Review of Ennin’s Diary: The Record of a Pilgrimage to China in Search of the Law, trans. Edwin O. Reischauer; and Ennin’s Travels in T’ang China by Edwin O. Reischauer.

At Rhino.

Teaser quote: The Japanese Buddhist monk Ennin is a very interesting figure. He and a couple disciples sailed with a Japanese delegation to China, in 838 AD. He wanted to collect Buddhist texts, visit Buddhist mountains, and have various Buddhist paintings copied. His plan was to return to Japan with all these goodies, and then—I don’t know what. Be a Buddha.


[originally posted Friday 11 June 2021]