Enter the Lotus Sutra, considered one of the most significant Buddhist scriptures in East Asia.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

St Thomas turned up to preach the gospel, while Chinese pilgrims, following the route that I had taken over the Khunjerab Pass, came looking for Buddhist scriptures.

BBC: Following the Silk Road to the end of China

Xuan Zang's pilgrimage to India for Buddhist scriptures in the 7th Century was the inspiration for the novel Journey to the West and popular television series Monkey.

BBC: China media: Analysing North Korea