Latest / The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History
Srivijaya's Buddhist Monk Envoys to Tang China
In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a little-known aspect of Srivijaya's soft power: the dispatch of Buddhist monk-diplomats to Tang Dynasty China. Between the 7th and 9th centuries, Srivijaya sent dozens of learned monks to the imperial court in Chang'an, presenting themselves as the pinnacle of Buddhist scholarship and earning lucrative trade privileges in return. The episode focuses on the pivotal mission of Dharmanātha in 695 CE, who brought Sanskrit manuscripts and a personal letter from the Srivijayan mahārāja to Empress Wu Zetian. We examine how these…
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