The Japanese sent occasional missions, with tribute; and the Chinese, who had already in A.D.240 dispatched an envoy to Japan, repeated the compliment in 608.

An attempt was made to conquer Korea, and envoys were sent to countries as far off as Siam.

Buddhism, which had been introduced many centuries previously--no one can exactly say when--began to spread far and wide, and appeared to be firmly established.

In A.D.
399 a Buddhist priest, named Fa Hsien, started from Central China and travelled to India across the great desert and over the Hindu Kush, subsequently visiting Patna, Benares, Buddha-Gaya, and other well-known spots, which he accurately described in the record of his journey published on his return and still in existence.

His object was to obtain copies of the sacred books, relics and images, illustrative of the faith; and these he safely conveyed to China by sea from India, via Ceylon (where he spent three years), and Sumatra, arriving after an absence of fifteen years.
In the year A.D.618 the House of T'ang entered upon its glorious course of three centuries in duration.