Sundo

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Sundo (Chin., Shun-tao). The first Buddhist missionary to Koguryŏ, in Korea. Sundo travelled to Koguryŏ in 372, the second year of King Sosurim's reign (371–84), with an envoy dispatched by King Fu Chien (r. 357–85) of the Former Chʾin dynasty (351–94), presenting Buddhist images and scriptures to the Koguryŏ court. (Another tradition holds that Sundo came from the Eastern Chʾin (317–420) rather than the Former Chʾin.) In either case, this event is regarded as the first introduction of Buddhism to Korea.

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