About Zhu Zixing
Lived 203 – 282 (aged 78–79). Zhu Zixing was a Chinese translator.
Zhu Zixing (, 203-282) alternatively Zhu Shixing, is described in Chinese Buddhism as the first Chinese person to be ordained and become a Buddhist monk via contact with others on the Silk Road. His hometown is recorded as Yingchuan, located in Lishui, and he was ordained in Luoyang at the White Horse Temple. In Khotan, he acquired a copy of the Sanskrit Pañcaviṃśatisāhasrikā prajñāpāramitā, copied it, and had his disciples bring it back to China. Initially he was opposed by Hinayanist monks who outnumbered Mahayanist monks and were allied with the ruling king. He was eventually successful and the manuscript was sent to China in 282.
Zhu left no records of his travels. His journey was recorded in Buddhist literature, including Hyecho's Memoirs of Eminent Monks, which used material from Zhu's disciple.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Zhu Zixing's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Zhu Zixing?
Chinese Buddhist monk and translator
When was Zhu Zixing born?
Zhu Zixing was born in 203 in Henan.
When did Zhu Zixing die?
Zhu Zixing died in 282.
What was Zhu Zixing's occupation?
Zhu Zixing was a translator.
What nationality was Zhu Zixing?
Zhu Zixing was Chinese.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Zhu Zixing. https://biography.guide/zhu-zixing/
MLA: "Zhu Zixing." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/zhu-zixing/.
Chicago: "Zhu Zixing." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/zhu-zixing/.
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