Note 15 — Chapter XL · AFTER TWO YEARS TAKES SHIP FOR CHINA. DISASTROUS PASSAGE TO JAVA; AND THENCE TO CHINA; ARRIVES AT SHAN-TUNG; AND GOES TO NANKING. CONCLUSION OR L’ENVOI BY ANOTHER WRITER.

(15) The whole of this paragraph is probably Fâ-Hien’s own conclusion of his narrative. The second half of the second sentence, both in sentiment and style in the Chinese text, seems to necessitate our ascribing it to him, writing on the impulse of his own thoughts, in the same indirect form which he adopted for his whole narrative. There are, however, two peculiar phraseologies in it which might suggest the work of another hand. For the name India, where the first (15) is placed, a character is employed which is similarly applied nowhere else; and again, “the three Honoured Ones,” at which the second (15) is placed, must be the same as “the three Precious Ones,” which we have met with so often; unless we suppose that {.} {.} is printed in all the revisions for {.} {.}, “the World-honoured one,” which has often occurred. On the whole, while I accept this paragraph as Fâ-Hien’s own, I do it with some hesitation. That the following and concluding paragraph is from another hand, there can be no doubt. And it is as different as possible in style from the simple and straightforward narrative of Fâ-Hien.