APPROACHING XUANZANG – THE PILGRIM AND SCHOLAR (THICH MINH

CHAU) FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BIOGRAPHICAL CRITICISM

Dr. Nguyễn Thành Trung
Orcid code: 0000-0002-7220-7380
Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of Education;
Center for Religious Studies, Vietnam Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Abstract: Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar is a lesser-discussed work by Venerable Thích
Minh Châu, yet it is quite interesting due to its distinctive blend of historical narrative and
biography. Examining this work from the perspective of biographical criticism not only holds
scientific value in clarifying the historical figure of Xuanzang but also helps illuminate the life
and activities of Venerable Thích Minh Châu, as the two share notable similarities. By employing
biographical criticism and incorporating three specialized methods—psychological analysis,
socio-cultural context, and interdisciplinary approaches—this paper analyzes the work by
focusing on biographical elements, travel accounts, and Buddhist studies, thereby shedding light
on the depiction of Xuanzang. This contributes to the research on Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and
Scholar as a valuable resource for Buddhist studies and Vietnamese literature at the university
level.

Keywords: Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar, Thich Minh Chau, biographical criticism.

1. Introduction

To date, research on Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar by Venerable Thích Minh Châu has
been quite sparse, typically limited to introductions and listings. The limited popularity of this
work can be attributed primarily to the dominance of Xuanzang’s image in Journey to the West,
the historical genre of the text, and the narrow connections drawn in Buddhist lectures.
Approaching Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar from the perspective of biographical criticism
aims for a dual theoretical objective—clarifying the depiction of Xuanzang in the text while
placing the author and his work in the context of influence. The results of this research hold
practical significance in clarifying the life and thought of Venerable Thích Minh Châu, as well as
serving as a resource for Buddhist and Vietnamese literary studies at the university level.

By focusing on Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar as the object of study, this paper seeks to
clarify the portrayal of Xuanzang through three key aspects: qualities, willpower, and intellect, as
connected to the three features of the text—biography, travelogue, and Buddhist studies.
Xuanzang’s depiction thus becomes a standard to be related to Venerable Thích Minh Châu.
Venerable Thích Minh Châu (1918–2012), born into a patriotic intellectual family in Quảng Nam,
ordained as a monk in 1946. From 1952 to 1961, he studied for his Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies with
a dissertation titled The Chinese Madhyama Agama and the Pāli Majjhima Nikāya – A
Comparative Study at Nalanda University in India. Upon returning to Vietnam, he took on various
roles in management (Vice Dharma Master of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha Council), education
(Rector of Van Hanh University), research, and translation (Founder and Rector of the Vietnam
Institute of Buddhist Studies, Chairman of the Vietnamese Tripitaka Translation Council).
Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar was written during his time studying in India and was
published in 1963 when he was teaching at Bihar University.
In the absence of extensive research on Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar, this paper expands
the historical study to include other works about Xuanzang. In his paper The Origins of an
Iconographical Form of the Pilgrim Hsüan-Tsang (1986), Victor H. Mair focused on the
formation and development of Xuanzang’s image in art and iconography. Mair analyzed paintings
and sculptures depicting Xuanzang, highlighting features such as attire, belongings, and posture to
trace the origins and influences from Central Asian and Tibetan art. He also compared modern
and classical images to clarify the evolution of this figure.

D. Devahuti’s The Unknown Hsüan-Tsang (2001) rediscovered the interaction between

civilizations that connected with India over centuries. The book primarily focuses on the lesser-
studied period of Xuanzang’s life after his return from India. The author collected and analyzed
rare sources in Chinese and Uighur to reconstruct Xuanzang’s life and activities during this
period. Devahuti employed modern research methods to analyze the sources.

Thus, most subsequent studies focused on clarifying Xuanzang’s historical persona. Thích Minh
Châu himself emphasized: "This is the first time Xuanzang has been portrayed based on historical
facts, following Xiyu Ji by Biancuo and The Biography of the Dharma Master of the Great Ci'en
Monastery by Hui Li." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989: 4). From here, we form hypothesis H1:
Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar was written with historically accurate biographical details.

