Cháng chūn zhēn rén xī yóu jì 長春真人西遊記

Record of the Perfected Chángchūn’s Journey to the West

by 李志常 (Lǐ Zhìcháng, 1193–1256)

The travel-narrative of 丘處機 Qiū Chǔjī’s 1219–1223 overland journey to meet Chinggis Khan in the Hindu Kush, recorded by his disciple Lǐ Zhìcháng. One of the major primary sources for 13th-century Central Asian history and Mongol-period religious-political relations. Preserved as DZ 1429 / CT 1429 (正一部).

Dating. 1228. Dynasty: 元.

Translations and research

  • Waley, Arthur. The Travels of an Alchemist: The Journey of the Taoist Ch’ang-ch’un from China to the Hindukush at the Summons of Chingiz Khan. London: Routledge, 1931. The classic English translation.
  • Rachewiltz, Igor de. “The Hsi-yu lu by Yeh-lu Ch’u-ts’ai.” Monumenta Serica 21 (1962): 1–128.