Varanasi, May 4 -- China's Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong on Monday visited Sarnath, Varanasi, where the Buddha preached his first sermon 2,500 years ago.

Xu said that the Dhamek Stupa is a testament to the bond between India and China.

In a post on X, he said, "Standing at Sarnath, Varanasi -- where the Buddha preached his first sermon 2500 years ago, and where Chinese monk Xuanzang's footsteps helped carry the Dharma home to China. The Dhamek Stupa still stands. So does the bond between our two civilizations."

Sarnath is a realm steeped in the grandeur of history that unfolds in the shadow of the magnificent Dhamek Stupa. Built in 500 CE, this 141-foot-tall stupa was made to replace an earlier structure commissioned by the illustrio...