Anyone who has seen Journey to the West knows that Tang Priest learned from the West. One hundred years later, Jian Zhen spread Buddhism eastward. Monk Jian Zhen was a monk in the Tang Dynasty, whose common name was Chunyu. He is the first master in China who started his own school in Japan. He has profound knowledge of Buddhism. He teaches Buddhist precepts and often does good deeds. At the beginning, two monks studying in Japan invited him to teach precepts in Japan. Because he advocated that Buddhism knew no borders, Jian Zhen immediately agreed. Later, because of the hot weather, he suffered from eye diseases, which led to blindness in both eyes, but his belief in going east did not waver and he finally arrived in Japan. When he arrived in Japan, he was entertained. At that time, the Japanese Emperor and other senior officials accepted Jian Zhen's three-thirds and seven-certificates commandment, and the rules of Japanese commandment were re-formulated by Jian Zhen. In addition to teaching Buddhism, he also explained in detail the knowledge of medicine, calligraphy, architecture, forging steel and agricultural technology in China, and vigorously spread our culture in various fields.
Coupled with the powerful opening of the Tang Dynasty at that time, such a civilization attracted many foreigners. Many envoys were sent to the Tang Dynasty just to learn. The Tang Dynasty, full of self-confidence and superiority, also welcomed envoys from various countries. After Jian Zhen was introduced into Japan, Japanese culture made a qualitative leap. Up to now, architecture, writing and folk culture in Sui and Tang Dynasties can still be seen in Japan. Therefore, in a way, Jian Zhen's eastward crossing is also to enhance national prestige and show the splendid scenery brought by the prosperous times of the Tang Dynasty.
Therefore, it can be said that Jian Zhen has made great contributions to promoting Buddhism all his life. Suffering hardships along the way, he almost died, bringing advanced Buddhism, medicine, architecture and other technologies to Japan. He is a disseminator of cultural exchange and a master of Buddhism.