The Daming Temple in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province. [Photo/Xinhua]

First built during the Daming reign (457-464) of the Southern Dynasty (420-589), Daming Temple in Yangzhou, Jiangsu province, was a well-known and important temple in history. For the renowned Chinese Master Jianzhen (688-763) used to be the head of the temple before he got an invitation from Japanese emissary monks to spread 'vinaya', the teachings of the Buddha, in Japan in 742.

Born in Jiangyang county (today's Yangzhou), Jianzhen became a disciple in a local temple at the age of 14. After traveling to different cities such as Chang'an (today's Xi'an), capital of Tang Dynasty (AD618-907) and apprenticed to many celebrated monks, Jianzhen returned to his hometown and became the abbot of Daming Temple in 733.

In 742, Japanese emissary monks to the Tang Dynasty invited Jianzhen to spread Buddhism in Japan. Despite opposition from his disciples, Jianzhen started his voyage crossing the Eastern China Sea to Japan in 743

Due to unfavorable weather conditions and government intervention, Jianzhen failed to cross it in his first five attempts and finally got to Japan in 754 by a returning Japanese emissary ship.

Jianzhen was welcomed by the Mikado in Nara and invited to teach vinaya at the Tōdaiji Temple. He founded a school and set up a private temple, Toshodaiji, there.

After Jianzhen's death in Japan in 763, a statue of him was erected in the Toshodaiji, one of the places in Nara that UNESCO has designated as World Heritage Site "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara".