Buddhism originated in Tianzhu at that time, so the monks at that time all went to Tianzhu to obtain the true scriptures. As early as 645 AD, Xuanzang returned to Chang'an. After more than a hundred years of development, Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty already had a complete system.

On December 20, 753 AD, Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen finally landed in Kagoshima, Japan, on his sixth eastward journey.

Why did Jianzhen choose to travel east to Japan?

一. Jianzhen's eastward journey is inseparable from Xuanzang (the prototype of Tang Monk in Journey to the West).

Buddhism originated in Tianzhu at that time, so the monks at that time all went to Tianzhu to obtain the true scriptures. As early as 645 AD, Xuanzang returned to Chang'an . After more than a hundred years of development, Buddhism in the Tang Dynasty already had a complete system. In comparison, the Buddhist religious environment in Japan needs someone who can guide, answer questions, and give guidance.

Xuan Zang

2. Jianzhen’s journey to the east was for the sake of exchanges between countries.

In the early years of the Tang Dynasty, China completed the unification of its territory and ended years of war. Its culture reached unprecedented prosperity, and cultural and religious exchanges with neighboring countries became increasingly close. Neighboring countries such as Goguryeo and Japan were even more eager to acquire the advanced culture of the Tang Dynasty at that time. So in 742 AD, Japan sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty, including two monks, one named Puzhao and the other named Rongrui. These two monks came to the Daming Temple in Yangzhou at that time and asked the eminent monks at that time to teach the Dharma in Japan. Only one monk was willing to go east to teach the Dharma, and this was Jianzhen.

Jianzhen

3. The biggest obstacle to Jianzhen’s eastward journey.

The navigation technology at that time was not that developed, and there was a lack of hydrological information and navigation routes. At that time, economic and cultural exchange personnel between the two countries were often out of stock on the vast sea, and they were either overturned by the waves or ran aground on the rocks. No, what's more, when encountering severe weather such as Typhoon , the entire fleet died at sea. When we look at the failure of Jianzhen's eastward voyage to Japan, the fourth time he got lost and drifted from Suzhou to Hainan. It is not difficult to say.

Jianzhen's eastward journey route map

Jianzhen finally arrived in Japan for the sixth time. At this time, he was 66 years old and blind. He taught Buddhism in Japan for ten years and finally passed away in Japan.