The people are numerous and happy […] they have no need to register households or attend to officials. […] Those who farm royal land pay a portion of their grain. […] The king’s guards and attendants have salaries […] The cities are the greatest in the Middle Kingdom [i.e. the Gangetic plains], and the inhabitants are rich, prosperous, and practice kindness and righteousness. Heads of Vaishya families [i.e. merchants or traders] establish houses for charity and medicines […] the poor, orphans and the sick are cared for […] doctors provide treatment, and the needy receive food and medicines. […] The city has many wealthy Vaishya elders and foreign merchants, with beautiful homes […] The lanes are kept in good order. – A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (AD 399–414) (Translated by J. Legge)
Read the excerpt from Faxian given above and identify the key features of the society he describes. Write down your observations and compare your notes with your friends—you might be surprised to see how differently others interpret the same text!
Key features of Gupta society from Faxian's account:
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Population and happiness: People were numerous and happy.
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Minimal bureaucratic interference: No household registration required; people did not need to attend to officials frequently.
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Taxation system: Farmers cultivating royal land paid a portion of their grain as tax.
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Salaries for state servants: King's guards and attendants received regular salaries.
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Prosperous cities: Cities in the Gangetic plains were large, with rich and prosperous inhabitants.
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Moral values: People practiced kindness and righteousness.
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Charitable institutions: Vaishya families established houses for charity, providing food and medicines to the poor, orphans, and sick.
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Healthcare: Doctors provided treatment, and needy people received care.
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Wealthy merchants: The city had many wealthy Vaishya elders and foreign merchants with beautiful homes.
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Urban planning: Lanes were kept in good order.
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Social stratification: Chanḍālas were treated harshly as outcastes and lived outside city limits.
Explanation
The chapter provides Faxian's travelogue excerpt on Page 9, describing prosperous cities, charitable institutions, minimal bureaucratic interference, and social conditions. The chapter also notes on Page 10 that Faxian elsewhere described the harsh treatment of chanḍālas, reminding students to consider multiple perspectives and assess sources critically.