Raw data
"The earliest constructions and the paintings at Miran are dated to the 3rd century C.E. (Stein, I, pp. 456-543), cited in Melikian-Chirvani (n.d.)
Fig.4: Buddhist stupa discovered by Stein's expedition at Miran (Stein 1912) - a photo reproduced in Rust & Cushing (2001)
"Miran was likely the capital of the ancient kingdom of Shan-Shan [… It] fell into ruin around the fourth century."
http://wikimapia.org/4546809/Miran-ancient-ruins
"Miran, now a historic site famous for its ruins of Buddhist monasteries, is southwest of Lop Nor (Lop Lake) in the Sinkiang Uighur Autonomous Region […]"
http://sawaal.ibibo.com/puja-and-rituals/what-miran-750409.html
"In ancient times Miran was a busy trading center on the southern part of the Silk Road, […] It was also a thriving center of Buddhism with many monasteries and stupas."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miran_(China)
"the kingdom of Shan-shan, a short distance east of Khotan. […] By about a.d. 400 Fahsien estimated that there were more than 4,000 monks in Shan-shan (Beal, I, p. xxiv). - Emeric (n.d.)
Input by: tmciolek, Aug 30, 2010
Final data (and their sources)
Last updated: 03 Oct 2013
Lat/Long coordinates' accuracy:
The monastery in question is assumed to be situated actually no farther than 200 m from the point defined by the coordinates below.
General location of the Miran monastery, CN.
Lat 39.22666666 Long 88.97083332
Mapping & images: Falling Rain Genomics (http://www.fallingrain.com), 2010.
Google Map link:
Final data - explanatory notes
1. Monastery's name
- Miran monastery
2. Monastery's modern country & province
- China:Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu
3. Monastery's alternative/historical names
- Shan-Shan monastery
4. Monastery's lat/long coordinates
- Approx., Lat 39.22666666 Long 88.97083332 - based on the visual identification of the monastery ruins in satellite imagery, maps.google.com - tmciolek, 31 Aug 2010.
5. Other known nearby Buddhist monasteries
- [missing data]
6. Modern name of the known nearest city, town, or village
7. The settlement's alternative/historical names
- Shan-Shan - http://wikimapia.org/4546809/Miran-ancient-ruins
- Mu-lan - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
- Mi-lan- http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
- Mo-lang - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
- MirYn - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
- Miran-tarium - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
- Miren - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
8. The settlement's coordinates
- Approx. Lat 39.2500 Long 88.8333 - http://www.fallingrain.com/world/CH/13/Miran.html
9. Monastery's major Buddhist tradition
- Mahayana - Baumer (2003:46-47)
10. Monastery's Buddhist sub-tradition
- [missing data]
11. Date-early
- 3rd century CE (Stein, I, pp. 456-543), cited in Melikian-Chirvani (n.d.)
MBM chrono-tag 0200-32p 0233-66p 0267-99p - tmciolek 03 Oct 2013
0200-32p 0233-66p 0267-99p 0300-32c 0333-66c 0367-99c 0400-32c 0433-66p dated-el
12. Date-intermediate
- [missing data]
13. Date-late
- The town of Miran (and presumably its monasteries too) fell into ruin c 4th c. CE - http://wikimapia.org/4546809/Miran-ancient-ruins
- Visited by Faxian around 400 CE - Emeric (n.d.)
MBM chrono-tag 0400-32c 0433-66p - tmciolek 03 Oct 2013
14. Details of contacts with other monasteries
- [missing data]
15. Type of evidence regarding the monastery
- Archaeological, pilgrim account
16. Additional notes
- By about 400 CE Fahsien estimated that there were more than 4,000 monks in Shan-shan (Beal, I, p. xxiv) - cited in Emeric (n.d.)
17. Corrections & addenda to this page were kindly provided by
- [missing data]
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