Tree planted by famous Chinese monk transplanted to ancient capital

A sal tree grown by Chinese monk Xuanzang had a cutting planted in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province where the monk started his journey to the west.

The sapling was planted in the Da Ci'en Temple, where Xuanzang presided over translation of Buddhist scriptures and expounded Buddhist doctrines in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), said a local official on Monday.

It was written in the ancient documents that Monk Xuanzang, whose 17-year journey to India inspired the classic novel "Journey to the West", brought back three sal tree fruits, said Wang Na, a Party official with the Yijun county of Tongchuan city.

He used one for medical treatment and planting the other two in Yijun county. One of the trees died in 1996, but the other in Aihaowa village has survived for more than 1,360 years, Wang said.

"The tree is more than 20 meters tall, and canopy of the tree covers more than 600 square meters, a little bit less than a tennis court.

Botanists spent three years propogating cuttings from the tree. The sapling, two meters tall, was taken to the Da Ci'en Temple last month.

Sal and Bodhi are two Buddhist sacred trees. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented saplings of Bodhi tree to the Da Ci'en Temple last year during a visit. Endi