Chajang Yulsa (redirected from Jajang)

Chajang Yulsa

(flourished 7th century, Korea) Korean Buddhist monk who attempted to make Buddhism the state religion. He went to Tang-dynasty China in 636 for seven years of study and practice and returned with some of the supposed remains of the historical Buddha. Appointed to the highest Buddhist post in Silla, he erected a tower to house the remains and asserted Silla's leadership over the other kingdoms of Korea. He sought China's aid in wars against them. He built the Tongdo Temple to uphold monastic austerity as a model for the nation and sought to make Buddhism a unifying force in Korean society.