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Who founded the Tiantai school in China and the Tendai school in Japan?
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Mahayana
Guanyin and attendant bodhisattvas, detail of a painted cave mural, Kansu province, China, early 8th century.
The Tiantai school in China and the Tendai school in Japan were established by two distinct figures:
- Tiantai (China): While the doctrine was first taught by Huiwen, the monk Zhiyi (538–597) is regarded as the founder of the school due to his significant contributions and organization of its teachings. He settled on the Tiantai Mountains in 576, which subsequently became the namesake for the tradition.12
- Tendai (Japan): The school was introduced to Japan in 806 by the Japanese monk Saichō, who had traveled to China in 804 to study the Tiantai tradition. Upon his return, he established the school and founded the Enryaku Temple on Mount Hiei.1