Xuanzang's legendary journey has attracted much scholarly attention. For example, A. Stein in
The Desert Crossing of Hsüan-Tsang 630 AD (1919) detailed Xuanzang’s arduous journey across
the Gobi Desert in 630 AD. Stein based his account on ancient sources and his expedition results
to recreate this perilous journey. Xuanzang, a renowned monk of the Tang dynasty, crossed the
Gobi Desert from Anxi through Hami to India to seek Buddhist scriptures. The journey was
extremely hazardous, with challenges such as harsh weather, lack of water, and food shortages.
The article highlighted Xuanzang’s determination and courage to overcome these difficulties to
achieve his goal.

Additional research, such as S. Mehendale’s Pilgrim's Process: Begram and a Reexamination of

Hsüan-Tsang's Kâpisâ (1996) and S. Samimi’s The Record of Xuanzang (Hsuen-Tsang):
Buddhist Pilgrim from Bamiyan (2020), helped form hypothesis H2: Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and
Scholar represents a journey through many culturally rich lands.

Studying Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar also raises the question of what new insights
Xuanzang brought to Buddhist studies. According to Venerable Thích Minh Châu: "Not only was
his pilgrimage extraordinary, but his learning, translation, eloquence, and writings were also
exceptional, and even more remarkable was his mysterious mind—a mind unparalleled in the
history of saints." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989: 3). Recent research by X. Zhang (The Transnational
Experience of a Chinese Buddhist Master in the Asian Buddhist Network (2023)) and S.Y. Siu
(The Evolution of Team-Based Buddhist Scripture Translation in Tang China (2024)) further
supported hypothesis H3: Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar reflects Xuanzang's creative
contributions to Buddhist thought.

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2. Research Methodology
Using Xuanzang in Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar as a reference point to understand
Venerable Thích Minh Châu, this paper employs the approach of Biographical Criticism (also
known as biographical or traditional criticism)—a literary criticism approach that focuses on
studying the relationship between a literary work and the life and personality of its author,
including the context of its creation, psychology, thoughts, and worldview. This method has been
commonly used throughout history, most notably in Memorabilia by Xenophon (circa 430–354
BC), which recorded the words and actions of Socrates, offering a realistic view of Socrates’
personality, intellect, ethics, and educational methods, while refuting the harsh judgment of the
Athenian council that convicted him of corrupting the youth and disrespecting the gods. In theory,
Sigmund Freud (1856–1939), an Austrian psychologist and the father of psychoanalysis, viewed
personal experience, psychology, and the life of the author as the key to decoding a work. This
approach places the author at the center of the creative process, as the source of the work; by
analyzing the life, personality, psychology, thoughts, and worldview of the author, we can better
understand the work. This also means that the details of the work can be linked to clarify events,
characteristics, and people in the life of the author. Based on this approach, the paper employs
three specialized research methods: psychology, cultural history, and interdisciplinary studies.

First, the psychological method is applied to study the psychological techniques used by the
author in building the work, including the psychology of the characters, situations, and structure
based on historical evidence. This method considers the emotional and psychological responses of
both the author and the reader to the literary work. Aristotle once referred to this as Catharsis
(purification of the soul from passions, purification of passions from impure elements); Vygotsky
saw it as the release from intense emotions that cause disruption (passion). This method is used in
this paper to clarify the psychological creativity of the author when working with historical
evidence, helping to partly visualize the spiritual portrait of Thích Minh Châu.

Second, cultural history is a literary research method that emphasizes the relationship between a
literary work and the cultural and historical context in which it was created and received. It aims
to better understand the literary work by exploring the influences of culture and history on the
work, as well as how the work reflects and shapes culture and history. In The Works of Francois
Rabelais and the Popular Culture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance (1965), Bakhtin sought
to identify the impact of culture (ancient and contemporary) on literary works. In this paper, the
cultural history method is used to approach the text from the perspective of travel writing,
exploring the rich cultural expressions along Xuanzang’s journey from China to India.

Third, the interdisciplinary research method is an approach that combines theories, methods, and
data from various fields to examine complex relationships and subjects from multiple
perspectives. In The Republic, Plato discussed many important topics, such as politics, ethics,
education, law, art, and human nature, all connected by the model distinguishing reality from the
ideal world. In this paper, the interdisciplinary method is applied to identify the reciprocal
influences between literature and Buddhism, exploring how literature reflects and conveys
Buddhist teachings and how Buddhist concepts and themes can be used to analyze literature.

