Jianzhen, ChineseBuddhist monk, arrives inNara, where he is welcomed by former emperorShōmu and empressKōmyō. During his visit Jianzhen introducessugar to the Japanese court, using it to mask the flavors of foul-tastingherbal tea.
ATang census shows that 75% of the Chinese live north of theChang Jiang (Yangtze) River. The capital ofChang'an has a population of 2 million and more than 25 other cities have well over 500,000 citizens (approximate date).