film, drama film, historical film |
| Runtime | 114 min |
| Country | India, People's Republic of China |
| Box office | CN¥32.9 million |
During the Tang dynasty's era of "Zhen Guan" (of Emperor Taizong), Xuanzang, a young Buddhist monk, in his quest to find the essence of Buddhism, embarks on a journey to India. The journey that is fraught with perils and dangers. He encounters natural disasters, and sees the sufferings of the common people. Soldiers get in his way and his disciple betrays him. He struggles to get across deserts, running short on food and water, and traverses treacherous snow-covered mountain ranges. He finally arrives in India, and studies Buddhism in earnest. By the time he returns to China, he is a little over 40 years old. He devotes the remainder of his life to translating and studying the Sanskrit scriptures that he carried back from India.