Upon the invitation of Emperor Shomu, the monk Ganjin (688-763) left China for Japan in 759 to spread the teachings of Buddhism. He founded the Ritsu school by establishing the rules of monastic discipline which would have a durable influence on Japanese spirituality. He built Toshodai-ji, a fact which the temple commemorates in the form of a statue of its founder, which is one of Japan's earliest examples of lacquerware. Other statues in the same style (Buddhas and the Goddess Kannon) can be seen in the Kon-do (the main building, designated a National Treasure).