Cause & Context
Following a vision of a radiant golden deity, Emperor Ming of Eastern Han dispatched envoys Cai Yin and Qin Jing to the Western Regions to seek Buddhist teachings.
Epochal Overview
The envoys met Indian monks Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna, returning to Luoyang with scriptures and relics laden upon white horses; Emperor Ming founded White Horse Temple and sponsored translation of the *Sutra of Forty-Two Chapters*.
Key Figures
Emperor Ming patronized the state mission, guided by Indian masters Kasyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna.
Civilizational Impact
This official reception marked the formal entry of Buddhism into the Chinese imperial heartland, establishing White Horse Temple as the 'Cradle of Chinese Buddhism' and catalyzing the syncretism of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism.