How did Tang Xuanzang know the route to India for Buddhist scriptures? Have you ever got lost on the road?

The Journey to the West, Tang Sanzang west to Tianzhu to learn from the scriptures, a long way. In ancient times, there was no such advanced technology as today, and there was no GPS guidance when going out. So, how did Tang Xuanzang know the route to India to learn from the scriptures? Have you ever got lost on the road? Historically, Tang Xuanzang didn't know that Buddhism originated in India, but he knew that Buddhism was introduced to China from the western regions, so he kept going west.

First, how to know the route to learn from the scriptures. Aside from novels, Tang Xuanzang is a real figure in the history of our country, and it is true that he went to India to learn from the scriptures. In fact, at that time, Tang Xuanzang did not know that Buddhism originated in India, only that it was introduced to China from the Western Regions. Therefore, tracing back to the source, all the way west will inevitably find the birthplace of Buddhism. Tang Xuanzang's journey to learn from the scriptures was extremely difficult and dangerous, and all of them were in high altitude, cold and oxygen-deficient areas. In the end, it took Tang Xuanzang 17 years to bring 657 Buddhist classics back to the Tang Dynasty at that time, which made Buddhism in China today.

Second, how to tell if the road is lost, it is speculated that there should be. After all, all the way to Tang Xuanzang was desert and snow-capped mountains, but the ancients had their own methods of distinguishing. They can ask for directions after taking a break at the post office, or they can take the official road directly. In ancient times, road signs were used to identify the way forward. The Big Dipper is an ancient natural compass. You can judge the direction according to the position of the Big Dipper. Of course, if it is rainy, it is another matter. There is also the most primitive method, that is, asking for directions with a mouth under your nose. In ancient times with simple folk customs, in most cases, you will get the answer you need.

Tang Xuanzang is a very great monk. It took him 17 years of hard work to introduce Buddhist classics into China, which also contributed to the development of Buddhism since then. Although I only wrote a few strokes, the hardships experienced by 17 years can be imagined. We should pay tribute to this persistence and strong perseverance.