In A.D. 552 (or 538 — experts disagree; some say it never happened) a Korean envoy presented himself at the Japanese court of Emperor Kimmei.
The Korea of that time was split among several perpetually warring kingdoms. The three largest were Kokuli, Silla and Paikche. The envoy was from Paikche, whose defenses were buckling under attack by Silla.
He came, says the 8th-century chronicle "Nihon Shoki," bearing a plea and a gift. The plea was for military aid; the gift, a "wonderful doctrine . . . of all doctrines the most excellent . . . hard to explain and hard to comprehend," but through it "every prayer is fulfilled."
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