Ancient Indian Buddhist monk's remains donated in China

The remains from a mummified Buddhist master from India have been donated by a temple to the local government in northern China's Hebei province.

The remains are said to belong to Buddhist master Cixian Sanzang in the Khitan Empire or Liao Dynasty (916-1125 CE).

"Underneath the gold foil and incense ashes of the statue, teeth from the upper jaw, as well as the ribs and the spine were well preserved, including even the joints," Xinhua news agency quoted Wu Yongqing, a senior orthopedic doctor with the No. 1 People's Hospital of Wuan city, as saying.

The remains were donated by Dinghui temple in Huoshui town to Wuan's cultural relics protection institute.

Sanzang was from India and went to Khitan, translating many important sutras. After his death, his body was kept in soil and paint, the report said.

Wang Wei, head of the Wuan city's cultural relics protection institute, said the remains are quite precious.

"Due to the poor conditions for preservation at the institute, they will be kept in the temple at the moment," he added.

--IANS

amit/vt