Introducing Baekje Buddhism to Japan

This is an expression of Baekje’s Buddhist culture that was introduced to Japan. Baekje was early to adopt Buddhism from China as its national religion and its culture developed and flourished based on Buddhism. The kingdom first introduced Buddhism to Japan in around the 6th century. At that time, the Korean peninsula was wracked with war, and the future of the kingdom was uncertain. Baekje wanted to cement an alliance with Japan, in order to protect itself against the neighboring kingdoms of Goguryeo and Silla, and so the kingdom propagated its Buddhist culture in Japan.

Baekje dispatched many monks to Japan, in addition to sending Buddhist scriptures and statues of Buddhist saints. The monks taught the principles of Buddhism and introduced the Buddhist way of life and culture, and in addition imparted a variety of technical and artistic skills. It was through these efforts that Buddhism became a part of Japanese culture. Baekje also dispatched masters of construction, sculpture, and the arts to Japan to share their skills for the purposes of building pagodas and temples and crafting statues of Buddha.

It was through these efforts that Japan went on to establish an independent Buddhist culture known as the Asuka Culture.