Portions of it were written out three times, and the whole of it twice.

While preparing my own version I made frequent reference to previous translations:--those of M.Abel Remusat, "Revu, complete, et augmente d'eclaircissements nouveaux par MM.

Klaproth et Landress" (Paris, 1836); of the Rev.Samuel Beal (London, 1869), and his revision of it, prefixed to his "Buddhist Records of the Western World" (Trubner's Oriental Series, 1884); and of Mr.Herbert A.Giles, of H.M.'s Consular Service in China (1877).

To these I have to add a series of articles on "Fa-hsien and his English Translators," by Mr.
T.Watters, British Consul at I-Chang (China Review, 1879, 1880).
Those articles are of the highest value, displaying accuracy of Chinese scholarship and an extensive knowledge of Buddhism.

I have regretted that Mr.Watters, while reviewing others, did not himself write out and publish a version of the whole of Fa-Hsien's narrative.
If he had done so, I should probably have thought that, on the whole, nothing more remained to be done for the distinguished Chinese pilgrim in the way of translation.