Which Chinese traveller came and stayed in Nalanda both as a student and a teacher?

Correct option is D

Correct Answer: (D) — Hiuen Tsang

Explanation:

• Hiuen Tsang visited India during the reign of Harshavardhana in the 7th century.
• He spent several years at Nalanda University as a student studying Buddhist philosophy under Shilabhadra.
• Due to his profound knowledge, he eventually served as a teacher/lecturer at the same university.

Information Booster:

• He is famously known as the "Prince of Pilgrims" and authored the book "Si-Yu-Ki" (Record of the Western Kingdoms).
• He played a key role in the Kanauj Assembly organized by Harshavardhana.
• His primary goal was to collect authentic Buddhist manuscripts and visit the holy sites of Lord Buddha.

Additional Knowledge:

• Kublai Khan: The Mongol ruler and founder of the Yuan Dynasty in China; a political leader, not a religious pilgrim.
• I-Tsing: Visited India in the late 7th century; stayed at Nalanda for 10 years to translate Sanskrit texts into Chinese.
• Fa-Hien: The first Chinese monk to visit India during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta Dynasty).