Monk Jianzhen's influence on Tiantaiand Esoteric Buddhism Communion in Japan

It is generally accepted by the Chinese and Foreign scholars that Monk Jianzhen, the famous Buddhist who had sailed east to Japan,contributed to establishing and perfecting the tonsure system and introducing Esoteric communion in Japan. The academic study of his contribution to the rise of both Tiantai and Esoteric communion is not sufficient. This paper affirms his contribution while discussing what contribution he had made and why he had done so, and presenting a new viewpoint that Jianzhen was a great Buddhist of both Tiantai communion and Lvzong communion.