Analysis of Hsuan Tsang’s Citation on Hindu Cleanliness
Hsuan Tsang's accounts of India provide an abundance of insight into the culture of Hindu society during the seventh century. What makes his writing so unique is that it is historical documentation from an outsider’s perspective, this is helpful in understanding the importance of the details recorded because it contrasts with what the normal culture of Hsuan Tsang would have been accustomed to in China. It’s fortunate that so much from these travels were documented and brought back to China and not just the sought after Buddhist texts. The passage that is being directly analyzed is from Buddhist Records of the Western World p. 77, and provides details related to personal cleanliness, …show more content…
When pointing out that, “After eating they cleanse their teeth with a willow stick, and wash their hands and mouth.” it may be assumed that this practice also was not commonly practiced in China, as this observation likely would not have been worth mentioning if it was common practice. What’s interesting about this point as well is how it sounds like a precursor to what many cultures would consider standard hygiene practice. It’s interesting to see that there isn’t one defining trait that leads Hsuan Tsang to reach these conclusions on Hindu culture and it’s attention to cleanliness. A point mentioned multiple times points to the frequency of washing oneself and how this action is performed before so many other functions. While the merits of cleanliness may be important to Hsuan Tsang, he seems to be responsive in his writing about how important these acts go. An interesting observation is how Hsuan Tsang writes that “When the king washes they strike the drums and sing hymns to the sound of musical instruments.” The act alone must be viewed as an essential function of day to day life within life in India during the seventh
Hsuan Tsang's accounts of India provide an abundance of insight into the culture of Hindu society during the seventh century. What makes his writing so unique is that it is historical documentation from an outsider’s perspective, this is helpful in understanding the importance of the details recorded because it contrasts with what the normal culture of Hsuan Tsang would have been accustomed to in China. It’s fortunate that so much from these travels were documented and brought back to China and not just the sought after Buddhist texts. The passage that is being directly analyzed is from Buddhist Records of the Western World p. 77, and provides details related to personal cleanliness, …show more content…
When pointing out that, “After eating they cleanse their teeth with a willow stick, and wash their hands and mouth.” it may be assumed that this practice also was not commonly practiced in China, as this observation likely would not have been worth mentioning if it was common practice. What’s interesting about this point as well is how it sounds like a precursor to what many cultures would consider standard hygiene practice. It’s interesting to see that there isn’t one defining trait that leads Hsuan Tsang to reach these conclusions on Hindu culture and it’s attention to cleanliness. A point mentioned multiple times points to the frequency of washing oneself and how this action is performed before so many other functions. While the merits of cleanliness may be important to Hsuan Tsang, he seems to be responsive in his writing about how important these acts go. An interesting observation is how Hsuan Tsang writes that “When the king washes they strike the drums and sing hymns to the sound of musical instruments.” The act alone must be viewed as an essential function of day to day life within life in India during the seventh