Based on the system of methods, subjects, and research hypotheses mentioned above, the research
model of this paper can be summarized in the following table:
3. Research Results

3.1. Biography – Life and Qualities

From a biographical perspective, Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar is not a detailed listing of
Xuanzang's life events and actions, but rather a work of clear, persuasive rhetoric about his noble
qualities such as courage, unwavering faith, and great compassion, all told with profound respect.

First, as a traveling monk, Xuanzang exhibited great courage in the face of all dangers during his
thousand-mile journey—"It was filled with demons and hot winds, many travelers had perished
under such conditions. But the Dharma Master replied: 'I am traveling west in search of the Great
Dharma. If I do not reach the land of the Brahmins, I will never return to the East. Even if
something happens to me along the way, I will never regret it.'" (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 11).
It is important to note that Xuanzang’s courage is different from that of a common man, which is
based on physical strength to confront enemies (such as Li Kui in Water Margin by Shi Nai’an).
Xuanzang’s bravery is based on wisdom and his conviction in the righteousness of his actions, so
even when faced with the danger of being sacrificed to the goddess Durga—"His face was
completely calm, and his courage frightened the bandits. He told them not to rush him so that he
could die peacefully and with joy." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 17).

Xuanzang’s courage stemmed from his unwavering faith, fully committing his goals, desires, and
aspirations to the path he had chosen. This is a shared trait between the Xuanzang of Wu
Cheng'en and Thích Minh Châu—"He had immense faith in the Three Jewels and was completely
knowledgeable in the three baskets of scriptures." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp. 6-7). It was this
faith that motivated Xuanzang to embark on the journey to retrieve the scriptures, and after
returning, "He translated several works on Tantrism and Pure Land Buddhism to defend his
personal faith in practicing these two schools, based on his pilgrimages and upon his return. He
also wished to demonstrate his aspiration to be reborn in the Tushita Heaven to study the
Yogacara-bhumi Sastra with Bodhisattva Maitreya." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp. 96-97).
However, it should be noted that, as a scholar, Xuanzang was not extreme in his personal beliefs
and did not reject other schools of thought—"He still believed in and followed some key
Confucian principles throughout his life. Loyal to the teachings of filial piety, the Dharma Master
never forgot his duty to his parents." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp. 6-7). This aligns with the
image of a Confucian intellectual that Wu Cheng'en built for Xuanzang in Journey to the West,
reflected in his language, actions, and words when interacting with the emperor, with himself, and
with others.
An important quality of Xuanzang linked to Buddhism is perhaps his compassion and his
aspiration to liberate sentient beings—"I wish to widely spread the message of the Tathagata and
kindle the bright torches of His teachings." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 18). Xuanzang’s life
goals and direction were very clear. While Journey to the West only vaguely mentions the idea of
"liberating sentient beings" and materializes Buddhist attainments as rewards, Xuanzang – The
Pilgrim and Scholar emphasizes Xuanzang’s extraordinary efforts and determination to "visit all
the Dharma masters to learn the supreme teachings, so that upon returning to his country, he
would translate the scriptures and spread the meanings that had not yet been made known,
eradicate false views and heretical doctrines, proclaim the true Dharma, and serve as a guide for
everyone to enter the threshold of truth." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 23). Although grounded in
historical observation, Thích Minh Châu, with his synthesis and the special sentiments of Eastern
culture, wrote about Xuanzang with personal romantic emotions, drawn from similar experiences.
For instance, Thích Minh Châu explained how Xuanzang was often deceived, something that also
happens in Journey to the West, where Xuanzang comes across as somewhat naive and stubborn,
easily fooled. However, Thích Minh Châu asserted: "This criticism, I believe, is rather unfair to
the Dharma Master and shows a lack of deep understanding of his character and psychology. First
and foremost, the Dharma Master harbored a latent faith in the innate goodness and simplicity of
human nature." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 148).

3.2. Travel Writing – Journey and Willpower

Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar is not just a historical account or a treatise but also an
outstanding travelogue, illustrating Xuanzang’s journey to obtain scriptures and his translation
efforts through his unyielding willpower, demonstrated by his determination to complete his
mission, his perseverance, and his ability to harmonize cultural values.

