Changes

Construction began on the temple in [[747]]; it was a huge financial undertaking for the Imperial Court, and one of the largest temple projects, and Buddhist sculptural projects, in the Buddhist world at the time. The construction of Tôdai-ji and its Great Buddha were a means by which the Yamato state (i.e. Japan) showed the rest of the Buddhist world (mainly China & Korea) its wealth, power, and devotion.

Construction began on the temple in [[747]]; it was a huge financial undertaking for the Imperial Court, and one of the largest temple projects, and Buddhist sculptural projects, in the Buddhist world at the time. The construction of Tôdai-ji and its Great Buddha were a means by which the Yamato state (i.e. Japan) showed the rest of the Buddhist world (mainly China & Korea) its wealth, power, and devotion.

The Great Buddha was completed and dedicated in [[752]]. As part of the eye-opening ceremony for the sculpture, Emperor Shômu officially declared himself "a servant of the Three Treasures of Buddhism."<ref>Mason. p60.</ref>

The Great Buddha was completed and dedicated in [[752]]. Over 370 officials and monks from [[Silla]] (Korea) were in attendance at the sculpture's grand eye-opening ceremony.<ref>Roger Keyes, ''Ehon: The Artist and the Book in Japan'', New York Public Library (2006), 40.</ref> At this time, Emperor Shômu is said to have officially declared himself "a servant of the Three Treasures of Buddhism."<ref>Mason. p60.</ref>

An ordination hall, or ''[[kaidanin|kaidan'in]]'', was established at Tôdai-ji in [[755]]; there, the Chinese monk [[Ganjin]], quite possibly the only man in Japan capable of ordaining other monks, ordained 400 people, including [[Empress Komyo|Empress Kômyô]].<ref>Mason. p70.</ref> When Emperor Shômu died the following year, Kômyô established the Shôsôin Imperial Storehouse on the grounds of Tôdai-ji, and donated roughly 600 objects to be held there, including textiles, musical instruments, metalware, and other gifts from [[Tang Dynasty]] China, Korea, and as far afield as Persia.

An ordination hall, or ''[[kaidanin|kaidan'in]]'', was established at Tôdai-ji in [[755]]; there, the Chinese monk [[Ganjin]], quite possibly the only man in Japan capable of ordaining other monks, ordained 400 people, including [[Empress Komyo|Empress Kômyô]].<ref>Mason. p70.</ref> When Emperor Shômu died the following year, Kômyô established the Shôsôin Imperial Storehouse on the grounds of Tôdai-ji, and donated roughly 600 objects to be held there, including textiles, musical instruments, metalware, and other gifts from [[Tang Dynasty]] China, Korea, and as far afield as Persia.