Ven. Jian Zhen

In 742 A.D., two Japanese monks, Yoei and Fusho, visited Ven. Jian Zhen in Yangzhou and told him about their desire to take the Buddhist precepts to Japan. Sensing the urgent need of the Japanese Buddhists, Venerable asked his disciples if any of them was willing to shoulder the important task of going to Japan to promote the precepts. When no one spoke up, Venerable volunteered himself; and he made five attempts to sail to Japan since 743 A.D. Even when he lost his eyesight, he still held on to his aspiration. On his sixth attempt, the Venerable eventually arrived in Japan. The Venerable had since made great contributions to the development of Buddhism in Japan, as well as, in culture, architecture, Chinese medicine.