First, Xuanzang’s determination to complete his arduous journey not only tested his knowledge,
strength, and even his life. "Once he set his goal and made his vow, he never changed his
direction throughout the entire journey, not even until the final day of his life." (Thích Minh
Châu, 1989, p. 19). This determination must be understood as fundamentally different from
Journey to the West, where Xuanzang’s resolve is tied to the mandate of Emperor Tang Taizong,
along with the famous send-off scene: "Today is a good day to depart. I grant you a passport and a
golden alms bowl to take with you. I also provide you with two attendants and a golden horse to
carry you. Xuanzang gave thanks, and the emperor, ministers, and monks from the Hongfu
Temple escorted him to the frontier." (Wu Cheng'en, 2019, p. 299). In reality, Xuanzang defied
the imperial edict and secretly left for India. "When he was about to leave Guazhou, an order
arrived from Liangzhou, instructing his capture." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 26); "After
traveling more than 13 miles, he reached the first guard post. He was spotted, and his knees were
nearly hit by an arrow." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 26). Unlike in Journey to the West,
Xuanzang had no support from any external forces; he embarked on this difficult journey relying
solely on his personal resolve.

Travel writing, naturally, focuses on the hardships and challenges of the traveler. Thích Minh
Châu was undoubtedly influenced by Journey to the West, so while no literal monsters appear, the
trials along Xuanzang’s path carry a somewhat supernatural quality, at least in the way Thích
Minh Châu tells it—"He endured the vast desert, under the scorching sun, without a drop of water
to drink. For four days and four nights, he patiently pressed on, while during the day, violent
sandstorms buried him under burning sand, and at night, demons shimmered like stars in the sky.
Despite these vicious and dangerous attacks, his mind remained calm, unafraid." (Thích Minh
Châu, 1989, p. 12). Readers can recognize familiar motifs from Journey to the West, as they stem
from Xuanzang’s real experiences—"When the boat reached the middle of the river, a violent
storm almost capsized it. The scripture keeper was so frightened that he fell into the river but was
fortunately saved. Fifty volumes of scriptures were lost, along with the seeds, while the remaining
scriptures were saved as if by a miracle." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 47). This event is the
factual basis for the 81st calamity at the Tongtian River, where the old turtle threw them into the
river.

Xuanzang’s pilgrimage was also a cultural journey, bringing knowledge of distant, vast territories
in the West to his contemporaries and future generations. Xuanzang set out in the third year of the
Zhenguan reign (629), leaving Chang'an, passing through Lanzhou, Liangzhou, the Five Peaks,
Yumen Pass, crossing the desert, reaching Gaochang, Agni, the Kumush Mountains, Pamir
Mountains, Tokmak city, Kapisa region, Sutrishna region, Bhalluka city... He visited the Buddha's
relics, offered tribute to temples, worshiped the shadow of Buddha at Dipankara, recited the
scriptures, visited holy sites in Kashmir, reached the upper Ganges River, the Deer Park temple,
saw the Bodhi tree where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and visited Nalanda Temple... From
China, across the West, and the Western Asia region, Xuanzang encountered Turkish trade
caravans, and in India, he integrated into the life of the Sangha—"He shared offerings and
conveniences with all the monks." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 12); "He was served by a servant
and a Brahmin and did not have to perform any tasks in the monastery. Wherever he went, he
rode an elephant. Everywhere, he was respected and admired." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp. 39-
40). Thích Minh Châu presented this cultural knowledge and experience through the artistic
symbol of the lotus flower.

The lotus symbol, therefore, transforms, expands, and crystallizes the rich cultural fields along
Xuanzang's journey from China to India.

3.3. Research – Achievements and Intelligence

As a distinguished monk, Xuanzang stood out for his intelligence, deep knowledge, and
significant contributions to Buddhism. The first manifestation of his intelligence was his
eagerness to learn and inquire—"He was determined to go west to study Buddhism and search for
scriptures to resolve his doubts and address his questions." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 19).
Xuanzang's wisdom did not lie in merely quoting or reciting scriptures but in his ability to think
critically. "He listened to their discussions about Buddhism and carefully considered and
pondered their commentary. He noticed that there was a degree of sectarianism, and their
doctrines not only conflicted with each other but also contradicted the scriptures." (Thích Minh
Châu, 1989, p. 19). As a scholar abroad, Xuanzang was not overwhelmed by the vast religious
system in India but approached it with a critical mind, later skillfully synthesizing and interpreting
it based on personal analysis and logical synthesis, especially when it came to abstract issues—"In
terms of understanding hidden truths, attaining distant knowledge, clarifying the minute, and
presenting the concealed, no one could compare with him." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 52).

