During the Tang Dynasty's during the era of "Zhen Guan" (era name during rule of Emperor Taizong), the young Xuan Zang monk, in his quest for the knowledge in Buddhism, embarked on a journey to India, that is fraught with perils and dangers, natural disasters, and sees the sufferings of the common people. Soldiers gets in his way, his disciples betrays him, he struggles through deserts, runs short of food and water, all in the quest for Buddha's teachings. He finally arrives in India, and studies Buddhism in earnest. By the time he returns to China, he is already 50 years old.