Correct Option
The correct option is Fa Xian and Xuan Zang.
Explanation
Following the introduction of Buddhism to China via the Silk Road, several Chinese monks undertook hazardous journeys to India. Their primary objectives were to visit sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites and to procure authentic Buddhist texts (Sutras and Vinayas) for translation into Chinese.
Option Analysis
- Fa Xian and Xuan Zang is Correct: Fa Xian (Faxian) traveled to India in the early 5th century CE during the reign of Chandragupta II (Gupta Empire). His specific goal was to obtain the Vinaya Pitaka (monastic codes). Xuan Zang (Hiuen Tsang) visited India in the 7th century CE during the reign of King Harshavardhana. He studied at Nalanda University and returned to China with a vast collection of Buddhist manuscripts.
- Marco Polo and Ibn Battuta is Incorrect: Marco Polo was a Venetian merchant who visited South India in the late 13th century. Ibn Battuta was a Moroccan scholar and traveler who visited India during the Tughlaq dynasty (14th century). Neither was a Chinese pilgrim.
- Megasthenes and Deimachus is Incorrect: Megasthenes was a Greek ambassador sent by Seleucus Nicator to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. Deimachus was a Greek ambassador sent to the court of Bindusara. They were diplomats, not religious pilgrims.
- Al-Biruni and Francois Bernier is Incorrect: Al-Biruni was a Persian scholar who arrived in India with Mahmud of Ghazni in the 11th century. Francois Bernier was a French physician who visited India during the Mughal era (reign of Aurangzeb).
Key Takeaway: Fa Xian and Xuan Zang are the most prominent Chinese pilgrims who traveled to ancient India specifically to study Buddhism and collect scriptures to aid the propagation of the faith in China.