reference query

[Richard D. Saran]

You might suggest Josiah Cox Russell's MEDIEVAL REGIONS AND THEIR CITIES
(Bloomington : Indiana U. Press, 1972), which includes a chapter on India
and makes use of Chinese Buddhist pilgrim accounts to arrive at population
estimates.

Also, the pilgrim's records themselves would be useful, particularly
Fa-Hsien's (dates:  ca 337-ca. 422) and Hsuan-Tsang's (dates: ca.
596-664).  Samuel Beal has translated both in SI YU KI = BUDDHIST RECORDS
OF THE WESTERN WORLD; there are other translations available.

Richard D. Saran
South Asia Division
Graduate Library
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
USA
(313) 936-2346
rdsaran at umich.edu


On Tue, 11 Nov 1997, David Magier wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
> I am now faced with a peculiar set of consultation queries, and
> haven't got a clue as to how to proceed, or which sources to
> consult. Any ideas of suggestions will be greatly appreciated. The
> query is extracted below.
>
> Thanks.
> David Magier, PhD
> Columbia University
> magier at columbia.edu
>
> =============================================================
> ...
>
> I'm trying to get a rough estimate of the
>
> 1. population of India in the Maurya, Gupta and Pala periods; and
> 2. the number of Buddhist monks and nuns for those same time periods.
>
> I know, this is insane. There's no census until the 19th century, limited
> epigraphical info, few records, etc. Still, I wonder if you know of any
> innovative research strategies that might have been ushered in by the
> computer age. Satellite photographs taken with a film speed faster than
> the speed of light that records the past? That kind of thing.
>