Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of
- (a) Samudragupta
- (b) Chandragupta II ✓ UPSC's answer
- (c) Kumaragupta I
- (d) Skandagupta
Why the answer is (b)
• Fa-hien (Faxian) visited India between about 399 and 412 CE to collect Buddhist texts, travelling through Gandhara, Mathura, Pataliputra and Tamralipti before sailing home via Sri Lanka.
• These years fall within the reign of Chandragupta II 'Vikramaditya' (c. 375–415 CE), so option (b) is correct.
• Fa-hien's Fo-kuo-ki praises the peace, mild administration and prosperity of the Gupta realm but, interested mainly in religion, never names the king.
• Samudragupta reigned earlier (c. 335–375); Kumaragupta I and Skandagupta later (c. 415–467), when the Hunas began to threaten the empire.
• Hence option (b).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) Samudragupta
- Samudragupta's reign ended around 375 CE, before Fa-hien's visit.
- (c) Kumaragupta I
- Kumaragupta I came to the throne around 415 CE, after Fa-hien had left.
- (d) Skandagupta
- Skandagupta ruled in the mid-fifth century, long after the visit.
Asked in the GS Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.