China, Japan value friendship of over 1,000 years

Source: CCTV.com | 09-29-2007 13:47

China and Japan are close neighbors, separated only by a narrow strip of sea. Since ancient times, the two countries have influenced each other in many ways.

Relations between China and Japan can be traced back to at least 1,000 years ago when Chinese monk Jian Zhen set off for Japan, bringing Chinese medicine, language and literature to the Japanese.

Jian Zhen died at the age of 76 in the ancient Japanese capital Nara. And to this day, he is still honored at the city's Toshodai Temple.

Professor Liu Jiangyong of Tsinghua University said,“For geographical reasons, non-governmental exchanges between China and Japan have a history of more than a thousand years. This has become a characteristic of Sino-Japanese relations. Although bilateral ties have undergone ups and downs, non-governmental diplomacy has not only provided the foundation, but also set the tone for better Sino-Japanese ties.”