The Buddhist Cultural Exchange between Baekje and the Northern Dynasties of China

This study examined the exchange of Buddhist culture and art between Baekje and the Northern Dynasties of China. The ancient East Asian Buddhist culture was very political. Thus, Buddhist cultural exchanges between Baekje and China also tended to be centered on political activities. Based on these historical facts, this paper divided the Buddhist cultural exchanges between Baekje and the Northern Dynasties into two stages: the early and late of the 6th century, when Baekje began its official exchanges with the Northern Dynasties. In the first phase, the influence of the Northern Wei(北魏) on Baekje's Buddhist culture was minimal because Baekje had little interaction with the Northern Wei. Nevertheless, the use of the name of the temple, which adopted the name of the Chinese regnal year, and the selection of the location of the Jeongnim-sa(定林寺) Temple in the capital of Sabi(泗沘) appeared to reflect the influence of the Northern Wei. In the late 6th century, Baekje established formal diplomatic relations with Northern Qi(北齊)and Northern Zhou(北周), which resulted in changes in Buddhist art in Baekje. Visually perceptual experiences of Buddhist landscapes from the Northern Dynasties, such as stone caves and stone statues built on traffic routes and highlands, led to the emergence of new forms of cliff statues in Baekje from the late 6th to early 7th centuries. Changes in the Buddhist icon have also occurred. The Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and the Pansive Bodhisattva, which were popular in the Northern Qi, were located next to the Buddha. It shows that the Baekje people did not passively accept the Chinese Buddhist culture, and that they changed it.