Xuanzang's intelligence also manifested in his ability to apply theories to practice effectively to
solve problems thoroughly and rationally. When praised for his intelligence by Master Sangxung,
several Dharma masters posed difficult questions to Xuanzang—"But his straightforward and
clear answers impressed his opponents, who admired his vast knowledge." (Thích Minh Châu,
1989, p. 54). When King Gaochang invited him to participate in a military campaign to offer
prayers, Xuanzang skillfully declined by arguing that the king was certain to win, and his
presence would contribute nothing but unnecessary expense; moreover, the monastic precepts
forbade it.

Xuanzang's achievements and intelligence were evident in his profound understanding of

Buddhism, particularly in identifying the root causes of the fragmentation and disunity of the
Dharma. This insight addressed the core of the problem—"Because the original translators came
from distant countries, their presentations and pronunciations were inconsistent. And since the
time of the Buddha was far removed, their interpretations of his teachings also varied. Thus, the
unique teaching of the Buddha that was once delivered beneath the Sala trees has now been split
into two views, one regarding future and present permanence, and the non-dual philosophy of
Mahayana has been divided into two northern and southern schools. This chaos and conflict have
persisted for centuries and spread across the land, leaving people in confusion and doubt with no
one to clear their uncertainties." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 22). Xuanzang’s contribution to
Buddhist philosophy was his translation of Yogacara texts and other works to record the
characteristics of the new school, which he himself claimed to have founded in China. (Thích
Minh Châu, 1989, p. 96). His intelligence was tied to a practical mindset, having matured and
absorbed Mahayana Buddhist education. Xuanzang "visited King Siladitya... The king was very
pleased with Xuanzang’s book titled Cheng Weishi Lun, so he organized a great debate in
Kanyakubja (modern-day Kannauj) where the Dharma Master could engage with those who
disparaged Mahayana... For 18 days, no one dared to oppose the Dharma Master, and he was
appointed to preside over the debate to promote Mahayana and explain the meaning of the book
he had written." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp. 43-44). However, Xuanzang's contributions were
not limited to Mahayana; they spanned both Mahayana and Theravada traditions. Therefore,
discussing Xuanzang's philosophical outlook, Venerable Thích Minh Châu mentioned translations
such as the Treatise on Different Schools, The Awakening of Faith, The Great Commentary on the
Abhidharma, and other Theravada texts like Yogacara, The Great Prajnaparamita Sutra, as well
as works on Tantric and Pure Land Buddhism... These extensive contributions remind the reader
of Thích Minh Châu’s own works, spanning both Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism, including
translations of the Nikayas... without discriminating between schools. Thus, Venerable Thích
Minh Châu is considered the Xuanzang of Vietnam.

4. Commentary
The genre of Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar needs to be redefined. The Hoa Sen Library
classifies the work as Buddhist history, likely influenced by the preface: "This is the first time
Xuanzang has been portrayed based on historical data." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 3). However,
as shown through the above analysis, this text is closer to a biographical narrative. In Biography:
A Narrative Form that Needs to Be Affirmed and Developed (2001), Zhang Ying identifies six
functions of biography: self-affirmation, a desire for self-understanding, the creation of existential
meaning, confession, a moral example for readers, and a source of information and verification.
Biography as a narrative form was popular in Ancient Greece, but Romanticism promoted its
diversity; it has an ambiguous nature (fact–fiction, reality–imagination). Xuanzang – The Pilgrim
and Scholar carries the traces of a biography, although not written by the subject himself; yet, the
distance is erased by the romantic perspective and the mystical acceptance that Venerable Thích
Minh Châu had for Xuanzang. In essence, the work's overall inspiration is one of praise; in some
sections, the author seems to almost deify the character, a common trait in biographies of famous
people or historical figures: "Xuanzang came and went. Many centuries have passed since his
majestic figure graced the skies of India and China, and since his solitary shadow traveled along
uncharted paths connecting the two great powers. Yet time seems not to have eroded his memory;
and the law of impermanence has left no trace on the great reputation of this extraordinary pilgrim
of the past." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 5). Thích Minh Châu's historical narrative leans towards
legend, with occasional appearances of supernatural elements, albeit few—"He collapsed to the
ground and chanted the name of Avalokitesvara. Fortunately, on the fifth night, a cool breeze
arose and refreshed his limbs. He felt revitalized as though he had just bathed in cool water. Thus,
he was miraculously saved, and he eagerly resumed his journey." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, pp.
12-13). However, this is a modern legend, and literary traces are also quite evident—"There were
no birds in the sky, no beasts on the ground, no grass, and no water. Alone, he advanced, chanting
the name of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara and the Heart Sutra." (Thích Minh Châu, 1989, p. 26).

