Civil Services Prep

Prelims 2025 · Ancient History · Question 25

Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of

  1. Samudragupta
  2. Chandragupta II
  3. Kumaragupta I
  4. Skandagupta

Answer

Chandragupta II

  • (a) Samudragupta: Fa-hien came to India in the early 5th century CE, after Samudragupta’s reign had ended. Verdict: Incorrect.
  • (b) Chandragupta II: Fa-hien visited India around 399–414 CE, which falls in the reign of Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya). Verdict: Correct.
  • (c) Kumaragupta I: Kumaragupta I ruled later, beginning around 415 CE, after Fa-hien’s main Indian travels. Verdict: Incorrect.
  • (d) Skandagupta: Skandagupta ruled still later in the mid-5th century CE. Verdict: Incorrect.
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