Arnold Joseph Toynbee from Britain is considered one of the greatest modern historians. Daisaku Ikeda, a Japanese scholar, met with him in May 1972. They are said to have had the following conversation. Daisaku asked Toynbee:" Where would you wish to be born?" Toynbee replied:" I wish I had been born in Xinjiang in the 1st century after Buddhism was introduved." In the 1st century, Kashgar was an important city on the silk road. Toynbee wished to be born there because of his scholarly interest and keep love for the area. What made this city so attractive to him?