Though it bears many marks of a biography, Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar has a
composite structure and layout. The layout and content of the text can be summarized in the
following table:
The Final Days – Facing Death

It can be observed that Chapter 1 – Appearance and Conduct and the final chapter – The Final
Days are the most historically oriented parts of the narrative. Due to their positions at the
beginning and the end, this is the primary reason for categorizing the text within the domain of
historical writing. However, this beginning-end structure creates a false impression of
chronological continuity. The linear timeline appears a total of eight times, meaning that
Xuanzang’s life journey, apart from the connection between the beginning and the end, is
repeated seven times as evidence for the arguments about the pilgrim, the scholar, the preacher,
the debater, the translator, the author, and the mystic. Therefore, these chapters are, in fact, parts
of a unified argumentative text. Combined with supernatural elements, the sense of reverence, and
Xuanzang’s personal reflections, the novelistic quality also contributes to the richness of the text.
In summary, this can be considered a historical narrative with all its flexibility and dynamism.

The flexibility and dynamism, as mentioned, stem from the author’s personal perception,
qualities, and unique elements embedded in the text. Within the scope of this article, some
similarities between Xuanzang and Venerable Thích Minh Châu can be highlighted. Firstly, both
undertook long and arduous journeys to India, the center of Buddhism, with the aim of gaining a
deeper understanding of the Dharma and bringing scriptures back to their homeland. Secondly,
both shared the aspiration to propagate the Dharma and spread Buddhism in their native countries.
Xuanzang translated scriptures and founded various schools of thought, while Thích Minh Châu
made significant contributions to teaching and spreading Buddhism in Vietnam. Thirdly, both
were distinguished Buddhist scholars, constantly seeking, researching, and deepening their
knowledge of Buddhism. Lastly, both left profound marks on the history of Buddhism. Xuanzang
is regarded as one of the greatest translators of scriptures in Chinese history, while Thích Minh
Châu is one of the most influential monks in modern Vietnamese Buddhism. The above ideas can
be summarized in the following table:

5. Conclusion

In summary, through the examination of Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar from the
perspective of biographical criticism, this paper has achieved a dual purpose – exploring the
character of Xuanzang and relating it to the author, Venerable Thích Minh Châu, from a Buddhist
perspective. The research hypotheses presented for Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar were
consistent with H2 (cultural journey) and H3 (Buddhist achievements), thereby clarifying the
relationship and transformation between Buddhist and literary themes, topics, and characters.
However, hypothesis H1 proved inaccurate as Venerable Thích Minh Châu, beyond the historical
aspect, employed many other literary techniques in the text’s structure. The research methodology
was appropriate for the subject of study by placing it within the larger cultural-historical,
psychological, and Buddhist-literary framework. However, since this study focused on the
Vietnamese translation of Xuanzang – The Pilgrim and Scholar, it did not have the opportunity to
examine the English version, which would help further clarify the artistic value of the author's use
of language. This will be a future direction for the paper, along with expanding the analysis to
Thích Minh Châu’s other works.

Author Information:

Nguyễn Thành Trung holds a Ph.D. in Foreign Languages and Cultures, specializing in Foreign
Literature, and is currently a lecturer at the Faculty of Literature, Ho Chi Minh City University of
Education. He is also a member of the Center for Religious Studies (Vietnam Institute of
Buddhist Studies). His main research areas include the interdisciplinary study of literature and
foreign cultures, as well as literature and religion. The author has published many research articles
in academic journals, books, and conference proceedings. Some recent notable publications
include The Journey of Tripitaka Translation to Vietnamese Through Sanskrit in the 3rd CE
(2022), Analyzing the Binary Deconstruction of the Character Santiago (E. Hemingway’s The
Old Man and the Sea) from the Perspective of Mahayana Buddhism’s Concept of Emptiness
(2023), Islamic Cultural Characteristics in the Novel "On Lips of Water" from a Vietnamese
Cultural Perspective (2023), and Thematic Function of Characters as Sacrificial Elements in
Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Magical Realist Stories (2024).